Seabreeze wrote:
OK ladies and gents, I have a couple of questions based upon my recent observations.
I acquired my first hens from a breeder in Corvallis, OR. They lay some very lovely terra cotta red-brown eggs but nothing over a 6 per the chart. But these hens and their subsequent offspring by our no-longer-here Mr. Sprig (big bodied, tanky young roo but bumps in his comb), are SUBSTANTIAL. I don't mean just tall, I mean they are WIDE as well and definitely *low slung*. The pullets have just started laying and seem to lay a shade darker egg than moms so I am guessing this darker paint could be the genetics behind Mr. Sprig? I know what color the moms lay consistently now that I've been gathering eggs from them for almost 18 months.
Secondly, I purchased 13 chicks from a breeder back east and I cannot remember them saying if they were Jean Wade or Bev Davis lines (but I am thinking they indicated WJ), but they are quite a bit different the ones I started with from Corvallis and also sired by Sprig. The ones from back east, pullets appear to have just started to lay and their eggs are very nice color, 6 and 7 and one or two 8s, for the few I've gotten because they are just 4 months old.
BUT......compared to the offspring from Sprig, who are about 3 days older, these east coast birds are small in stature, breadth and just don't have that *homemade cake* heft to them that Sprig's babies do.
So, is there one line that lays a darker egg than the other, overall?
What is most desirable, darkest eggs or broad, low slung bird (with correct comb, coloration etc)?
Any suggestions for finding a way to get both? Or will I have to keep the WJ separate from the BD birds? Any benefit to hatching the crosses (WJ/BD) out? Anyone else have experiences with this cross and outcomes?
Thanks
I'm too new at all this to give definitive answers; Sprig could very well be the source of the genes that are producing the darker eggs.
I have 10 chicks, I recounted today 5 roosters and 5 hens-- and I had noticed over the last few days that these birds are much smaller than the light sussex which is the same age and from the same breeder. I'm not complaining mind you. A smaller bird is more economical. Mine are-Presley/wade-jean lines.
I would think you could cross these lines and try to pull the features you want from each line, like a larger bird with darker eggs. But honestly, I don't know which size the judges are looking for. Maybe some one can chime in here.
I acquired my first hens from a breeder in Corvallis, OR. They lay some very lovely terra cotta red-brown eggs but nothing over a 6 per the chart. But these hens and their subsequent offspring by our no-longer-here Mr. Sprig (big bodied, tanky young roo but bumps in his comb), are SUBSTANTIAL. I don't mean just tall, I mean they are WIDE as well and definitely *low slung*. The pullets have just started laying and seem to lay a shade darker egg than moms so I am guessing this darker paint could be the genetics behind Mr. Sprig? I know what color the moms lay consistently now that I've been gathering eggs from them for almost 18 months.
Secondly, I purchased 13 chicks from a breeder back east and I cannot remember them saying if they were Jean Wade or Bev Davis lines (but I am thinking they indicated WJ), but they are quite a bit different the ones I started with from Corvallis and also sired by Sprig. The ones from back east, pullets appear to have just started to lay and their eggs are very nice color, 6 and 7 and one or two 8s, for the few I've gotten because they are just 4 months old.
BUT......compared to the offspring from Sprig, who are about 3 days older, these east coast birds are small in stature, breadth and just don't have that *homemade cake* heft to them that Sprig's babies do.
So, is there one line that lays a darker egg than the other, overall?
What is most desirable, darkest eggs or broad, low slung bird (with correct comb, coloration etc)?
Any suggestions for finding a way to get both? Or will I have to keep the WJ separate from the BD birds? Any benefit to hatching the crosses (WJ/BD) out? Anyone else have experiences with this cross and outcomes?
Thanks
I'm too new at all this to give definitive answers; Sprig could very well be the source of the genes that are producing the darker eggs.
I have 10 chicks, I recounted today 5 roosters and 5 hens-- and I had noticed over the last few days that these birds are much smaller than the light sussex which is the same age and from the same breeder. I'm not complaining mind you. A smaller bird is more economical. Mine are-Presley/wade-jean lines.
I would think you could cross these lines and try to pull the features you want from each line, like a larger bird with darker eggs. But honestly, I don't know which size the judges are looking for. Maybe some one can chime in here.
