Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[flyingmonkeypoop]

I have dermatographic skin, have had it all my life. They told me I could take antihystamines daily but I prefer not to. Sure it gets annoying when everyone asks whats wrong, who hit/scratched/strangled me, but now I have fun with it by doing skin writing.
I also was born without my intestines connected to my duodenum so I have loads of internal issues but it's all good. Such is life, we all have our quirks

 

[Manningjw]

That's pretty much what I was getting at. Nothing special about their egg color. There's an old misunderstanding about the Langshan and people want to breed it for a pin/plum/purple cast depending on who you talk to, and that's just a mistake and could very easily destroy the breed if people start trying to breed for some weird egg color rather than the other aspects of the breed.

From what I have read, which I admit isn't a huge amount - Croad Langshans were well known for laying a 'different' color of brown eggs - but as they have been imported and cross bred or even inbred most lines have lost that characteristic.

It seems like anything else if a trait isn't considered valuable to the breeder it can and likely will be lost in order to preserve other traits. Whether or not the egg color is more valuable than the angle of the tail or the feathering on the feet is entirely personal it seems.

From what I have read about Marans, the specific tint/darkness of their eggs comes from the Langshan line that was bred into and selected for. Doesn't it seem odd that a Langshan would no longer have this?

 

[CarolynF]

Quote:

Matt... thanks for the extra details, that helps me a lot. And of course the pic, as they say, is worth a thousand words. Words describing color is SO hit and miss. If you ever put some on a scale it would be fun to know whether they're over of under the 2 oz. mark. I didn't realize you're doing Blue Langshans until I read your footer line. The blue and buff standing alongside each other must be very pretty.

Quote:
And CL... I appreciate your input on this, too. It's so easy to get confused when discussing color with a variety of people. The chart I've seen for Marans is helpful, but I haven't seen one for just "regular" brown eggs or "light" brown eggs, etc. Does one actually exist?

 

[BGMatt]

Matt...  thanks for the extra details, that helps me a lot.  And of course the pic, as they say, is worth a thousand words.  Words describing color is SO hit and miss. If you ever put some on a scale it would be fun to know whether they're over of under the 2 oz. mark.   I didn't realize you're doing Blue Langshans until I read your footer line.  The blue and buff standing alongside each other must be very pretty. 

You're very welcome. I love discussing my favorite breed. And working with the different colors is a rewarding experience. It is tempting to take those Buff Leghorns and use them to try and develop a Buff Langshan, I think that'd be a gorgeous animal.

From what I have read, which I admit isn't a huge amount - Croad Langshans were well known for laying a 'different' color of brown eggs - but as they have been imported and cross bred or even inbred most lines have lost that characteristic.

It seems like anything else if a trait isn't considered valuable to the breeder it can and likely will be lost in order to preserve other traits.  Whether or not the egg color is more valuable than the angle of the tail or the feathering on the feet is entirely personal it seems.

From what I have read about Marans, the specific tint/darkness of their eggs comes from the Langshan line that was bred into and selected for.  Doesn't it seem odd that a Langshan would no longer have this?

Our Langshan is the Croad Langshan here in the states. The "different" egg thing is a common misconception, some Langshans did back then and still do today put a "bloom" on their eggs. No matter the shade. But it was never been a defining trait selected for by the founders and pioneers of the breed. (I highly recommend the writings of AC Croad to anyone interested in the Langshan, it explains a lot of the early history, the various breedings tried, where the breed's genetic purity and prepotency was discovered). I suspect that "bloom" or coating is what was selected for and intensified when they created the Maran but have never looked into the history of that breed at all.

 

[DiamondDust]

Anyone here going to the WFF show in Chehalis next month? Showing or just looking?

 

[BGMatt]

Anyone here going to the WFF show in Chehalis next month? Showing or just looking?

I'll be there. Should have some OEGB, and maybe a Langshan or two entered.

 

[AletaG]

Going, hoping to obtain some bantam Choc Orps while I'm there... and look at everything, of course! Maybe I'll wear a name tag this time!

 

[Hinotori]

I'm going. Will be looking and I have birds to pick up

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

We might go to look. Schedule is crazy at work so it might just be a day trip

 

[crazybirdlady2p]

I have been in Washington for one year now. I know we were spoiled last year with the mild winter. This will be my first winter with chickens here. I lived in Colorado with chickens most of my life. Put the babies in my extra bath tub in the spring when they came in the mail. Heat lamps with extension cords running everywhere. REALLY hoping not to have to do that this year. Chicken coop is pretty warm and they have lots of bedding. The house is up off the ground about a foot.I open everything in the day to keep the air flowing and have canvas blinds on the windows to keep out drafts at night. I know if it gets too cold my garage will become a temp coop with heaters and lamps. How cold would you say is too cold?