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Redcaps
Jul 12, 2011 20:34:12 GMT -6
Post by redcapfarm on Jul 12, 2011 20:34:12 GMT -6
Hi All My name is William Clayton Grace and I live in Lawrenceburg,TN. I will be breeding my Redcaps to the Standard and at some point in the future I would like to enter them into the poultry shows. I will post pictures of my Redcaps and I would be very thankful for any advice on which ones I should keep for the breeding pens. Here are a few pictures of my Redcaps.
At 1 day old
At 4 days old
At 1 week old
At 2 weeks old
At 3 weeks old
At 4 weeks old
At 2 months old
Redcap Farm
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Redcaps
Jul 12, 2011 20:43:36 GMT -6
Post by redcapfarm on Jul 12, 2011 20:43:36 GMT -6
Hi All
Here are a few pictures of my Redcaps at 4 months old.
Redcap Farm
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Redcaps
Jul 12, 2011 21:05:02 GMT -6
Post by Timbo on Jul 12, 2011 21:05:02 GMT -6
Very Nice Birds and Welcome to the forum. I don't know much about the redcaps but we did have some at our first poultry show last year in trenton. I really hope you bring them to our show in germantown this year. In the post below is some things to look for in the breeds standards.
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Redcaps
Jul 12, 2011 21:07:42 GMT -6
Post by Timbo on Jul 12, 2011 21:07:42 GMT -6
REDCAPS Redcaps
aka Mooney or Coral
The "crowning" feature of a Redcap
Developed long ago in the Derbyshire area of Britain, this is one of the truly English breeds of fowl. It probably contains the blood of Golden Spangled Hamburgs, Old English Pheasant Fowl, and BBR Games. Redcap bantams were first shown around 1950.
Redcaps are larger than Hamburgs, a good cock weighing in at around 7 1/2 pounds. The comb which gained them their name, is large, by English standards about 3 1/4 inches long by 2 3/4 inches wide. It should be covered by spikes of approximately equal length. The ear lobes are red.
A very hardy breed which does much better on range than in confinement, the Redcap is a reasonable table bird. It is also a nonsitter which lays a fair number of large white eggs.
Redcap chicks are mahogany colored with a dark stripe. The cocks don't attain their full glory until 3 years of age.
by E. S. Traverse
with permission from SPPA Bulletin, 1999, 4(2):2-4
"Indigenous Barnyard Fowl of north Britain" was a catch-all phrase used to denote a general purpose utility chicken that thrived on a free range system, and encompassed many breeds: Lancashire Moonies, Copper Moss, Old English Pheasant Fowl, Scots Greys, Yourkshire Pheasants, as well as the subject of this article -- the Derbyshire Redcap, or more commonly referred to simply as "Redcap."
Typically, each of these breeds (the Lancashire Moonies and Yorkshire Pheasant are extinct, but were the parent breeds of the Silver Spangled Hamburg) are well characterized as being hardy, long-lived, non-sitters, excellent layers, very good fliers, active, alert and well able to look after themselves; traits that make them ideally suited to a free range system. The Redcap is no exception to any of these points.
The Redcap differs from other members of the Hamburg family in that they are the largest of the group. Without exception, all of the old poultry books (old here meaning 150+ years ago) specify that the Redcap was bred originally for both egg and meat production while the Hamburgs were bred for egg production.
What sets the Redcap apart from all other breeds, identifies them at a glance and is responsible for their name is the rose comb, which has been over many generations selected for size and, on a good specimen, is proportionate to the bird without being heavy or exaggerated. A lop-sided or poorly developed comb on an otherwise fine Redcap is a miserable sight. Since a perfect comb on a perfect bird is difficult to achieve, this, along with their active nature, may explain why they are not popular show birds. Kept and maintained for its original intent of a dual purpose Cottager's or Homesteader's fowl, this very old, very rare breed has many strong points in its favor and deserves to be better known.
Disqualifications
Solid white ear lobes; combs other than rose; decidedly wry or squirrel tails; crooked backs; foreign colored feathers indicating impurity, except white in the tail and primaries; mottled breast upon the male; any feathers on shanks or toes; shanks other than slate or lead-blue in color.
Size
Cock: 7 1/2 pounds Cockerel: 6 pounds Hen: 6 1/2 pounds Pullet: 5 pounds
The Male
Head: Short, deep; plumage rich dark red. Beak, rather long, stout at the base, well curved and dark horn in color. Eyes bright red. Face bright red.
Comb: Rose, large -- the larger the better (a good male specimen will have a comb measuring 3 inches long by 2 1/2 inches wide), not overhanging the eyes; square in front, free from being hollow in the center, uniform on each side and even on the head without tilting to either side; the top covered with numerous small points, the back terminating in a well-developed spike. Wattles and ear lobes of medium size and bright red.
Neck: rather long with full hackle cascading well down over the shoulders; plumage blue-black, with each feather edged with red; the hackle shading to black at the base.
Back: of medium length and sloping well to the tail; plumage rich red and black. Saddle feathers rich dark red with a bluish stripe down the center of each feather.
Breast: broad, prominent and full plumage of a purple-black. Body; long, rather round, broader in front and tapering to rear. Plumage a dull black, short fluff.
Wings: large, well folded, rich, deep red to mahogany colored bows. Primaries are dull black; secondaries with upper web of black, lower web black edged in brown. Coverts deep nut-brown with each feather ending in a black spangle shaped like a half-moon.
Tail: carried rather upright but not fully erect and green-black in color. Abundant coverts, well curved sickles.
Thighs: well developed, of medium length. Shanks and toes slate colored, or leaden blue.
The Female
Head: short and deep; plumage brown. Back long, stout and well curved, light horn in color. Eyes and face bright red.
Comb: rose comb, like the male but smaller (generally about half the size). Wattles and earlobes bright red and of medium size.
Neck: rather long with full hackle, plumage black with each feather laced with a light golden red color.
Back: long, rich nut-brown plumage each feather ending in a half-moon spangle of bluish-black.
Breast: broad and prominent with nut-brown plumage; each feather ending in a half-moon spangle of bluish black. Long and deep, straight keel bone, plumage is similar to that of the breast, only shading lighter to the underside, fluff short.
Wings: large and well folded; bows rich nut-brown with each feather ending in a half-moon spangle of bluish black. Primaries a dull black with narrow edge of brown on the lower web. Secondaries; black upper web with lower web being black with broad edging of brown., each feather ending in a half-moon spangle of bluish black. Coverts are marked very similarly to the bows.
Tail: long and full, dull black in color. Coverts are brown, each feather ending with a half-moon spangle of bluish black.
Thighs: of medium length and well developed. Shanks and toes slate colored or a leaden-blue.
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Redcaps
Jul 12, 2011 21:40:38 GMT -6
Post by redcapfarm on Jul 12, 2011 21:40:38 GMT -6
Hi Timbo
Thank You very much for all the info. on the Redcaps breed. I would love to go to the poultry show in germantown.
Redcap Farm
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Redcaps
Jul 12, 2011 23:12:08 GMT -6
Post by ellisfarms on Jul 12, 2011 23:12:08 GMT -6
never seen any red caps . they are good looking birds
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Redcaps
Jul 13, 2011 22:53:47 GMT -6
Post by redcapfarm on Jul 13, 2011 22:53:47 GMT -6
never seen any red caps . they are good looking birds Hi ellis
Thank You!
Redcap Farm
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Redcaps
Jul 14, 2011 12:05:21 GMT -6
Post by ellisfarms on Jul 14, 2011 12:05:21 GMT -6
in your pics what kind of wire is that ? i have been looking for a new kind of wire to start using i don't like chicken wire it is hard to work with and don't last long .
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Redcaps
Jul 14, 2011 14:22:04 GMT -6
Post by Backwood Barns on Jul 14, 2011 14:22:04 GMT -6
in your pics what kind of wire is that ? i have been looking for a new kind of wire to start using i don't like chicken wire it is hard to work with and don't last long . Ellis, they're not my pens but it looks like 14 or 16 gage galvanized. Some people call it rabbit wire. It's what I'm building my hutches from. All wire is hard to work with to me but it does last real well
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Redcaps
Jul 14, 2011 20:55:15 GMT -6
Post by redcapfarm on Jul 14, 2011 20:55:15 GMT -6
in your pics what kind of wire is that ? i have been looking for a new kind of wire to start using i don't like chicken wire it is hard to work with and don't last long . Hi Ellis
I am not sure what the name of the wire is. It is close to rabbit wire but it has bigger holes and is heavier gaged than rabbit wire.
Redcap Farm
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Redcaps
Jul 14, 2011 23:56:19 GMT -6
Post by ellisfarms on Jul 14, 2011 23:56:19 GMT -6
thanks i have been looking for something to use that looks good and last a long time .i think that it is easier to keep good care of my birds if they are in a good clean pen .
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Redcaps
Jul 16, 2011 14:32:10 GMT -6
Post by redcapfarm on Jul 16, 2011 14:32:10 GMT -6
Hi All
My Redcaps aren't changing that much week by week so I will start posting pictures of them once a month. I will post a picture of them around August 17 they will be 5 months old.
Here is a link to a great website on Redcaps!
www.aviculture-europe.nl/nummers/07E02A05.pdf
Redcap Farm
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Redcaps
Jul 16, 2011 20:53:13 GMT -6
Post by Timbo on Jul 16, 2011 20:53:13 GMT -6
Thanks for the link.
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Redcaps
Jul 16, 2011 21:46:20 GMT -6
Post by redcapfarm on Jul 16, 2011 21:46:20 GMT -6
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gayle
Spring Chicken
Posts: 79
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Redcaps
Jul 16, 2011 21:47:14 GMT -6
Post by gayle on Jul 16, 2011 21:47:14 GMT -6
Hi redcapfarm, those are some pretty chickens. I have never seen Redcaps before. Welcome and I look forward to seeing more pictures of your birds.
Gayle
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