New Hampshire Breed Thread

[mithious]

I have his F1 cross of the New Hampshires....excellent layers, great fertility, docile birds, fast feathering and growing....they are not as uniform quite yet since he crossed 2 strains...german male over Good Shepherd females...F2's which is what you likely have may be more consistent in color and type. You will enjoy this fabulous american breed (-;

Thanks for the info on his birds. I Pmed him and apparently I have some straight German, some F1's and maybe one straight GSNH pullet. So a little of everything. Any idea how to tell who is who? They are near two weeks now or do I need to wait until they grow out more?

Would the straight GS pullet be all "buff" colored? If so, I see her. I have some big and some little with the stripping on the wings and black in the tail. Can I assume the smaller are the F1's? and the larger are the German?

Thanks for any info

 

[mithious]

Thanks for the info on his birds. I Pmed him and apparently I have some straight German, some F1's and maybe one straight GSNH pullet. So a little of everything. Any idea how to tell who is who? They are near two weeks now or do I need to wait until they grow out more?

Would the straight GS pullet be all "buff" colored? If so, I see her. I have some big and some little with the stripping on the wings and black in the tail. Can I assume the smaller are the F1's? and the larger are the German?

Thanks for any info

I just reread what he wrote and I was wrong. I do have the F2 crosses. It's late, I gotta get off this computer, as I keep getting info mixed up. I am trying to do too much and need to slow down. I will re post what he wrote back, late on. I'm too tired to do this LOL Thanks so much for your help!

 

[gjensen]

I just reread what he wrote and I was wrong. I do have the F2 crosses. It's late, I gotta get off this computer, as I keep getting info mixed up. I am trying to do too much and need to slow down. I will re post what he wrote back, late on. I'm too tired to do this LOL Thanks so much for your help!

The "F2"s are 3/4 German and 1/4 Reese. It will be some time before you can tell who is who in the crowd. Enjoy your birds. They are good birds to own, and you purchased them from a good person.

 

[mithious]

~~The Nh cross is a German male over F1 cross females German X GS and you could have some that are a F1 male over F1 females and straight GS females.
THIS is what Jeremy posted. Thanks so much for the info. It's fun watching them grow. They are so full of vigor and are feathering much faster than the GSBR's although the BR's are catching up in size.

They are about two weeks now? Having so much fun, I'm losing track of my days LOL I'd have to look at their notebook to be exact.

Yes I agree, Jeremy is really nice to talk to and really helpful

I couldn't be happier with them!!!!

Just found out they have late night "parties"

They were so loud, they woke me up, so tip toed close to the brooder and boy were they having fun

When they are older, would you all be willing to help me try to figure out who is who? Really feeling lucky to have these birds!



Thanks again!!!!

 

[dheltzel]

Here are some pics of our New Hampshires. These are the German line.



Hens really like a little spring sunshine to dust bathe in.



These are all pretty young, only 1 pullet has started laying, but so far I've hatch 21 chicks! They are clearly the sprinters in their groups, growing faster than the other breeds, even the "barnyard mixes". The roo is huge though, you can see how massive he is compared to the hens and they are not small birds.

I'm thinking all the young ones will stay and become a major part of our flock, we really like them. The extra roos can free range on the farm, I'm pretty sure they'll hold their own quite nicely.

 

[earlyredrooster]

I have a flock of ten nh's. A friend bought rir's thr same day and while my flock is much calmer and fatter, I still cannot say for sure which will be roo's and which are pulletts. The rir's comb and wattles already mark them for culling. Both flocks are twelve weeks today.

 

[har]

I have a flock of ten nh's. A friend bought rir's thr same day and while my flock is much calmer and fatter, I still cannot say for sure which will be roo's and which are pulletts. The rir's comb and wattles already mark them for culling. Both flocks are twelve weeks today.

Nit sure of your question! Different breeds have different maturing ages and hatchery and heritage birds also.

 

[earlyredrooster]

Nit sure of your question! Different breeds have different maturing ages and hatchery and heritage birds also.

Not a question more of an observation. Just seemed strange to us since the n.h.'s originated from r.i.r. stock.

 

[earlyredrooster]

My daughter nervously holdig one of my N.H.s

 

[dheltzel]

I have a flock of ten nh's. A friend bought rir's thr same day and while my flock is much calmer and fatter, I still cannot say for sure which will be roo's and which are pulletts. The rir's comb and wattles already mark them for culling. Both flocks are twelve weeks today.

This can vary by strain and also by the how they are cared for. I have NH under 8 weeks that are sexable, I imagine my 12 weeks it will be even more obvious.

Is there a reason you want to cull early? I would raise them to full size, good NH roos get quite large, I imagine they make great roasting birds.

Any single comb variety should be sexable by 12 weeks, but some varieties are sexable by color much earlier, it that is important to you. Barred breeds are a good example (barred rocks, cuckoo marens, barred hollands, california grays, etc). And of course sex links and autosexing breeds are sexable at hatch. For example, all my welsummers are 100% sexable all the time, from hatch on.