Hatching my first KONZA!!!

Arielle · Jun 17, 2014

Ah you are the one ROn is hatching for!!! YEs Ron is a master hatcher!! Hope you get a super good hatch from the shipped eggs!!!

I'm really curious about the colors that will show up . . . and I sure hope I have some from Moby. Renee didnt say so I don't know.

I have to admit I Really do like a super big bird.

southernmomma · Jun 17, 2014

Arielle said:
Aint THAT the truth!!! lol

Renee said she would send me some more eggs . . . . hoping for a better hatchrate this time.

I set the eggs the same day as close to midnight as I can keep myself awake . . . and let them warm up to room temp during that time. I may need to rethink when I start turning the eggs--- perhaps delay the turning.

Honestly these chicks don't look special at all-- look like plain old yellow or black chicks.

. WIll have to weight them allong the way.

ANd put them on the 27% and see if that makes a diff, hmmmmm. crap. Far more expensive to raise them on 27% as that is about 21$ and the 22% is only $17 ( which has gone up abut 1-2$ this last year.)

I suspect it would be better int he long run to raise them on the less expensive feed . . . .An increase of 5% for $5 is huge!!

( Spent the day with 2 sick kids , and running them to the doc and appts. STREP!!!! I knew it was. Now to get meself to doc. I" SURE they wil require s strep test to charge the insurance despite 2 kids with it and I feel worse than they do. I'm having flashbacks to when I was VERY sick 30 years ago untreated strep lead to mono . . . NOT doing THAT again. Just NOT!!!!!!!)

Wouldn't it make the most sense to raise them on what you're willing to stick with? I imagine you're searching for a variety that will give you what you want under the management method that you've adopted. To make special concessions for different varieties or breeds negates the sustainability of your project.

M

tommysgirl · Jun 17, 2014

Arielle said:
Ah you are the one ROn is hatching for!!! YEs Ron is a master hatcher!! Hope you get a super good hatch from the shipped eggs!!!

I'm really curious about the colors that will show up . . . and I sure hope I have some from Moby. Renee didnt say so I don't know.

I have to admit I Really do like a super big bird.

Yup! He is the best! I feel certain he will do way better with them than my broodies would have.

The colors are a big draw for me. Most of my flock falls into the red, white, black and silver palette and these patterns in Renee's pics made me

My broodies so far have hatched 33 chicks...the youngest 2 are just 10 days old so I am not positive about them but I think they are SL and that their pattern/color =all boys...anyway of those 33 chicks hatched in the last 11 months...9 have been pullets and 24 have been/are suspected of being cockerels. Ron has a reputation not only for excellent hatch rates but also for hatching more pullets. Hopefully that luck will hold. I got rid of 7 laying hens and 7 SL pullets b/c I was sure I would have pullets coming out my ears by this time. Right now I have two little girls out there. One of which is a bantam so yeah I am hoping Ron's pullet luck holds.

But since these guys are table birds most of the boys will join my multitude of cockerels. I do plan to keep one though.

What other birds do you have?

Arielle · Jun 17, 2014

tommysgirl said:
Quote: I see you have met murphys law--- keep you pullets when ever possible.

OFtent he % females reflecks the hen that laid it-- I have read just a few antecdotals about the gender %. Definitely temps effect the out come-- not sayin the eggs change gender but that the temps favor one gender more than another. OF course a perfect hatch is always prefered.

buckeyes
EE/ ameraucana
bo
speckled sussex
bcm

THese are mostly egg layers so I have p lenty for my egg customers . . but the more recent breeds is to add meat qualitites.

Arielle · Jun 17, 2014

southernmomma said:
Wouldn't it make the most sense to raise them on what you're willing to stick with? I imagine you're searching for a variety that will give you what you want under the management method that you've adopted. To make special concessions for different varieties or breeds negates the sustainability of your project.

M

In theory I can order an mix I want if I am willing to buy 3Tons. . . .

Selfsufficientcy---I suspect that more meat or dairy products are avaialbe on a full farm steady set up . . .I have heard of milk soaked bread, and I see the number of eggs that have blemishes that cusomers would not buy, or when a cow is butechers the scraps must be endless for several days. . . .

I am mostly stuck with vegetable matter at this point-- still not enough of that, and a need to increase the native insect populations . . . .

so for now I need to buy the feed

as I dont' really know what the final model will look like.

I see the ducks preferring to dig in the leaf litter, and the hens not far behind scratching up the litter a few days later.

This morning,I spent 1/2 hour turning over boards laid out to attact worms underneath, and tossed those dozens to hte ducklings. I figured out the trick was to thow the worms thru the air and that got their attention. The are quick to spy "flies". lol All the more reason to set out more worm traps. lol

tommysgirl · Jun 17, 2014

Arielle said:
I see you have met murphys law--- keep you pullets when ever possible.

OFtent he % females reflecks the hen that laid it-- I have read just a few antecdotals about the gender %. Definitely temps effect the out come-- not sayin the eggs change gender but that the temps favor one gender more than another. OF course a perfect hatch is always prefered.

buckeyes
EE/ ameraucana
bo
speckled sussex
bcm

THese are mostly egg layers so I have p lenty for my egg customers . . but the more recent breeds is to add meat qualitites.

we have some of the same breeds;

I have a NH roo and am getting pullets this summer but my hens include
EEs and I have a broody sitting on BBS AMs
Australorps
Dorkings
Delawares
A Speckled Sussex...hope to add silver and coronation at some point
A Choc Rock a Sizzle a Silkie a California Grey
A couple of Barnyard Mixes

My 2014 pullets are a RSL and a Silkie/D'Uccle bantam

Arielle · Jun 17, 2014

My AM/EE group is headed by a beautiful blue Am. THe focus is mostly improving the blue coloring of hte egg shell. As a meat bird, they are a joke imo.So my plan is to have about 25 chicks this year keeping all the pullets and selecting 2-3 of the roosters to carry on as my rooster is almost 3. A diligent guard of his girls

BO are on their way out -- too sweet, too timid to hold their own with Am roosters. SO love the color though; and good foragers. If I were to start over I would definitely seek out THeDragonLady!!

Speckled sussex are delightful-- great foragers and pretty coloring. THe lt sussex I had was very large; so I am considering how to add better SS blood to my stock. SS are usually the smallest of the sussex.

OVerall I am changing directions, and not replacing my hatchery stock as their numbers dwindle.

I would like to have some good layers that charge right thru the fall and early winter, laying full tilt when others are taking a break. Just not finding birds that can do that though I keep thinking ISA BRowns.

tommysgirl · Jun 17, 2014

Arielle said:
My AM/EE group is headed by a beautiful blue Am. THe focus is mostly improving the blue coloring of hte egg shell. As a meat bird, they are a joke imo.So my plan is to have about 25 chicks this year keeping all the pullets and selecting 2-3 of the roosters to carry on as my rooster is almost 3. A diligent guard of his girls

BO are on their way out -- too sweet, too timid to hold their own with Am roosters. SO love the color though; and good foragers. If I were to start over I would definitely seek out THeDragonLady!!

Speckled sussex are delightful-- great foragers and pretty coloring. THe lt sussex I had was very large; so I am considering how to add better SS blood to my stock. SS are usually the smallest of the sussex.

OVerall I am changing directions, and not replacing my hatchery stock as their numbers dwindle.

I would like to have some good layers that charge right thru the fall and early winter, laying full tilt when others are taking a break. Just not finding birds that can do that though I keep thinking ISA BRowns.

I have similar goals. I have 6 remaining hatchery girls and I will replace them with breeder stock. I learned to process this spring and have a friend who helps me though the process so having cockerels isn't the problem it would be for someone who didn't eat them. What are AM like to eat? Would they make good soup or taco meat?? I really like my SS too. Your roo sounds beautiful. I will have 4 boys at summers end. 1 hatchery NH, 1 SQ NH to replace him 1 Konza and one Silkie/MF D'Uccle who I have a total crush on. His name is Cosmo and I am hoping to keep him at least long enough to breed to my silkies so I can see what happens. Here he is with his sister/hatchmate Stella

He has freckles on his crest

Arielle · Jun 17, 2014

I am not impressed with my AMs as meat birds. Already I can feel the buckeyes are meatier in the breast than the AMs. But that is ok. A lean broad built bird is fine by me as long as the eggs are lovely .

Cosmo is definitely very cute.

Shellz · Jun 18, 2014

I replaced all my hatchery stock as well, over a year ago. I've since found good breeder stock which is fantastic!

I'm considering the buckeye next year for a meat project with my current stock. A breeder is close by that just got buckeye hatching eggs from Ohio this spring.

I love my black sex link hen for winter laying without supplemental lighting. However, she is 3 years old now & slowing down. I keep her because she's an excellent broody & mom.

I'm hoping between buckeyes next year & my Malines, we should have enough eggs to see us thru winter 2015/2016. In the past, I've built up a cache of eggs during the fall & put in our spare fridge. I figure, 2 different breeds moulting at different times (hopefully), will help keep the eggs coming.

Hatchery stock is great for egg layers, not so much for meat birds unless you buy their birds that are specifically bred for meat. Even then, I have no experience with those birds. I've raised about 15 different 'heritage' breed hatchery birds for meat over 2 seasons & was greatly disappointed. What a waste of time.

It took joining a local poultry forum to see that I had other, much better options.

Cute birds, tommysgirl.

Its great if you can process yourself &/or with family/friends. I like being self reliant & besides, would cost way too much $$$ to drive over an hour to the closest poultry processor.

Hatching my first KONZA!!!

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