Poultry Breeds of Spanish Ancestry

[ronott1]

This struck me pretty funny there Ron! What are they doing that is so bad?

They think I am going to kill them each time I walk by--well I guess I am--and knock there water over. Then they jam themselves into the corner of the brooder when I clean out the wet shavings. I did move the pullet out because she was smashed into the corner and they were stomping on her.

Poor thing....

Oh, and they have bee crowing since they were a week old!

I am not supposed to have roosters so I have to keep things quiet until I can send them to the pace in Winters where I keep the boys.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I'm here in the house and guess what I hear?

You know how a cock will call his hens when he finds something he thinks they'll like? A high pitched clucking?

Imagine that pitch a LOT higher! I have a two day old bantam andalusian in the living room "clucking" loudly to the rest of them that he has found something he thinks they will like! So cute!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Well, I think I can report a reasonably successful hatch. I have 11 chicks plus 3 that are still working on their shells, three dead and one more that I thought was dead. I opened the top of the egg to check why it died. It wasn't moving and when I touched it, it did move. The membrane was a little tiny bit dry but not so much it was being shrink wrapped. So, anyway, the egg was already opened, I wet the membrane and made the smallest hole where the tip of the beak is, wrapped the egg in a very wet paper towel and put it back in the hatcher in a position that I could watch it through the hatcher window to see how it's doing.

That's all the help I will provide - humidity. We'll see how it goes. I have 11/19 that went into lock down. Hopefully, I'll get 4 more chicks. That will be 15/19. Not bad. Somebody more math minded can figure out the percentage if they care.

Ok, the final numbers are in. I have 14 out of 19 chicks! The last one hatched early this morning.

 

[southernmomma]

I have 6 Crele Penedesenca x Cream Legbar cockerels--they are 12 weeks old and getting on my nerves. I told my daughters that I was going to process two of them this weekend quarter them a BBQ them. They will be very tender at that at age! They will never be very big but I bet they will taste great.

We'll bring the wine

How much do they weigh?

M

 

[southernmomma]

Ok, the final numbers are in. I have 14 out of 19 chicks! The last one hatched early this morning.

Congratulations

M

 

[Hangtown Farms]

[COLOR=333333]The cockerals are the fasted Dual Purpose meat so far. Basque hens are good but the PPs are as good as White Bresse! They lay the most big light brown eggs so far too.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]They taste very good too.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]IF on a homestead, you could have just Pitas and do very well.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]Contrary to the description, Partridge Penenedesencas are good in confinement and good at foraging.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]Sounds very good, however for the Pitas I wonder about heat tolerance as the Asturian climate is not as intensely hot as Louisiana.  The Partridge Pen's did have my attention but I'm afraid they might prove just a bit small once my children are bigger and eating larger portions.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]It may seem I'm dithering about, collecting information on this breed and that but I can assure you it is all for the good of a well executed long-range goal.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]Thanks,[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]M[/COLOR]

I'd look at black penedesenca

 

[southernmomma]

Really? I'd read somewhere that although historically a small dual-purpose breed they were now quite small, averaging 5 lbs.
I'm curious though So please.....tell me more!

Thanks,
M

 

[Hangtown Farms]

They still average 6 pounds or a little more to the best of my knowledge . My boy is over. 7 I'd estimate. My crele are over 5 . If you don't mind me asking where did you get your info

 

[gjensen]

Ok, the final numbers are in. I have 14 out of 19 chicks! The last one hatched early this morning.

Good deal Lacy. I have been watching to see how it went.

 

[gjensen]

I weigh my birds and do not guess. They will fool you.

My largest males is now at 8lbs. That is where they should be. It just took him too long to get there. I am guessing that the two cockerels that I kept from last year will end up around 7 . Maybe just a little over. My two hens are at 6 lbs. Same thing, it took to long to get there.

I have a couple pullets that are at their weight now, and have a ways before they hit the one year mark. I have another pullet that is there and is near the one year mark. The rest will probably be just a little under. One a little too much, but she has the best color.

I suspect that part of the reason that it is taking so long to get where they should be is that they are too closely bred. I am outcrossing to very distantly related birds. Same strain, but separated by almost a decade. Each line had an infusion at a point, so they should genetically be different enough to invigorate each side. I will breed back to each side to make two families.
I am hoping that by doing this I will see better growth rates. A lot of what makes a bird a good dual purpose bird is not the size they reach ultimately, but that they flesh out at an early age. It also is not just that they mature early, but how and when they lay the flesh on. This will be a point of emphasis after this generation. I need to get going in the right direction first.

Regardless, some vigor will make a big difference. Especially that both sides are closely bred. I am excited to see where this goes.

I have started a grading project on the side. Who knows how successful I will be in the long run with this project. If successful I will be able to further strengthen what I have.

It is my goal to have a genetically viable flock that represents the breed well. Hopefully a few more people will pick them up along the way when they see their potential. I think with these rare breeds, it is not just seeing what they are, but also seeing what they could be.