Breeding Sex Links - third generation

[cedavid2012]

Thanks for the update. I'm trying to learn as much as I can before I actually get chicks in the spring. I am trying to read through the Heritage Large Fowl Thread and the Old Timers thread. It'll probably take me until spring to finish those, LOL! But there's so much great info on here! Makes me even more excited to get some chicks.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Slowing Down The ISA Genetics

The ISA Brown, the quintessential commercial brown egg layer is a wonderful bird, but the super fast development to point of lay has always given me some concern. For a more sustainable approach, we simply did not want to continue to go back to the hatchery for ISA chicks, year after year. We always felt that the genetics were "wound a bit too tight" as well and wished to tilt the ISA slightly toward a more traditional type fowl. 16 week point of lay, huge egg size, 330 eggs per pullet year, etc, had taken the lightweight bird to a place of being susceptible to early burnout, ascites, EYP and other out year health issues. None of these things bother the commercial hen houses, as these birds get "flipped" every 2 years anyhow. But if we were to tap into the ISA's genetics, we really needed to slow things down.

Our goal was to add a pound added to the pullet's average weight, push back the point of lay to 22 weeks, allowing for more physical maturity before entering POL, reduce the egg size just a wee, wee bit, from a jumbo to large/extra large, reduce the egg laying rate to something more akin to 280 eggs per pullet year. We also needed to soften the feathers, just a bit. A commercial hen has been bred to have limited feathering and quite closely held and somewhat brittle.

Things we wanted to keep was the ISA's famous feed conversion, or least as much as reasonably possible. We also have always enjoyed the ISA's temperament. Gentle, quiet and friendly. We felt these were important attributes to try and keep.

We have essentially taken the Red/White ISA Brown and split White from the Red. We now have a red line of former ISAs and a white line of former ISAs. I say "former" because we are now in the 4th generation of this project and with an infusion of outside blood, they are not ISAs anymore.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yahoo!!! Point of lay came today for our little F4 pullets. Really, really pleased. 22 weeks. Really happy about that. The introduction of heritage blood has certainly slowed these red birds down, one of our major goals. Here are the three "little girls" we've been calling them. The photo was taken at about 18 weeks, a time when, for the red pullets, their ISA grandmothers would already have been pushing out giant eggs. It was curious that the utility Barred Rock also decided that today was her day too. Hatch mates. Go figure.

 

[halo]

Fred, I dont know if I missed it, but what rooster did you use to produce your F2 and F3s? Did you go back to your ISA roosters? Really fun project.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Fred, I dont know if I missed it, but what rooster did you use to produce your F2 and F3s? Did you go back to your ISA roosters? Really fun project.

Yes, we stayed with the ISA Rooster for two additional generations.

This year, we're done with this project, really. It has been fun and enjoyable, as the birds produced were really, really nice utility hens. Both lines now breed "true" in that the red produce reds and the white produce whites.

For me, personally, most of my focus, going forward, will be with the heritage, true bred birds. But, I have an affection for these little layers and will likely keep some around, in some form or another, for a very long time.

 

[nicalandia]

Yes, we stayed with the ISA Rooster for two additional generations.

This year, we're done with this project, really. It has been fun and enjoyable, as the birds produced were really, really nice utility hens. Both lines now breed "true" in that the red produce reds and the white produce whites.

For me, personally, most of my focus, going forward, will be with the heritage, true bred birds. But, I have an affection for these little layers and will likely keep some around, in some form or another, for a very long time.

wow you just did what I´ve been wanting to do for years... you know they are not the best looking birds out there, but when the eggs start coming like rain I love them more than any other breed

 

[Fred's Hens]

wow you just did what I´ve been wanting to do for years... you know they are not the best looking birds out there, but when the eggs start coming like rain I love them more than any other breed

The four way cross of unknown proprietary birds that make up the ISA Brown can only be guessed at. European in origin suggests Rhode Island Red and Brown Leghorn on the "red" side and likely a hybridized Leghorn and a European White Sussex. We don't have quite all this over here in the US. Nonetheless, It isn't all that hard split the red from the white. Actually, the white is quite easy and the red is almost impossible to re-establish without cheating, without putting something red back into the program.

My personal favorite is the white side. Prolific layers, sturdy, and the best natured birds ever! The white side is absolutely worth "liberating".

BTW, the white side ISA, F3 laid every bit as well as the straight ISA grandmother. Really terrific bird.

 

[nicalandia]

The four way cross of unknown proprietary birds that make up the ISA Brown can only be guessed at.

this is not a problem for me, as I only have access to the gold side of the sex links, but this is all that I need, all the genes found on these birds are there, for me to re create, its not impossible thanks to mendelian laws

 

[cmom]

My whites lay as well as my original ISA's.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Hey CMOM,,.... talk to us. Tell us your story. That is a gorgeous looking flock of whites.