Tolbunt Polish Chickens - Hen Wanted

[ArkRescue (Premo)]

WOW B eautiful !!!!!!! thanks so much - it's YOU Gretchen - I sent you email not long ago asking about coming out LOL - even talked to your buddy in Upper Marlboro too as I had not heard from you.

I have to work tomorrow so I'd have to opt for a Saturday if that's okay?

I happen to have 2 gold laced hens, 1 of which is of better quality than the other, so I will pair them up - probably in the Spring? Seems that it would be hard for a hen to keep eggs warm enough in the Winter?

Originally Posted by Colliegal

Hi Lisa, It was nice to hear from you again. Thanks for sending me a PM.

Your roo is so flashy! He is certainly pure Polish but, unfortunately, not of pure tolbunt coloring. That being said, I would venture to say that one of his parents must have been tolbunt, or both parents part tolbunt. You mentioned that he has changed colors from dark to light quite dramatically. That is always the case with tolbunts. That, plus the presence of three main colors, is how I know he is certainly part tolbunt.

If I owned this roo and could not find a pure tolbunt hen, I would choose a very good quality gold laced Polish hen with which to breed him. Place any roo chicks in pet homes and keep the offspring pullets to grow out. Choose the pullets that have the best mix of the three colors: red, black and white and breed them back to a pure tolbunt rooster. Roosters in any breed are ALWAYS easier to find than hens. :) Again, place roos in pet homes and keep the pullets with the best coloring and breed them back to their father (the pure tolbunt rooster). The resulting chicks will then begin, if you're lucky, to look much more like tolbunts.

All things considered, this could be good for the breed. Tolbunts, as you know, have a very limited gene pool. The introduction of other colors into tolbunts will be the only way this breed color can survive. Now, purists will hate me for saying that, but what good is a color line that has poor fertility and decreased vigor? Anyone involved in genetics knows that to improve these two issues you must introduce genetic diversity! So, I say, go for it, Lisa. :)

I do breed tolbunts and have a flock of about 11 of these beautiful birds. I am not at the point, though, that I will let any hens go. I'm sorry! Next summer, I may have an extra roo that will need to be placed. In the meantime, buy the very best gold laced Polish hen you can afford and start breeding! If I can spare a roo next summer, I'll be glad to help you out with your resulting chicks.

Good luck!

- Gretchen

PS - you are welcome to come and visit my farm and see my flock of tolbunts. Just drop me a line. Busterduck is coming out tomorrow afternoon, if you'd like to join us. :)


Here is a pic of some of my tolbunts getting ready for bed! I breed both smooth and frizzle tolbunts.

[Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by ArkRescue

I happen to have 2 gold laced hens, 1 of which is of better quality than the other, so I will pair them up - probably in the Spring? Seems that it would be hard for a hen to keep eggs warm enough in the Winter?

I have an incubator. You mail me the eggs and I'll try to hatch some for ya. The chicks would be laying by spring.

[Colliegal]

I think we can figure out some way to get the eggs hatched. If your girls are laying, then take advantage of it. Just remember, if they are with a rooster currently, any eggs they lay for the next three weeks could be fertilized by that rooster. So, put the hens with the tolbunt and wait for three weeks before you start collecting eggs to hatch. Do you have photos of your two girls? If so, could you post them so I can see them? Thanks!

Saturday it is forecasted to thunderstorm - in October! So, we can't get together then. Maybe another day?

[ArkRescue (Premo)]

Due to being picked at, I removed the Silver Laced Polish Rooster from their pen. He is a timid rooster, has NEVER tried to come after me ever, so he's a keeper . He is beautiful when he has all his feathers but I am unsure if he successfully mates with the hens? He seems quite awkward at it, but maybe it's just his size that makes it hard for him to stay mounted on the polish hens since they are so much smaller?

Anywho, there has been no rooster in that pen for at least 4 weeks - maybe more. I'll add the Tolbunt Roo to the Polish pen (he's in with some assorted banties right now sparring with that Show Quality? Blue Polish Bantam I acquired from the same person (that I am trying to place). I'm not into the Bantams and am placing several to avoid picking issues (them being picked). I have a lady who previously agreed to take the 2 Silkie hens that are broody. Unfortunately my polish hens are not laying right now :-( but maybe they will start again soon? If they do I will isolate the Golden Laced hen to get her eggs and hook up with Cowgirl if I don't have an incubator by then. Did your polish stop laying?

Originally Posted by Colliegal

I think we can figure out some way to get the eggs hatched. If your girls are laying, then take advantage of it. Just remember, if they are with a rooster currently, any eggs they lay for the next three weeks could be fertilized by that rooster. So, put the hens with the tolbunt and wait for three weeks before you start collecting eggs to hatch. Do you have photos of your two girls? If so, could you post them so I can see them? Thanks!

Saturday it is forecasted to thunderstorm - in October! So, we can't get together then. Maybe another day?

[Busterduck (Premo)]

Originally Posted by ArkRescue

Here's what he looks like NOW -almost all white when he used to be almost all black! How can that be?

WOW. He sure is strange.

[ArkRescue (Premo)]

He's very SWEET - no attacking from him either, so he's a keeper. I just can't seem to get his scales on his legs to grow in better - I assume he had mites at some point, and I've treated him multiple times (different products too), and his lower leg scales are STILL sticking up - now what?

Originally Posted by Busterduck

WOW. He sure is strange.

[Colliegal]

Originally Posted by ArkRescue

He's very SWEET - no attacking from him either, so he's a keeper. I just can't seem to get his scales on his legs to grow in better - I assume he had mites at some point, and I've treated him multiple times (different products too), and his lower leg scales are STILL sticking up - now what?

The absolutely BEST product for getting rid of any sort of mite on a chicken is Frontline SPRAY. I don't use the topical drops. It is expensive :( but worth it in the long run. Get the bird's feet wet with it every day for three days. Then, wait about 10 days and repeat the three day treatment. That should do it. For routine treatment, I spray a small squirt of Frontline under the wings of my chickens and on the back of the neck once every three months. They never get any mites anymore, even if they are in the environment. Good luck!

[idiganthro]

The picture of the Tolbunts is amazing! They are beautiful. I'm still learning about chickens in general. This thread has been very educational! Thanks...

[ArkRescue (Premo)]

Well let's make this thread even more educational. I discovered yesterday that the BackYard Chicken forum folks seem to recommend (per Busterduck) the Brinsea incubators. So now I am looking into the Brinsea Mini since I really only need to incubate a few eggs at a time.

Anyone here have experience with the Brinsea Mini incubator and want to comment? I hear it has humidity factored in, which can really make a big difference in successful hatching rates.

Originally Posted by idiganthro

The picture of the Tolbunts is amazing! They are beautiful. I'm still learning about chickens in general. This thread has been very educational! Thanks...

[Busterduck (Premo)]

Originally Posted by ArkRescue

Well let's make this thread even more educational. I discovered yesterday that the BackYard Chicken forum folks seem to recommend (per Busterduck) the Brinsea incubators. So now I am looking into the Brinsea Mini since I really only need to incubate a few eggs at a time.

Anyone here have experience with the Brinsea Mini incubator and want to comment? I hear it has humidity factored in, which can really make a big difference in successful hatching rates.

I hope to get mine delivered soon. If you would like, you can come and take a look at it when I get it. I figure I will run a few test eggs in it and see how it does. Now, just have to see if any of my hens are still laying once I get it.

There is one fellow on the BYC that bought eggs from Trader Joes and hatched them out. I about died! Couldn't believe store bought eggs would hatch after being refrigerated.

Also, will now be searching for excellent quality golden lace hens in case you know of anyone who may have some.