Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[armorfirelady]

7961. Every time I see your avatar, I wanna smack my screen.
Then I feel stupid.   

I just tried to wipe the bug off my screen......:/. Glad it's just not me

 

[maryhysong]

OK the shop was open when I got off work; this thing is much bigger than it seems in the picture, a Farm Master No. 171 600 egg model. All the egg trays are there complete with the little levers that roll the screen to turn the eggs. The two small vents at the top front are stuck shut and I didn't want to fiddle with them too much and break them. ALL of the electrical guts are gone. I forgot to check under the bottom tray for a water pan, but that shouldn't be too hard to work out. Suggestions for replacement parts greatly appreciated; I know someone mentioned Sportsman. Also he's not too stuck on the price and willing to come down under $200 soooo off to check the cost of replacement parts!

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Thanks for posting this. I remember the Rock and the Brahma and knew both breeders well. The white Rock was probably larger than anything being shown now.......I'm not kidding...and he paid for it shortly after this season with birds that could not stand for any length of time. Note that the bird is not deep the way a Rock should be...this is one of the results of getting them to big. Oliver was a great Rock breeder, so he was able to get smaller birds in a short time. He was one of the best white Rock breeders .....ever.The Brahma was as big as the biggest now and usually much deeper than this particular bird. Bill had great light Brahma's. I don't know how he did it without a chicken calculator. That is a tough color pattern!

Walt

That stood out right away; he wouldn't make the best looking roast. I didn't realize that that was the progression of breeding for the size. Is it that the bone of the frame becomes exagerated or that fleshing doesn't keep up with the frame?

 

[3riverschick]

Well, what do I do now?

OK, I have a specific hatching schedule laid out for Feb. March and April with my trio. I only have the 2 pullets so I need to schedule hatching carefully to get the chicks on the ground during the months when the best winter layers are hatched.
So yesterday March went broody. I mean she is in that nest-box to stay! Perfectly willing to take my hand off if I decide to try and collect eggs, sigh. Before yesterday, March and May were both laying in the nest box. No eggs laid in the bottom of the coop where March was originally laying so if they both laid in the nest, she is sitting on 4 eggs at this point.
What do I do? We haven't even reached the cold part of winter here. This week was a warming trend and got above freezing for the first time in weeks. Could this have been the key that started her broody? The trio has been under lights all winter 24/7 to keep Junior's comb from freezing. March started laying last week of Dec. .
What do I do? I don't know anything about hens hatching and raising chicks. Never studied it because I have the bators and planned to hatch and brood them this way. May has not laid an egg. Is March's broody keeping her from laying?
This is not what I had planned all winter.
Flustered,
Karen
======================
Here's my breeding schedule so you can see why this is a problem: Will start setting eggs on Feb. 1st in my 2 Brinsea Mini Advances. That's 14 eggs a setting. That will give me 3 settings this season , which last hatch will be April 10st.
Incubator #1: Feb. 1st 7 eggs set.
Incubator # 1: Feb. 22, 7 eggs hatch.
Incubator # 1: Feb. 24, 7 eggs set.
Incubator # 1; March 16th, 7 eggs hatch.
Incubator # 1 ; March 18 , 7 eggs set.
Incubatorr # 1 , April 6th, 7 eggs hatch.
=============================
Incubator # 2 , Feb. 4, 7 eggs set.
Incubator # 2 Feb. 25 , 7 eggs hatch..
Incubator # 2: Feb. 27, 7 eggs set.
Incubator # 2; March 19 ; 7 egg hatch.
Incubator # 2 , March 20 , 7 eggs set
Incubator#2 , April 10, 7 eggs hatch.
===============================
100% hatch = 42 chicks. Walt told me 36 would be plenty this season, so I should hit my goal.

 

[fowlman01]

That stood out right away; he wouldn't make the best looking roast. I didn't realize that that was the progression of breeding for the size. Is it that the bone of the frame becomes exagerated or that fleshing doesn't keep up with the frame?

You have to pay attention to all parts of the bird. Sometimes we just get to close to the project and miss the mark. This is one of two things I have seen with oversize birds.....that shallow look, but more often weak legs. If it can't walk it can't mate. I am not sure if it the fleshing not catching up or that it may never be there. Bentely can probably tell us. This size business takes care of itself in the end.

Walt

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Well, what do I do now?

OK, I have a specific hatching schedule laid out for Feb. March and April with my trio. I only have the 2 pullets so I need to schedule hatching carefully to get the chicks on the ground during the months when the best winter layers are hatched.
So yesterday March went broody. I mean she is in that nest-box to stay! Perfectly willing to take my hand off if I decide to try and collect eggs, sigh. Before yesterday, March and May were both laying in the nest box. No eggs laid in the bottom of the coop where March was originally laying so if they both laid in the nest, she is sitting on 4 eggs at this point.
What do I do? We haven't even reached the cold part of winter here. This week was a warming trend and got above freezing for the first time in weeks. Could this have been the key that started her broody? The trio has been under lights all winter 24/7 to keep Junior's comb from freezing. March started laying last week of Dec. .
What do I do? I don't know anything about hens hatching and raising chicks. Never studied it because I have the bators and planned to hatch and brood them this way. May has not laid an egg. Is March's broody keeping her from laying?
This is not what I had planned all winter.
Flustered,
Karen
======================
Here's my breeding schedule so you can see why this is a problem: Will start setting eggs on Feb. 1st in my 2 Brinsea Mini Advances. That's 14 eggs a setting. That will give me 3 settings this season , which last hatch will be April 10st.
Incubator #1: Feb. 1st 7 eggs set.
Incubator # 1: Feb. 22, 7 eggs hatch.
Incubator # 1: Feb. 24, 7 eggs set.
Incubator # 1; March 16th, 7 eggs hatch.
Incubator # 1 ; March 18 , 7 eggs set.
Incubatorr # 1 , April 6th, 7 eggs hatch.
=============================
Incubator # 2 , Feb. 4, 7 eggs set.
Incubator # 2 Feb. 25 , 7 eggs hatch..
Incubator # 2: Feb. 27, 7 eggs set.
Incubator # 2; March 19 ; 7 egg hatch.
Incubator # 2 , March 20 , 7 eggs set
Incubator#2 , April 10, 7 eggs hatch.
===============================
100% hatch = 42 chicks. Walt told me 36 would be plenty this season, so I should hit my goal.

Put March in a cage--not a dog crate--a cage, and put her outside in the sun. The first day she'll sit there all ticked off, the second day she'll be moving around a bit, the third day she should be clucking normally again, and the morning of the fourth day you should be able to introduce her back into the flock without a problem. In two weeks she should recommence laying. Certainly don't let her stay on the nest, though, if you've yet to get the eggs you need. You're the capitain of the ship! This is a good sign, though, that you have some nice broodiness in your flock. You can use it next season.

Remember, a cage that exposses to sun light with food and water--a minimum of three days in the sun, and do it ASAP. The earlier you catch a broody the easier to break them up. You do not want her to go broody now; you risk loosing your season.

 

[3riverschick]

Put March in a cage--not a dog crate--a cage, and put her outside in the sun. The first day she'll sit there all ticked off, the second day she'll be moving around a bit, the third day she should be clucking normally again, and the morning of the fourth day you should be able to introduce her back into the flock without a problem. In two weeks she should recommence laying. Certainly don't let her stay on the nest, though, if you've yet to get the eggs you need. You're the capitain of the ship! This is a good sign, though, that you have some nice broodiness in your flock. You can use it next season.

Remember, a cage that exposses to sun light with food and water--a minimum of three days in the sun, and do it ASAP. The earlier you catch a broody the easier to break them up. You do not want her to go broody now; you risk loosing your season.

I have a 7 1/2 sq. ft. coop with a large window and light 24/7 that I can use. Has a small enclosed yard. It's night here, should I wait till tomorrow morning to do it? Turn off the lights in the coop and do it tonight? How long do the lights need to be out before they go to sleep?
Or I have a vacant room in the empty apartment. I can put a heater in there and put her in a cage. I just got rid of all the wire dog crates. I might have one inthe basement. What do i use for beding? Pine shavings?
Thanks!
karen

 

[Pozees]

I have a 7 1/2 sq. ft. coop with a large window and light 24/7 that I can use. Has a small enclosed yard. It's night here, should I wait till tomorrow morning to do it? Turn off the lights in the coop and do it tonight? How long do the lights need to be out before they go to sleep?
Or I have a vacant room in the empty apartment. I can put a heater in there and put her in a cage. I just got rid of all the wire dog crates. I might have one inthe basement. What do i use for beding? Pine shavings?
Thanks!
karen

If she has been exposed to/bred by the roo I would incubate the eggs she has, too, if you can. Early hatch, winter hatch in your area but that's part of the Sussex heritage, right? Just a thought.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

I have a 7 1/2 sq. ft. coop with a large window and light 24/7 that I can use. Has a small enclosed yard. It's night here, should I wait till tomorrow morning to do it? Turn off the lights in the coop and do it tonight? How long do the lights need to be out before they go to sleep?
Or I have a vacant room in the empty apartment. I can put a heater in there and put her in a cage. I just got rid of all the wire dog crates. I might have one inthe basement. What do i use for beding? Pine shavings?
Thanks!
karen

It should be a cage. If it's on the ground, she doesn't need bedding. Otherwise shavings will do. There need to be no dark corners, hence no dog crates. She needs to be out in the sunlight. If you have a cage, put her in it now if you can. It's best to get her off the eggs.


I'd only hatch the eggs if you actually want them now. You have a plan. You need to have the proper infrastructure to lead move your birds at all stages to maturity without overcrowding. Sometimes hatching random eggs leads to a situation where you have birds you can't house in the right way at the right time.

 

[NanaKat]

Karen, you will not want bedding in the cage. You want air circulating around the hen to cool off her abdomen...helps break the broody mood.
When I cage a broody, I do not use the bottom tray. Just the cage floor itself. I hang the cage on the wall of the coop where it get sunshine or I suspend the cage from the ceiling so it has a gentle swing when the hen moves.

Also, a broody is a lot of bluff. Use leather .gloves or a hand towel laid over the hen's head and slip your hand under to get the eggs. Breaking really doesn't hurt that much.