ALABAMA!!

[naomi1431]

Thanks for the welcome, Wisher1000 & Crickett. I did have potential breeding in mind when I decided that a single breed (vs. a mixed flock) was the way to go for me. A coworker of mine always incubates and hatches about 12 eggs in the Spring as part of a science unit (with kids... at a school) and has lately been getting mixed but fertilized eggs from mixed flocks, since that's what most backyard chicken keepers (owners? *masters*?) seem to do around here. It seems to me that it would be better to go with a single breed -- whatever that might be -- so that you could say that this is a particular type of chicken when trying to get rid of them (which she magically always manages to do). But the more I read, the more it sounds like I'd need a whole lot of chickens, that are unrelated and from different sources, and that I'd need to do a lot of culling and picking and choosing and sorting out of these chickens from those chickens. I don't think I'm to the "working on the breed" stage just yet, but I might sell or barter or give away some fertilized eggs just to get more Hamburgs out there. I did do a lot of reading before picking a breed, and I do think that they are particularly delightful.

 

[Wisher1000]

Naomi, you can actually improve your line of Hamburgs with a backyard flock, it just takes longer to see a lot of improvement. It is actually better NOT to introduce new blood into your breeders (it's called line breeding) if you want to affix good qualities. You can work toward improvement by selecting the best cockerel, or two, from your current batch (be SURE to use the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection as your guide) and the best pullets (again, using the SOP) and passing on the others to interested parties. Then, when your friend needs eggs, let her hatch 12 for you. Raise those up until you can accurately decide which, if any, females look better than the ones you have, and use the best for the next batch (breeding the daughters back to their father) for at least five generations or more. If you need better qualities in the cock, keep an eye out for a replacement for him among his sons. It is a good idea to keep two roosters, in case you lose one, so many breeders will keep two breeding pens, or even one, if the roosters get along. The breeding pens need only hold a trio, and you simply cull (culling doesn't have to mean killing, culling can be re-homing, or moving to another pen) the ones that fall short of your best. It takes longer doing it this way, but it can be done.

I like to hatch as many as I can between January and May. Up until this year, I have incubated every egg laid during that time, and the most chicks I have hatched in a season is about 120. This spring, I will have to decide how many is my limit as I should be collecting eggs from six young hens. This is abundant for me, as the most I have had to hatch from previously, was four old, low producing hens. I will likely raise 200 chicks this coming spring.

 

[naomi1431]

That's a lot of chickens!

 

[Tomtommom]

I want to breed in time, but just EEs. Good healthy EEs with desirable qualities for the backyard keeper

 

[sh0ptildr]

Great meeting sh0ptildr this morning! My daughter has one barred Rock pullet, five New Hampshire Red pullets and one cockerel, and five black Australorp pullets and one cockerel available still. $12 each or all for 13 for $120. These are her 4-H chickens hatched May 13, 2014. Located in Henagar, AL

It was great meeting you too! The Barred Rocks seem to be acclimating well so far! My current flock has peeked at them through the fence a few times but not a whole lot of interest going on from either group! Hoping they will integrate well when it's time.

 

[Mister B]

So, since we are talking about breeding here, I have a few questions. I have 8 Red Star (Golden Comet, what ever you want to call them, Sex Linked chickens), an Black Australorp and one Rhode Island Red. I have two of the sex linked roosters. Currently, my plan is to sell one or both roosters and buy a large breed rooster to go with them. I am wondering what sort of rooster to add. I want to have some larger chickens that will be decent egg layers. I know they won't match the egg laying of the sex linked hens, but these are to sell later. I also want to add about 8 more hens, probably a few Jersey Giants, buff orpingtons and barred rock. White chickens don't sell well around here, so I want to keep away from white chickens.

 

[bamadude]

Misterb. Brahmas are the way to go. I can hook u up

 

[Mister B]

I appreciate it, Bamadude, but Skipperville is way south. I live near Florence/Muscle Shoals. But thanks for the heads up. I will look up Brahmas and see what they look like. Does Meyers carry them?

 

[bamadude]

I appreciate it, Bamadude, but Skipperville is way south.  I live near Florence/Muscle Shoals. But thanks for the heads up.  I will look up Brahmas and see what they look like.  Does Meyers carry them?

meyers birds are awful. Imho. I bought mine from a street pharmacist at sadies flea market

 

[Tomtommom]

Don't like the feather leggedness of brahmas.

I'm partial to plymouth rocks.