Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Fentress]

However, they never seem to want to brood when I want to hatch.

That's the problem that I forsee, based on my limited experience. I have the additonal problem of just keeping one flock, because everything has to be mobile in order to keep the chikcens on fresh grass. Sure, I can pull the breeders from the flock and set up a couple of breeding annexes in chicken tractors with their own small pasture, I don't like doing that because the chickens are safer if they are part of the larger flock and in a larger pasture, in terms of watching out for hawks. I will do it, but I don't want it to drag on for all spring and summer. So I will be setting it up and then breaking it down as I get broody hens, I guess. That is why I would like a core group of hens to go broody together, within 4 to 6 weeks of each other, so I can get it over with. I'll just have to play it by ear and see what happens. It's ironic that my best chickens may have to be hatched from an incubator instead of raised by a mother hen.

 

[Dahlisgrams]

I have not been able to find any so I'm hoping that someone might know. Are there any breeders of heritage lines of Dark Brahma in the US?

 

[ocap]

I have not been able to find any so I'm hoping that someone might know. Are there any breeders of heritage lines of Dark Brahma in the US?

I have come across two names
Duane Urch in Minnesota
Alan Feagley at (510)223-4944 in the evening

 

[Dahlisgrams]

Quote:
Thanks very much. I appreciate the help.

 

[NanaKat]

However, they never seem to want to brood when I want to hatch.

That's the problem that I forsee, based on my limited experience. I have the additonal problem of just keeping one flock, because everything has to be mobile in order to keep the chikcens on fresh grass. Sure, I can pull the breeders from the flock and set up a couple of breeding annexes in chicken tractors with their own small pasture, I don't like doing that because the chickens are safer if they are part of the larger flock and in a larger pasture, in terms of watching out for hawks. I will do it, but I don't want it to drag on for all spring and summer. So I will be setting it up and then breaking it down as I get broody hens, I guess. That is why I would like  a core group of hens to go broody together, within 4 to 6 weeks of each other, so I can get it over with. I'll just have to play it by ear and see what happens. It's ironic that my best chickens may have to be hatched from an incubator instead of raised by a mother hen.

Broodies go broody when they want to instead of on a schedule. You have to be flexible enough with your expectations to utilize them on their schedule.
I collect eggs for no more than ten days to place in one of my incubators. Some of those eggs could go under a broody when she decides to set.
You can pull eggs from an incubator and put them under a hen when she decides to go broody and let her finish the hatch.
You can incubate and hatch eggs and slip chicks under a broody hen. I've even pulled eggs from under a hen and slipped week old chicks under her at night with great success. The eggs removed were brushed with a dry toothbrush and then sprayed with an Oxine solution and hatched in the incubator. Those chicks were then given to a new broody.
Often a hen with chicks will foster a few extras...test her before you assume she will take them.
A separate coop/tractor Even a box in the garage make a great broody spot. she will get off her nest once or twice a day for food and water and to eliminate but will quickly return to her eggs.
Finally...record keeping is essential for a breeding program. Eggs from fertile pens need to be clearly marked with a permanent mark...not pencil as that is easily erased by the hens feathers. Toe punching chicks at hatch or banding needs to be done quickly. Keeping eggs from the same pen parents in one clutch under each hen in a separate nest box set up will help you keep track of your breedings.
Enjoy the process...I love watching a good Mother hen with her clutch.

 

[ronott1]

Wonder if this kind of red or his sisters are full of cochin genes and go broody.??

The two from the same line(Fogel) That hatched last year did not go Broody. I would say that they will not go Broody.

They are great chickens for sure!

 

[Fentress]

Broodies go broody when they want to instead of on a schedule. You have to be flexible enough with your expectations to utilize them on their schedule.
I collect eggs for no more than ten days to place in one of my incubators. Some of those eggs could go under a broody when she decides to set.
You can pull eggs from an incubator and put them under a hen when she decides to go broody and let her finish the hatch.
You can incubate and hatch eggs and slip chicks under a broody hen. I've even pulled eggs from under a hen and slipped week old chicks under her at night with great success. The eggs removed were brushed with a dry toothbrush and then sprayed with an Oxine solution and hatched in the incubator. Those chicks were then given to a new broody.
Often a hen with chicks will foster a few extras...test her before you assume she will take them.
A separate coop/tractor Even a box in the garage make a great broody spot. she will get off her nest once or twice a day for food and water and to eliminate but will quickly return to her eggs.
Finally...record keeping is essential for a breeding program. Eggs from fertile pens need to be clearly marked with a permanent mark...not pencil as that is easily erased by the hens feathers. Toe punching chicks at hatch or banding needs to be done quickly. Keeping eggs from the same pen parents in one clutch under each hen in a separate nest box set up will help you keep track of your breedings.
Enjoy the process...I love watching a good Mother hen with her clutch.

thank you so much for your response! I had not thought of using the incubator and a broodie in combination, like you described. That does increase the opportunities to hook the chicks up with a mother. How long does a hen have to set before she will accept the chicks that hatch from eggs that have been pulled from an incubator? For instance, if she sets for less than a week on eggs pulled from an incubator will she accept the chicks? I know chickens can't count, but how close can you cut it? Also, do you have a recommendation for an incubator? I don't need a large one. I guess I will be buying one now.

And thanks again, I'm going to save your post some how.

Mark

 

[The collector]

I do like the pictures of the Heritage barred rocks is there a way I could get some off spring from them possibly

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: To save noteworthy info:
Go to yahoogroups and open up a group which is unlisted in their directory. Make yourself owner and moderator under 2 different email addresses so you won't get locked out if one failed due to your ISP. Make the list Archive private for members only and make the list restricted so no one can join without your approval. Copy info you want and post it to your Group with proper heading so you can find it easily. I like the bibliography of : Subject: brief title: date. That way I can tell at a glance when I am searching for old info. I am the only member of mine, that way no one posts to it and disrupts the continuity of bibliography in the info. I use it to keep info handy to share on BYC. Esp. when I am surfing and find obscure references to poultry which can fit in a later conversation on BYC. It is my BYC "notebook".
Best,
Karen

 

[Pathfinders]

Had an interesting phone call just now from someone who has been making sex-links with Delawares and Buckeyes. Now I wonder, if one bred the offspring together, would they still be able to produce sex-links? It would be wonderful to have a pea combed bird that produced sex-link chicks. But I know nothing about how sex-links work, so thought I'd ask you experts. Seems like a good cross to me!