My interest in poultry goes back to a pair of Pekin ducks my mother brought home when I was just 4 years old. I have raised many breeds to show at the county fair and was active in FFA. Then I went through several years of town-life and no birds. In 2001, I moved to Oklahoma, and soon after I purchased starter flocks of the birds I was most interested in.
I am very interested in preserving rare and old breeds of poultry. I strive to preserve the production and aesthetic qualities of the breeds I am working with. I am very interested in the history of poultry breeds.
Pomeranian Geese
Friendly Gaggle of Pomeranians
Mixed Flock of Pomeranian Geese
My Pomeranian has a couple of sources, but predominantly out of South Carolina. The had been rescued out of Missouri quite a few years before I got a hold of them. I have all of the variations of colors: Buff and Grey Saddle-backs, and Solids in Grey, White, and Buff.
Links:
SPPA – Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities
“Preserve the Pomeranian Goose” by Jord Wilson
“Pomeranian Geese” by Craig Russell
Pomeranian Geese at the Feathersite
Single Comb Black Minorca
Minorca Cockeral
My SC Black Minorca Stock came predominantly from the Shock Line. I purchased from Mr. Shock in about 2003 a starter flock. Beautiful birds, heirlooms, and especially close to me because they were the bird that my great-grandfather raised.
Catalana
Catalana Rooster
I gave Rev. Romig a call on March 22, 2004 about his Catalana stock. He told me that he imported eggs in 1998 from Peru. (I traced my stock back to this import) The original stock had been imported from Cuba. At that time he knew of no other stock, except for Curtis Oakes. Curtis Oakes had developed a Buff Catalana from Buff Minorca and Black Minorca stock. Rev. Romig said that his stock from Peru lost size after the first generation and that he traded stock with Curtis Oakes to increase the size. At that time he still had some of the original stock from Peru. *I believe that stock was later sold to Superior Farms, which is now no longer in business.
A letter from Curtis Oakes regarding the Catalana
Feather Edge Farm
6860 State Hwy. 173
Cochranton, PA 19314
March 22, 2004
Dear Mr. Wilson
I received your inquiry regarding Buff Catalanas today. Enclosed please find my current price list.
Nearly 40 years ago my parents had Catalanas they purchased from Albert McGraw in Alabama. We raised them for several years but lost interest and I concentrated on Leghorns, which I have been breeding and for 45 years. The Catalanas I remember from childhood were small. The males resembled a single comb Golden Penciled Hamburg, only a little lighter colored and the females were golden buff with a black tail and both had slate blue legs.
Several years ago, since there were none available to purchase, I decided to develop my own strain. Surprisingly, it worked well and they bred true. I crossed a buff Minorca male with a Black Minorca female. I selected the offspring with the lightest color that had good slate blue legs and bred them back to Buff Minorcas. Once again I selected birds that conformed to the standard, as closely as possible, and started crossing the offspring to one another to establish my line of Catalanas. I have been breeding this line for nearly ten years. I exchanged some stock with Rev. Roland Romig and it helped improve the buff color, however the leg color is too light according to the APA Standard. My line carries a good slate blue leg color, excellent body size and egg production.
I will be hatching only limited amounts of Catalanas this season. I have found that there is very little interest in this breed from the poultry world.
Sincerely yours,
Signed—Curtis R. Oakes
Curtis R. Oakes
APA/ABA General Licensed Judge
Our Fearless Protector "Shasta" 2002-2009
Eastern Slopes Bulletin 