Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Lacy Blues]

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!

 

[Zanna]

Yes, Happy New Year!!

Question that I posted on the Delaware thread........ What are the chances that narrow looking cockerals (legs close together) will widen after 16 weeks old? Ready to do some culling and some of the narrow boys are really nice in other areas which I have not had occur before. Hang on to them for longer or cull?

 

[3riverschick]

HAPPY NEW
YEAR !!!

 

[NanaKat]

Set 6.5 doz eggs tonight...Columbian Wyandotte, Birchen, Black and Blue Wyandottes, Black, White and Blue Cochins. out of 5 pens.
Have a toe punch set for each pen
My journal has a picture page in a protective sleeve showing the rooster and each hen in each pen and the toe punch drawing. The pictures are for reference later and help keep a record of why I paired them (ie strengths and weaknesses)
Also incloude a hatch chart for each pen with columns for date set, total hatched, pullets, cockerels, culls, layers, breeders, and a section for notes.
I'm a stats junky....

I like those items included on Yellow House Farm 's record page. so may add a few more columns to my chart...

 

[heritagehabitatfarms]

sounds good... records are one of the most important things u can do...

Set 6.5 doz eggs tonight...Columbian Wyandotte, Birchen, Black and Blue Wyandottes, Black, White and Blue Cochins. out of 5 pens.
Have a toe punch set for each pen
My journal has a picture page in a protective sleeve showing the rooster and each hen in each pen and the toe punch drawing. The pictures are for reference later and help keep a record of why I paired them (ie strengths and weaknesses)
Also incloude a hatch chart for each pen with columns for date set, total hatched, pullets, cockerels, culls, layers, breeders, and a section for notes.
I'm a stats junky....

I like those items included on Yellow House Farm 's record page. so may add a few more columns to my chart...

 

[Chris Herzog]

Ditto. We use toe-punching for clan of origin, but wing bands for each individual bird.

We always set on Sundays. I keep a journal for each season.

1. On any given set day, I open up to a clean page and write the date at the top of the page. I write the date of the 18th day of incubation so that I remember to move those eggs to the hatcher on time, and I write the 21st day on which I expect the hatch to begin.
2. I list by breed the number of eggs being set per clan.
3. The following Sunday, I candle the eggs to check for fertility, which allows me to keep track of the individual pens.
4. 18 days into it, I candle again, and the eggs move to the hatcher.
5. On the 23rd day, I open the hatcher up and remove one tray at a time. I have sorting boxes all set up per breed and toe-punch/clan to which I allocate all the chicks.
6. I go through each box of chicks. I toe punch each chick I'm going to reserve and apply a wing band. In my journal, I draw two chicken feet showing in between the toes the toe-punch for the box in question. Then for that toe-punch I write the code for the breed. Then, I write the number of chicks hatched, the number of chicks retained, and then I write the number range of the wing bands used for that group.
7. I keep a running total at the bottom of each page of the numbers hatched and retained up to that week so that at every week I have an overview of the hatching season thus far..
8. Later on when I want to assess birds, I go out th evening before with a head-lamp with a red lamp, and I catch up all the birds checking toe-unch and wingband, which then tlls me their breedings and age. The next day their all boxed up and ready to be assessed in the light, and I know exactly who's who and where.

There is a lot of good information here. I appreciate all the ideas for keeping records on the birds/chicks. I even went and ordered me some wing bands and an applicator tonight after I read how to put one on!!! I was a little apprehensive about putting a wing band on.

Anyway, thanks guys for all the good info,
Chris

 

[vebyrd36]

lack Jack Australorp Roo

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Forgot a few of details...

Ditto. We use toe-punching for clan of origin, but wing bands for each individual bird.

We always set on Sundays. I keep a journal for each season.

1. On any given set day, I open up to a clean page and write the date at the top of the page. I write the date of the 18th day of incubation so that I remember to move those eggs to the hatcher on time, and I write the 21st day on which I expect the hatch to begin. I write this on the left hand side so that I have both the left hand and the right hand side dedicated to this one setting.
2. I list by breed the number of eggs being set per clan.
3. The following Sunday, I candle the eggs to check for fertility, which allows me to keep track of the individual pens. I make a not of how many were fertile.
4. 18 days into it, I candle again, and the eggs move to the hatcher.
5. On the 23rd day, I open the hatcher up and remove one tray at a time. I have sorting boxes all set up per breed and toe-punch/clan to which I allocate all the chicks. I make a note of any eggs that did not hatch. I don't help chicks hatch. The hatch begins on the 21s day, by the end of the 23rd that's it. What doesn't hatch probably shouldn't. I've broken this rule a time or two, and I've had to cull each and every time.
6. I go through each box of chicks. I toe punch each chick I'm going to reserve and apply a wing band. In my journal, I draw two chicken feet showing in between the toes the toe-punch for the box in question. Then for that toe-punch I write the code for the breed. Then, I write the number of chicks hatched, the number of chicks retained, and then I write the number range of the wing bands used for that group. Any chicks I cull are carefully noted as to cause. Thi allows me to keep track to see if any one breeding is particularly faulty.
7. I keep a running total at the bottom of each page of the numbers hatched and retained up to that week so that at every week I have an overview of the hatching season thus far.. Havea hatching goal. Once you've hit that number STOP.
8. Later on when I want to assess birds, I go out the evening before with a head-lamp with a red lamp, and I catch up all the birds checking toe-unch and wingband, which then tlls me their breedings and age. The next day their all boxed up and ready to be assessed in the light, and I know exactly who's who and where.

 

[NotAFarm]

You mention clans. How many hens do you have in a pen? Are they all full sisters or mother and daughters?

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Thoughts on numbers.....

There are folk that say hatch, hatch, hatch. There are those that say a few will do. There's a breeder of Buff Cochins in Mass that does thirty or forty and then stops. He's got stellar birds. They frequently take CH Asiatic at big shows. There's a breeder of Light Brahma bantams in NH that hatches hundreds of pedigreed-through-multi-gemerations birds. His stock his stellar and has been pedigreed for some 60 years--a bit amazing actually.

Our largest year was 1400. I can't say I regret it. I can say it won't happen again. I don't know if there's a magic number. I do believe that, from the improvement point of view, the worse the stock is the larger the hatches need to be to make timely improvement. However, as Bob et al. has pointed out, hatching more than your facilities can properly house, including affording proper division of pullets and cockerels, is a nightmare, and the end result is disarray with everything looking a bit ick. There are other things to take into account, like how you're going to raise them. I've come to the conclusion that I just do prefer the end result from hen reared chicks. Moreover, it's a lot cheaper on the electric bill which goes from $100 to $300 over night. It's not so much the incubation but the brooding. Hens do a much better job at keeping the peace and keeping the balance. Also, I don't like to raise breeds and varieties together. I have, but I prefer not to. I think they grow better in breed and variety specific groupings. I also find it much easier to observe them and assess them on the foot. The last couple of years, we've limited the number we do, and I enjoy it more. We shall probably hatch around 300 this year, but we have the facilities to do this well at all levels.

3riverschick, if I read you right, you just got a start in Light Sussex that are of respectable quality. If so, I'd listen to Walt. Maybe a few more, if hatching 36 won't satisfy your family's food needs. One great author, an extension agent writing during the time of the Victory Garden, suggests fifty a year for replacement breeders and layers and enough to fill the freezer. It sounds about right to me. Moreover, with all of these expensive incubators and brooding lights. I would use natural incubation at 100%. If you can't this year, I'd save cull hens from this season's hatch for a broody sub-flock next year. Given it's a strain thing, but the Light Sussex hens with which I worked made excellent setters and broody hens. You'll save a lot of funds, and the chicks will be better off IMO. Besides, it's much lovelier to behold. Best of luck; it seems like you have an awesome situation.