(http://www.afn.org/~poultry) June 2001

In This Issue: Meeting News Picnic photos Blue Andalusians Worming Poultry Seminar photos

NEXT MEETING: 8:00 PM SHARP Friday, June 22 at the Pavilion in the garden behind the Mounts Building located at 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach - directly across from Palm Beach International Airport approximately 1/4 mile north of Southern Blvd.

May Meeting Notes

"We Are Crowing For YOU!"

Blue Andalusians By Hans Shippers & Dennis Hawkins Used by permission from Poultry Press, PO Box 542, Connersville IN 47331. Monthly newspaper, $21/year. www.poultrypress.com.

History

The predecessor of the Blue Andalusian originated in the province of Andalusia in Spain and belonged to the group of Mediterranean breeds. The breed has not been known under this name in Spain, however.

The Blue Andalusian was developed from black and white Spanish fowl that included the Black Minorca and its white sport offspring. The Minorca has played an important part in the further development of this breed.

Towards the middle of the 1800s Blue Andalusians were exported to England where they were given their name and further developed.

Andalusians are not the easiest of breeds for a novice poultry breeder because the blue color does not breed true, and breaks up into three different colors in the chicks. Blue x Blue = 25% black, 50% blue, 25% splash-white. Splash-white x Black = 100% Blue. Black x Blue = 50% Black, 50% Blue. The above is called intermediate inheritance. Some genetic knowledge is needed to be able to breed as many blue offspring as possible.

Description

Apart from the smaller comb, wattles and ears, and 10% less weight, the type of the Andalusian is similar to that of the Minorca. A typical Mediterranean breed with a full, round breast, the body is long wit a broad back tapering to the tail.

The head is moderately long with good width and a slate, horn-colored beak. The single-comb is upright, bright red and large, preferably with five deeply-serrated points. The comb of the hen falls with a single fold to one side.

The eyes are large and red-brown in color. Very typical are the slightly elongated, almond shaped white ear lobes. The red wattles are fairly long.

The longish neck is slightly curved and well covered with hackle feathers in the male. The big wings are fairly long and broad. The wing bays and bars are broad and overlap each other. The tail is large in comparison with the body and is carried at an angle of 35 to 40 degrees. The slate colored long shanks are straight and positioned slightly apart under the body. The plumage is close and compact and the down short.

Characteristics

The Andalusian is an active, vivid and hardy breed that will produce an average of 150 white eggs a year of about 60 grams each. They do not often become broody. The chicks grow quickly and possess good resistance against diseases. This active, enterprising breed needs fairly spacious accommodations. They are apt to fly.

Weight

Depending on the sex and age they weigh between 2000 and 3250 grams.

Varieties

Andalusians come in only one recognized color, namely blue with black lacing.

[The following article is by Dennis Hawkins, from the PBCPFA website http://www.afn.org/~poultry]
The Blue Andalusian was once known as the 'Blue Minorca.' The Andalusian originated in a province of Spain known as Andalusia. The Andalusian breed exists in three colorsblack, white, and blue. The color of the blue plumage is a slate blue laced with a darker blue.

The blue color is actually a hybrid cross between the Black variety and the White variety. This makes the Blue Andalusian one of the few hybrids to be admitted to the standard.

The only way to get 100% blue offspring is to mate a White Andalusian cock with a Black Andalusian hen. The resulting color hybrids are blue. Many inexperienced breeders mistakenly believe that the blue offspring can be bred to yield additional blue offspring. This is only half true. Mendel's Law of Segregation and Recombination applies to Blue Andalusian genetics. This means that if both parents are Blue Andalusians, then the offspring will be 25% White, 50% Blue, and 25% Black. The Blue appearance is due to the way that light is reflected from the black and white feather pigments that were inherited equally from both parents.

The Andalusian hens are non-broody and lay a large white egg. They are approximately the same size as Minorcas. Andalusians were admitted to the standard in 1874.

"We Are Crowing For YOU!"

Did You Know about Worming?

From: Bobbie's Backyard Poultry
http://webusers.warwick.net/%7Eu1015576/

If your chickens free range, they will need to be wormed at some point. My first six chickens were wormed for the first time after 2 years, mostly due to my ignorance.When my hens stopped laying regularly, their stool became loose more often than not, and they started to develop pale combs and wattles­they needed to be wormed. I have found that some people worm their flock once a month, others only when the flock shows signs and symptoms. I'm sure how often also depends on the time of year, weather, and living quarters.Avoid worming chicks less than 6 weeks of age. Worming preparations are available at most feed stores. Some wormers will affect fertility for 7 to 10 days. I have also read that worming more than twice a year is too hard on the chickens

Preventative Worming and Parasite Measures: The most common medication used for worming is Piperazine-17. Mix 1 ounce in 1 gallon of water and use as the sole source of water for 24 hours.Then repeat the treatment in 7 to 10 days.This medication does not kill the worms, but rather weakens and paralyzes the roundworm. The worm is then expelled.The treatment has to be repeated for any worms that have hatched since the first treatment, which is usually in 7 to 10 days.The withdrawal period is 7 days.Another method is to add 3 ml of piperzine to 1 gallon water - their sole source of drinking water for 4 hours, and then repeat in 7 to 10 days. If you can't find Piperzine in the feed store, and you're in a pinch, check out the dog and cat section at the food store or pet shop. You can find puppy and kitten wormer, which is piperzine.Follow the directions based on weight.

Ivermectin is effective against a large variety of worms and works also against mites. You can place a drop of the oil based medication on the skin behind the neck, or administer orally: give 7 drops orally to a bantam and 0.25cc to a large chicken. If you put it in their waterer, use 6 cc/gallon for 2 days and to treat for worms, repeat in 12 days. To inject, give subcutaneously as follows: Little bantams (rosecombs, golden seabrights: 0.5cc. Brahmas, Silkies, Orpingtons: 1.0 cc. Standards: 1.5 cc. Jersey Giants: 2cc

Tramisol (Levasole) is a sheep and cattle wormer. Some people use it for chickens.It is expensive. Crush 2 tablets and soak in some water overnight, then make1 gallon of water and provide as the sole source of water for 2 days.If this is the first time you are worming the flock, repeat in 12 days. Some people worm once a month.

Natural methods. Some people use garlic and believe it's a wormer­apparently garlic is a mild form of natural antibiotic and acts to a small degree in limiting the growth of nutrient robbing bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract. There is no effect against internal parasites such as worms. [For free advice on worming, contact David Clausing Company at 863-993-2542.  

Photos from the APA Poultry Seminar
Bartow FL · May 19, 2001

"We Are Crowing For YOU!"

Newsletter Editor Mike Schmidt

Webmaster Dennis Hawkins

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