A Heritage of Perfection: Standard-bred Large Fowl

[Wisher1000]

@peachdawg78 - Are you looking to pass on all these or are you looking to share their offspring after your next hatch? I have my hands full with my Campines right now, but I will keep my ears open for someone who would be good.

 

[peachdawg78]

I'm looking to move these birds to another breeder.

 

[NeilsHamburgs]

You getting out of birds or just switching up breeds?

 

[peachdawg78]

Focusing on my other breeds and projects. I've had these for 3 years now.

 

[islandgirl82]

Could someone here please direct me to the breed standard of Hamburgs? I acquired a Golden Spangled pullet in May from a local farm share and have been completely captivated by her. I'd like to know whether she meets breed standard as the more I observe her and read about Hamburgs, the more interested I'm becoming in adding more to my flock and phasing out my mixed flock. The information I have found just seems too basic. Thanks for any help!
~Heather

 

[bnjrob]

Could someone here please direct me to the breed standard of Hamburgs? I acquired a Golden Spangled pullet in May from a local farm share and have been completely captivated by her. I'd like to know whether she meets breed standard as the more I observe her and read about Hamburgs, the more interested I'm becoming in adding more to my flock and phasing out my mixed flock. The information I have found just seems too basic. Thanks for any help!
~Heather

The breed standard is copyrighted by the APA. You'll need to get a copy of the SOP to get the full details. There is also a lot of good information in the SOP book besides just the individual breed standards if you are interested in breeding. http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/store.htm

 

[tridentk9]

Could someone here please direct me to the breed standard of Hamburgs?  I acquired a Golden Spangled pullet in May from a local farm share and have been completely captivated by her.  I'd like to know whether she meets breed standard as the more I observe her and read about Hamburgs, the more interested I'm becoming in adding more to my flock and phasing out my mixed flock. The information I have found just seems too basic.  Thanks for any help!
~Heather 

Well it won't do much good without knowing what has changed but the 1910 (and APAs 1898 first edition) standards are on-line. The breed examples in the 1910 edition are .... worth seeing https://archive.org/stream/americanstandard00ameriala#page/192/mode/1up

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Greetings, Heather!

The Hamburg is a breed with an outstanding history in definite need of committed breeders. There are currently, to my knowledge, no breeders for whom Golden Spangled Hamburgs are a mainstay. Indeed, the most established variety, the Silver Spangled Hamburg, has but a few.

Here are some photos of birds I have growing.

PS: Please remember that, although there are some old SOP editions on line, the APA depends on SOP sales for its fiscal solvency. Breeders join the APA and purchase an SOP.

 

[islandgirl82]

The breed standard is copyrighted by the APA. You'll need to get a copy of the SOP to get the full details. There is also a lot of good information in the SOP book besides just the individual breed standards if you are interested in breeding. http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/store.htm

Well it won't do much good without knowing what has changed but the 1910 (and APAs 1898 first edition) standards are on-line. The breed examples in the 1910 edition are .... worth seeing

https://archive.org/stream/americanstandard00ameriala#page/192/mode/1up

Thank you both for your help in getting me pointed in the right direction! It's been frustrating not being able to find more specific details than where they originated from and the color varieties. Everything I found seemed to be the same lame wiki description and though I'm not new to chickens, I am new to this particular breed and have a growing interest in breeding but I obviously didn't know where begin.

 

[islandgirl82]

Greetings, Heather!

The Hamburg is a breed with an outstanding history in definite need of committed breeders. There are currently, to my knowledge, no breeders for whom Golden Spangled Hamburgs are a mainstay. Indeed, the most established variety, the Silver Spangled Hamburg, has but a few.

Here are some photos of birds I have growing.

PS: Please remember that, although there are some old SOP editions on line, the APA depends on SOP sales for its fiscal solvency. Breeders join the APA and purchase an SOP.

Yellow House,
Thank you for the warm greeting and what a beautiful flock you have growing! In my search for more Golden Spangled Hamburgs, I had noticed that they are not nearly as popular as the Silver, and people who have them, just like me, have only one to a few females. I have not been able to locate a single Golden rooster, only hatcheries who are "out of stock". I even contacted the guy I got my golden girl from in hopes that he could locate a cockerel for me (though I think he got his chicks from a hatchery) but I've yet to hear back from him.

I honestly ended up with her on a whim. I had reserved 3 pullets of another breed but the guy forgot to crate them up for me the night before I was scheduled to pick them up which at first was a little irritating after driving 2 hours one way to get them. It was a blessing in disguise though as when I saw this little beauty running around the tunnel I quickly opted to trade one out for her when he offered. All the way home I kept thinking I'd read something about Hamburgs but couldn't for the life of me remember what it was until I looked it up again when I got home. The review I'd read about them previously was dreadful and I had decided against them specifically when I was still looking into breeds when expanding my flock this spring. I am SO glad I didn't remember that review that day. I would not have even considered taking one home if I had.

Here are a few photos of my sweet "Amelia Earhart"



Amelia and Audrey Hepburn (SLW rescue hen) raiding the flower bed




Despite being described as "flighty" and "standoffish with humans", Amelia is always just a step or two away from me, seeing what I'm up to. She's a bit of a loner with the flock but she will sneak into my house if the door is open and find a spot near me to lay down, leaving the rest of the flock behind. She has quite a bold personality. Whenever I have treats, she grabs my skirt with her beak and shakes her head like a dog with a toy until I hand her something. She also goes bowling for robins and hides under my wild bird feeder, chasing off squirrels who would even consider approaching it. She's saving me a small fortune in sunflower seeds because of it haha! She even chased off my neighbors' two Australian shepards when they got too close. I'm guessing her boldness and territorial attitude is common in the breed?


It's difficult to tell in photographs but her eggs aren't like the store-bought kind of white. They're more of a creamy almond color. Is that normal?



How would you say she compares to the standard? Photos I've seen of other Hamburg pullets/hens don't have the solid black (with green sheen) tail feathers, they're spangled all the way through. I've only seen one photo of another Golden Spangled pullet in another thread who also has the black tail feathers.

Regardless of how she compares though, she's stunning to me.
Thanks!
Heather