Heritage Chickens

[ggrap]

Hi. I am considering raising some Heritage Chickens off of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy's Priority List. Anyone else doing this? And what are some of the better layers?

http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/wtchlist.html#chickens

 

[speckledhen]

I'm raising Delawares myself. They are a truly American breed and very critical. Hatchery Dels just dont have the broad body type and coloring that real breeder quality Dels do. Mine are just now turning 18 weeks, but others who have had them say they are very good layers. The eggs are extra large to jumbo at maturity.

 

[ggrap]

I have a couple of hatchery Delawares. Where did you get you breeding stock?

 

[speckledhen]

From a breeder who asked me to do a fertility test on a cockerel she had with her ladies. She is not into selling eggs at the moment; I believe she is trying to perfect her lines at the moment. I had chicks I hatched from a friend's hatchery Dels. Never again. The parents turned mean and even the chicks were little Vampires! I sold them all.

 

[Ivagrovegirl]

I have Nankins and Jersey Giants. Dad got the Nankins because he liked the color and wants to preserve the breed. I got Jerseys because they are excellent meat and egg birds. They are also sweet and wonderful

Emily

 

[shelleyb1969]

I'm beginning a flock of Delawares now. I'm also considering Dorkings later on.

 

[PassthePeace1]

I want to do Chanteclers, Delwares, and Dark Cornishes. Turkeys, I want Red Bourbons.

Right now I only have the Cornishes, of the hertiages breeds. Working on pens for the others breeds, will finish them up once the pulled muscle in my back stops tormenting me.

Right now, my coop and pen building is limited to doodling on paper. Today's brainchild is a Zen Modern coop.

 

[herbsherbsflowers]

I have Barred hollands that I Got from Ideal. They have just started laying and the eggs are kind of ivory or light tan instead of white like they are supposed to be. I'm wondering how close they really are to the standard. They look like the pictures that i have seen, but they are supposedly so rare that I Do wonder if any are close to the standard.