Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Pozees]

Oh, that's hysterical! What a circus. LOL. That's so cute! I am kinda disappointed I didn't get the 42 chicks I was aiming for this year. But, I guess that's not a bad thing since we have been scrambling to increase our coopage as they grow. It is really easy to hatch more chicks than one has room for. I insist on 4 sq. ft. per bird inside and 10 per bird outside. That 4 sq. ft. inside, I just don't have problems with stress in inclement weather. The male's tails stay real nice too, not chewed on or broken feathers. Course, I don't have roosts either. the birds nestle down in the shavings. When we finish the new grow-out coop, for over wintering that will give us 3 coops. One for a male and female; one for a male and 2 females; and a third for a male and 5 females. That's plenty to overwinter, esp. since I have lights on 24/7 to prevent the males combs from freezing.
Best,
Karen

I guess things have a way of working out - it doesn't usually hurt to have more time to get structures built, and it might make your final selections easier with fewer to look at. Too, if there is someone in the vicinity you want to partner with, you might have him/her hatch more for you to expand selection. Either way I think you have a beautiful starting trio, and I am really looking forward to hearing and seeing how the chicks mature.

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: Me too. Thanks. Me too. I am already seeing differences between them. Marchs' son, Alexander The Great , crowed today. What a hoot, he and Junior having a "The Voice" session back and forth.He must have been already crowing because it was a nice full throated crow, not the "strangled cat" crow I hear when they first start. hee, hee. Sure looks like his daddy, Junior, smile.
Best,
Karen

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Hum, reading Yellow Farms and your posts. .. I think I am going to break her. Her comb is pale and rather wilted. She looks tired. Thinking to stop this and let her decide if she wants to raise another brood when she starts laying again. Not sure if chickens truly do need a break or if I am humanizing this bird.. But if this bird was human, I would say it needed a vacation before it went back to work again. Does that make any sense?
Best,
Karen

It actually makes much sense. To avoid anthropomorphizing, you might say that after such a long stint of broodiness she is likely "out of condition". Hens frequently fall far out of condition while setting, but then, in the normally allotted time, get off the nest with some chicks and eat heartily, reviving themselves. Some hens actually gain condition when broody, though, because they eat a lot and don't exercise--this being the exception to the rule.

However, Karen, I don't remember where you're located, and I'm not sure what more southern climes permit for poultry raising, but in the North, the time to hatch is over. They won't finish well, and so any selection of breeders is guess work.

 

[cluck-cluck]

Ok, I really need opinions. I don't know where I'm going with these birds I have, LOL. I don't know if I'll get any new stock this year either so I'm working with what I have. My pour pullet is broody and low man on the totem pole, so her feathers are not in good shape. However, I think you can see her structure plain enough. Would you please help me see how badly my hen doesn't fit the SOP?

First off, and excuse the fade out of the picture, but I'm trying to make it so you can see, not easy on a black bird.... Could you please rate 1-10 how badly pinched her tail is?





I know it's pinched, but I'd like an opinion on how badly

Also do her legs seem the right length? Are her wings held too low? They are in really bad shape, poor dear. Henny Penny is always picking on her and she's been broody for the past 4 weeks. I need to build something to get her to stop!





She's not a terribly happy camper in this photo, LOL, and is squatting a bit.

My roo is very similar with the tail spread. Do you think I could possibly hatch out better tails and wings using what I have if I'm unsuccessful at getting other stock? Or do you think I need to bring in another breed of bird then clean up the genetics?

I also don't think her body is wide enough. She doesn't have the weight either, but she's also starving herself! I keep taking her out and hand feeding her and trying to keep her off the nest but the girl is determined!

 

[fowlman01]

Cluck-cluck.......what breed do you have?

Walt

 

[poularde]

Cluck cluck has Crevecoeurs.

 

[fowlman01]

What color are the earlobes and how much does the pullet weigh? I would have to see the head with all the feathers and know the weight to give an opinion. She seems to have loose wings, but the body is close to what you want if it weighs 5.5 lbs. She is narrow, so I'm guessing that she is not near that weight.

w.

 

[cluck-cluck]

Cluck-cluck.......what breed do you have?

Walt

Not a good start... LOL

Yah, Crevecoeurs. She has too much white in her earlobes, the boy has more red than white. Like I said, her crest feathers are chewed up and wings, etc... in bad shape. She has been broody for about 4 weeks but I have no eggs for her to set.

Thank you for your opinion, no she is not near that weight. I did hatch some of her eggs with another broody earlier this year, and they seem to be larger, though it could be my imagination. They're getting better care, more bugs, etc.. than the original birds got. I'm hoping that it will result in larger birds?? If I can't get better stock this year, is it worth it to try to hatch more eggs on the off chance I get better results? The person I want to buy stock from is trying out something new and doesn't want to sell until she sees the results. So I'm in a holding pattern, LOL. It's ok, though, I'm in no hurry, just a little bored and wanted to do something with what I had in the meantime

Can you give me an idea 1-10 how bad the tail is? Could it be worse? Is it as bad as it gets? Thanks

 

[fowlman01]

Not a good start... LOL

Yah, Crevecoeurs. She has too much white in her earlobes, the boy has more red than white. Like I said, her crest feathers are chewed up and wings, etc... in bad shape. She has been broody for about 4 weeks but I have no eggs for her to set.

Thank you for your opinion, no she is not near that weight. I did hatch some of her eggs with another broody earlier this year, and they seem to be larger, though it could be my imagination. They're getting better care, more bugs, etc.. than the original birds got. I'm hoping that it will result in larger birds?? If I can't get better stock this year, is it worth it to try to hatch more eggs on the off chance I get better results? The person I want to buy stock from is trying out something new and doesn't want to sell until she sees the results. So I'm in a holding pattern, LOL. It's ok, though, I'm in no hurry, just a little bored and wanted to do something with what I had in the meantime

Can you give me an idea 1-10 how bad the tail is? Could it be worse? Is it as bad as it gets? Thanks

The bird is not a total loss, but would need a pretty nice male influence to get ahead anytime soon. I asked what breed because I saw the white lobes and it is slim like a hatchery Polish.

Walt

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: ---------------
I am in western Pennsylvania. Near Johnstown. Outside a small town called Ligonier. Despite my careful planning 'n hopes, I have stumbled my way thru this breeding season. with march going broody 2x , sigh. I really didn't want to read your counsel, but deep down, I have been wondering if I missed the last window for another hatch. I lost the whole month of May for the best of reasons, because didn't want chick neonates when we went to older son's wedding the end of May. So we will see how it goes. I have 2 which are iffy now. Three taken. That leaves 12 to choose from. I have room to grow out 7. Hopefully I will have several for next year.
Best,
Karen