Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[Fallchick]

Here you go Scott!!! They are 7 1/2 months old!

 

[Beekissed]

They are simply gorgeous!!!

 

[thedragonlady]

Here is one of the two Ks I'm holding over.....I have named him "Chief" after Vickie said he was in the "Chief 2 feathers phase"

Unless something changes, this is the cockerel I will be putting back over his mother and an aunt in December

Keep throwing the whole grains to him. His tail is coming in (!!) ,ans so is his hackle, but he still needs more fore chest....bay window . I'd breed him to that buxom pullet on the right in your photos.

 

[Darkangael]

Just taking a bit to absorb the info, I am sure I will have questions. Just taking it slooooooow.


Edit typo

 

[bnjrob]

Just taking a bit to absorb the info, I am sure I will have questions. Just taking it slooooooow.


Edit typo

There's a lot to learn and I still feel like I haven't even scratched the surface of what else I need to learn.

 

[Fallchick]

Keep throwing the whole grains to him. His tail is coming in (!!) ,ans so is his hackle, but he still needs more fore chest....bay window . I'd breed him to that buxom pullet on the right in your photos.

What buxom pullet? Where you looking at Scott's photos or mine? Two separate owner's posting here.

 

[thedragonlady]

What buxom pullet? Where you looking at Scott's photos or mine? Two separate owner's posting here.

Oops ! I was just following the arrows on the photos. I like that pullet, who ever owns her. Nice to see so many nice Columbians !

 

[ki4got]

Quote: easy enough for me, most people are afraid of my driveway... I explain that it's been washed out, park at the bottom and call me i'll come down and get you. LOL

then I take the ford truck, (4x4, big tires, locker, the works) and pick the roughest route up. LOL they get bounced some and most are glad I came down to get them. I don't bother mentioning that hubby's daily driver is a dodge stratus, and mine was the Buick century (before it got run off the road). all they see are ford explorer, tractors and the beast.

they are also met at the top by my 'part time LGD' standard poodle who barks like a Doberman with equally impressive teeth showing. LOL (aka my full time service dog and big baby).

some are also intimidated by my 'free range' horses. Maggie is insistent on checking everyone out for cookies and gets pushy unless they push back.

it's hard enough getting FRIENDS to come up and visit. let alone getting ups, fedex or usps packages! not gonna happen. LOL

 

[ki4got]

Unfortunately, nowadays no one has any interest in developing heritage quality humans with a natural hardiness either...and that's such a shame as the world grows more filled with stronger, more hardy pathogens.

I think the same could go for a long LIST of things that humans should be culled for... but that's for another thread. LOL I removed myself from the gene pool by my own choice. hubby too. no need to make offspring with genetic skin diseases who would have to worry excessively about whether they have boobs when they grow up...

 

[ki4got]

Cull for vigor EVERY year. The healthiest, fastest growing, stand out chicks that catch your eye. Top 1/3rd or so, then look for other qualities. By selecting like that, you end up with less health problems, but also by selecting quicker maturing birds and not letting stragglers catch up you end up saving on feed bill too. Culls reach edible size faster, no downsize to selecting vigorous quick developing chicks.

As growing birds too, first one out of the coop in the morning, last one in at night. Active thriving birds will produce the same.

I can see culling and keeping the most vigorous, but with slow growing breeds, (Dorkings and 'dottes) I don't WANT the fastest growing, I want the BIGGEST... those two things are quite often totally different. the fastest growing cockerel I had last year was nearly 1 pound lighter than his slower growing hatchmate... type was still there, and vigor, but that size difference determined (at 12 months old) which one went to the freezer.

and unfortunately, that line has been lost briefly, as that rooster took it upon himself to protect his girls, just as I was ready to pen them for breeding. so his only offspring were possible mixes from free ranging who got sold, and ended up being purebred anyways. I am getting 2 of his brothers next month tho, so hopefully we'll have a good one to pick from to go back to the breeding pen. (red dorking).