BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Our Roost]

gjensen > The worst year ever? I had 38 chickens this year in 2 coops. I hatched out 25 birds on May 4th. I believe 4 died. Except for when we started, this is the most new borns we have had in 5 years. I had one culling earlier in June of this year removing some older birds and am now left with 32. I also purchased some birds born around May also. The number left is still the same. So in reality, most of these are new stock about to forego their first winter in Michigan. In Michigan, the last 2 years were record snow falls and new records were set. Judging by the amount of loose feather accumulation, the breeds I now have seem to have had a heavier molt than I experienced in the past. I would need to talk to other breeders to see if they are recognizing the same concern and if its a normal thing to expect from the breeds I now own. It appears my Blue orpingtons are experiencing the worst of it and my bielefelders molt the least. Just to note, they are all growing out nice replacement feathering and my molt is near complete.

 

[DesertChic]

Do any of you know how long it takes your different breeds to complete the molt, and return to laying. That is first molt hens.

This was the first molt for my laying pullets, with the first one starting her molt in August when the temps were consistently over 100 degrees. I can honestly say that they continued to lay fairly well throughout the molt. My layer flock average egg output went from an average of 37 eggs per week down to 33 from a flock of seven, one of which was frequently broody. The girl who molted most heavily, and the soonest, is just now getting decent feather growth back and is still only laying about 3-4 eggs per week while her flock mates lay 5-6 per week. These are Australorps, Barred Rocks and one broody Silkie.

My NN Turkens started molting about three weeks ago but haven't slowed at all in their laying.

 

[dfr1973]

Have you ever skinned them? It does waste the skin. I would agree that it is wasteful. I do it sometimes though. If we were hungry, I would not. It is just such an easy and fast way to put meat on the table.

I do skin the younger ones, or ones where the skin tears when I try plucking. Hubby prefers skin-on for smoking and roasting.

 

[neopolitancrazy]

Both of my Wyandotte hens were broody at the end of the summer, so by the time I convinced them to stop that nonsense, it was into molting season. I don't know if they will molt again this fall, will have to wait and see.
Angela

 

[NanaKat]

 Do any of you know how long it takes your different breeds to complete the molt, and return to laying. That is first molt hens.

The 13 seasoned Australorp and Black Sex-Link hens in the layer flock started molt in mid August. They finished up this week. Egg production was zip. They free range.

Wyandotte started molt three weeks ago. They are in enclosed runs/breed pens. They should finish molt in another 4 weeks. No pullets in this group of 13 hens. Production dropped from 35 eggs a week to 20 a week.

Adult Cochins started molt mid August. No eggs laid once molt started. They are still in molt, although two are broody. One is adopting week old chicks, clucking and fluffing. Molt will last another 4 weeks. Pullets started laying 2 weeks ago and won't begin their adult molt until next fall.
The Cochin have bee free-ranging since June.

Buckeye 4 hens started molt early September. No eggs laid until late Sept about two weeks. Was getting two eggs a day...now getting one. They are finishing up in a couple of weeks. Two pullets started molt at the same time. They are finished, but not laying yet.

My Bantam breeds have been laying in earnest and hiding eggs, hatching clutches and have carried the egg count while the lf molt.
I have found that hatch vigor is affected by molt. They are just now beginning to loose feathers.

 

[hellbender]

Ok...this is it...the last time I try to take pics and post them....for a long time...I'll coerce one of these freeloaders to do it from now on.

None were the least bit co-operative, least of all the Chanteclers! Ike did the best....pretended he didn't want to de-feather each and every one of them.

I will leaving for my short obligatory 'vacation' coming Monday, accompanied by son Jason. Hopefully to be back in just few days or so ...or not!!!

I know...Kids don't think it's funny either.

 

[draye]

Ok...this is it...the last time I try to take pics and post them....for a long time...I'll coerce one of these freeloaders to do it from now on. None were the least bit co-operative, least of all the Chanteclers! Ike did the best....pretended he didn't want to de-feather each and every one of them. I will leaving for my short obligatory 'vacation' coming Monday, accompanied by son Jason. Hopefully to be back in just few days or so ...or not!!! I know...Kids don't think it's funny either.

Those are some if the biggest looking Cornish I've ever seen. Did you get them from Cackle?

 

[gjensen]

Ok...this is it...the last time I try to take pics and post them....for a long time...I'll coerce one of these freeloaders to do it from now on.

None were the least bit co-operative, least of all the Chanteclers! Ike did the best....pretended he didn't want to de-feather each and every one of them.

I will leaving for my short obligatory 'vacation' coming Monday, accompanied by son Jason. Hopefully to be back in just few days or so ...or not!!!

I know...Kids don't think it's funny either.

I am going to sin here, saying this. I would get a trio of exhibition strain Cornish and cross them with these birds. I am not a fan of the extreme type of the exhibition strains, and I would say that they have lost much over time. But, they would improve these a lot, and these would moderate the other extreme. I love the Cornish of yesterday.

What I would like about these is that they would still be athletic. They are still functional fowl for the farm.

I think that both of us like the Oriental game breeds.

I like that dog to. He looks like a farm dog, and fit.

 

[gjensen]

The 13 seasoned Australorp and Black Sex-Link hens in the layer flock started molt in mid August. They finished up this week. Egg production was zip. They free range.

Wyandotte started molt three weeks ago. They are in enclosed runs/breed pens. They should finish molt in another 4 weeks. No pullets in this group of 13 hens. Production dropped from 35 eggs a week to 20 a week.

Adult Cochins started molt mid August. No eggs laid once molt started. They are still in molt, although two are broody. One is adopting week old chicks, clucking and fluffing. Molt will last another 4 weeks. Pullets started laying 2 weeks ago and won't begin their adult molt until next fall.
The Cochin have bee free-ranging since June.

Buckeye 4 hens started molt early September. No eggs laid until late Sept about two weeks. Was getting two eggs a day...now getting one. They are finishing up in a couple of weeks. Two pullets started molt at the same time. They are finished, but not laying yet.

My Bantam breeds have been laying in earnest and hiding eggs, hatching clutches and have carried the egg count while the lf molt.
I have found that hatch vigor is affected by molt. They are just now beginning to loose feathers.

What kind of bantams do you have? Do any lay reasonably well through the winter without lights?

 

[hellbender]

I am going to sin here, saying this. I would get a trio of exhibition strain Cornish and cross them with these birds. I am not a fan of the extreme type of the exhibition strains, and I would say that they have lost much over time. But, they would improve these a lot, and these would moderate the other extreme. I love the Cornish of yesterday.

What I would like about these is that they would still be athletic. They are still functional fowl for the farm.

I think that both of us like the Oriental game breeds.

I like that dog to. He looks like a farm dog, and fit.

Thank you for the complements and comments. Ike certainly is fit! Jason runs him with the 4-wheeler almost daily.

The Cornish will do just fine for me as they are. I couldn't even get the larger ones to hang around. Ike was only about 25 feet away on down-stay but the birds didn't trust our training skills, I suppose

. I should have left him inside but I thought it would be a good training exercise for him and it was...but it fouled the picture taking session. The large Chanteclers headed for parts unknown as did the Buckeyes.

Got side-tracked. I'm putting the Dark Cornish under the best Chantecler and NN cockerels so the addition of SOP birds would do me no good, as I see it. But again, thanks for your thoughts and comments. Always appreciated!!