Old time poultry

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Old time poultry
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Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 17 5:54 am Post subject: Old time poultry

People who've known me on Downsizer for the last ten years, will know that I've long had an interest in traditional breeds of just about all kinds of poultry and in keeping them for the purposes they were originally created for. That's namely good quality, slow grown tasty meat and eggs that taste as they did fifty years ago.
While some breeds have disappeared altogether the rest, are pale facsimile's of what they used to be, which are only seen in show pens.

On the spur of the moment, yesterday I created a fb group for fellow enthusiasts seeking to preserve and promote what little we have left. Now I understand that it wont be for everyone but please pop in and have a look. It is very early days yet, so don't expect miracles over night.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1470582246319228/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8962
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 17 6:56 am Post subject:
Thanks for the link. We aim to have chooks some day, but until then we support the older breeds as we can

chickenlady

Joined: 18 Aug 2013
Posts: 413
Location: Dorset

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 17 11:07 am Post subject:
Looking good. I've requested to join, even though I've given up poultry keeping for the moment. Will start up again in the future.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 17 11:16 am Post subject:
I'll come and chat old style chickens. I'm trying alsorts this year to see what I like table bird wise. I generally prefer older breeds, although I do have some hybrids and Cobbs at the moment. It's not so much the principle of old style breeds as the overbreeding to produce unatural weight gain and so on. I'll see how I feel about when I've had some for a while.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 17 1:14 pm Post subject:

what a splendid idea, to secure "old breeds" requires numbers both of enthusiasts and of flocks to give the broadest gene pool available to work back from what is available to a good approximation of the original phenotypes by selective crossing.

there has been some good work done in other species exampled by the position of cattle breeds such as dexters (ours look nothing like the show ones but they are ace at their job) and with some breeds of pig.

in dog world the show factor has changed some breeds considerably (usually for the worse) but there are a few folk who have abandoned the show world and are working to restore breed characteristics that have been lost by adhering to "breed standards" that have been interpreted in ways that have changed the breed beyond recognition from the phenotypes originally shown. a good example of this is the splendid work Calli and chums have been doing to restore the vigour and capabilities of the saluki to the standards seen for millennia rather than the light boned, stupid and low stamina ones seen to meet the ( mostly appearance) criteria that shows demand.

well done and best wishes for a successful set of projects.
if i had the facilities i would be up for some selective crossing to restore old chook breeds.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 17 6:12 pm Post subject:

wellington womble wrote:

I'll come and chat old style chickens. I'm trying alsorts this year to see what I like table bird wise. I generally prefer older breeds, although I do have some hybrids and Cobbs at the moment. It's not so much the principle of old style breeds as the overbreeding to produce unatural weight gain and so on. I'll see how I feel about when I've had some for a while.

We've travelled down to Brecon for couple of days today, then we'll have two in Ludlow before travelling to Winchcombe and then home for Sunday. It'll take me just over a week to get those LS eggs ready, if that's OK.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 17 9:28 pm Post subject:
Whenever will be fine. I've a broody available and the incubator will be free on April 1, so I've plenty of capacity at present.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 17 7:55 am Post subject:
Wonderful, good luck! Does the RBST have any useful resources for you?

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 17 4:46 pm Post subject:
Not really, I'm interested in the breeds as they were but they're more concerned with the breeds as they are now and they're show birds that may look the part but don't fulfil the part.

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 17 10:39 am Post subject:
Bodger, did you ever buy any of those strange metallic all black poultry you were banging on about a while ago? How did they do?

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 17 8:57 am Post subject:

I'm not sure which ones you mean Lozzer?

The only breed I've taken on in the last few years are my Anconas, which are black with white tips to the ends of their feathers. No. If its not those, then I can't think what they might have been.

Years and years ago a lady member on here posted some great pictures of her Minorca's but by the time I found the thread, she'd long gone. I seem to recall that she was up in your old neck of the woods, in Scotland. I may have mentioned them but you know me, I never bang on about anything. Well at least not for too long !

I did say that it was a long time ago. Found it.

https://forum.downsizer.net/about40958.html&highlight=minorca

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 17 10:06 am Post subject:
I think Lorraine may be on about the Welsh Blacks,cannot remember the posters name but he lived near Hay on wye if I remember correctly, Think he was crossing Indian game with Australorps.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 17 10:22 am Post subject:
That would be Dave Harris at Castle Farm near Hay on Wye. Last edited by Bodger on Tue Mar 28, 17 6:19 pm; edited 1 time in total

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 17 10:26 am Post subject:
That`s him.

Bungo

Joined: 21 Dec 2011
Posts: 354
Location: Wye Valley

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 17 2:55 pm Post subject:
David is often to be found on Utility Poultry Keeper group on FB , all our birds hail from him https://www.facebook.com/groups/673963692678786/

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