Alright, for now I do not have pictures to show my chickens to you all but I will tell you what I have for now.
I have several chickens, usually around 75. Right now I have several breeds, and a hybrid strain I call REELs that I am developing myself. I have Buff Orpingtons, Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Black Austrolorps, Americanas, EE's, Naked Necks, Silver Laced Wyandottes, Sicilian Buttercups, Black Rosecomb Bantams, and White Leghorns. Right now I have more REELs than anything else of course.
What is a REEL you're asking? REELs are fuel efficient green egg layers. Currently in the 3rd generation of egg layers they are smaller bodied with the same large egg size, lay larger clutches, and go broody less often than their counterparts the EE's and Amearucanas. As they are a crossbreed, they have hybrid vigor to withstand the trials of adolescence with greater success and stronger from day1. We had several 100% hatches when incubating them and didn't lose even 1 chick before week 8 with the first generation. There were of course several that laid brown eggs 3 years ago, but hardly any now, and they are pinkish or cream, very faint. We have to get rid of the brown egg laying genes but that is so difficult to do, it will take a long time if it is possible, but I think only incubating the blue and green eggs will thin down the possibility of getting brown eggs from the bunch. Not that the brown eggs aren't lovely and tasty, but the point is to create a fuel efficient green egg laying option for farmers, we already have fairly efficient brown egg layers, I can focus my efforts elsewhere.
As for their offspring, they also had high hatch rates - 85-98% and these girls with an 8:1 ratio of hens to roos had nearly 100% fertility too. This next generation is very colorful too. THey just hatched butthere are a lot of beautiful chicks. Lots of black and blues, many splashes and even a few cuckoos. I don't know all the colors but I intend to get some help in IDing what their color may be closest described as.
In the past I have had several other breeds though including sermas, OE, dorkings, modern game, frizzle cochins, Black, Blue & Splash Jersey Giants, and silkies.
I have several chickens, usually around 75. Right now I have several breeds, and a hybrid strain I call REELs that I am developing myself. I have Buff Orpingtons, Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Black Austrolorps, Americanas, EE's, Naked Necks, Silver Laced Wyandottes, Sicilian Buttercups, Black Rosecomb Bantams, and White Leghorns. Right now I have more REELs than anything else of course.
What is a REEL you're asking? REELs are fuel efficient green egg layers. Currently in the 3rd generation of egg layers they are smaller bodied with the same large egg size, lay larger clutches, and go broody less often than their counterparts the EE's and Amearucanas. As they are a crossbreed, they have hybrid vigor to withstand the trials of adolescence with greater success and stronger from day1. We had several 100% hatches when incubating them and didn't lose even 1 chick before week 8 with the first generation. There were of course several that laid brown eggs 3 years ago, but hardly any now, and they are pinkish or cream, very faint. We have to get rid of the brown egg laying genes but that is so difficult to do, it will take a long time if it is possible, but I think only incubating the blue and green eggs will thin down the possibility of getting brown eggs from the bunch. Not that the brown eggs aren't lovely and tasty, but the point is to create a fuel efficient green egg laying option for farmers, we already have fairly efficient brown egg layers, I can focus my efforts elsewhere.
As for their offspring, they also had high hatch rates - 85-98% and these girls with an 8:1 ratio of hens to roos had nearly 100% fertility too. This next generation is very colorful too. THey just hatched butthere are a lot of beautiful chicks. Lots of black and blues, many splashes and even a few cuckoos. I don't know all the colors but I intend to get some help in IDing what their color may be closest described as.
In the past I have had several other breeds though including sermas, OE, dorkings, modern game, frizzle cochins, Black, Blue & Splash Jersey Giants, and silkies.