Breeding Buff Leghorns

[jake mashburn]

Dan Honour and myself (Keith Bjelland) alais Jake Mashburn and Arie Bijsterveld we are all on facebook feel free to look us up . Keith

 

[danhonour]

Like other breeders,I keep a breeding notebook or breeding records book.Now days the computer can be a great help here too. I keep the records from year to year,but rarely need to refer to mating information over three years old,however I do not through them out,in case I need to look back farther.

Each year I write down all the birds in a mated pen.All my birds have numbers,either wing tags or leg bands,sometimes both. I wing tag each chick,write down each chicks down color and color shade,markings or spots,color and size of egg it came from,if deformed chicks appear that is noted for the mating. The chicks are followed all during growth and as adults with the same number (sometimes a number is replaced but noted).I go through all the chicks about every three weeks,with the sheets I will mark any disqualifications,health issues,color,sex,size,etc. I will note white,or black in tail or wings,sometimes undercolor,back markings or red shoulders.Sometimes it appears that a bird will outgrow white or black.It can happen,but is rare.What I find is it is the defective color is reduced in the final adult plumage,upon very close inspection in direct sunlight,you can still see traces of either white or black as they had when juveniles.My point is, young chick color is a great indentifier of defective color and you can make better matings knowing these color tendencies.Yet another selection tool for buff color,if we will only closely observe and use. Dan Honour

 

[ArieBLB]

Quote:
If you will find me on Facebook look for Arie van Bijsterveldt otherwise you can't find me.

Has onyone new pictures? I like to see them here.

Arie

 

[ArieBLB]

About feather picking;

Last year I have given my chicks as from the first day the possibility to of going. The space where they can will lie under the warmth source is not lighted and as a result, cannot the active chicks the other disturb during their sleep. When the active chicks can see will peck each other under the warmth source and picking the chicks that are resting. Also I place fodder increasingly further of the warmth source so that the chicks in what colder surroundings get away to eat and drink. I try with that imitate nature. Under the warmth source only rest and somewhere else eat, drink etc. Previous year was the first year that the chicks has not pecked. What I sometimes see is that the hens caress the cock and thereby to the feathers of the cock will draw. Especially around the ears, in the neck and at the saddle.

When the chicks are 8 weeks old I seperate the males from the female chicks. It is more tranquil in the chicken house.
I hope I have used the write words.

Arie

 

[cochinman2005]

First batch of Buff Leghorns hatched this past week. Small hatch but percentage was very good. Next batch this week and then every week on out. Will post some photos as the chicks mature.

Of note and to illustrate something that Dan touched on in a previous post, I am also breeding Buff Rock Btms. They are very good from a color perspective, but I thought I'd try to infuse some better type using Whites. I crossed a very good Buff male with a White female. Three for three on the eggs this past week, and all different in color. One looks like it will be a champagne color, the other is wild type color (possibly Partridge) and the other looks like it might be Buff Columbian. Still too young to tell much on the colors aside from the chick down. I'll have to wait for more results because shortly after I got these eggs, we got some bad weather and they decided to quit laying until nice weather.

 

[Buff Leghorn]

cochinman any chance of some pic's of the 2 to 3 days old still in fluff and then as they feather up help paint a picture as such.

That way we know how they started out and how they finished up. Maybe pick 3 chicks one you think is real good one average and one that you think might have a problem with it ( colour wise ) and update those 3 over a period of time ...


cheers shane

 

[Birch Run Farm]

I've added you guys to my facebook...

 

[Birch Run Farm]

Arie,

I had a look at your videos on your facebook, very nice birds you have!

The hatching chicks were the best.

 

[jake mashburn]

ok I uploaded a whole mess of pictures now how do people get to see them and what do I do next. Keith Bjelland

 

[jake mashburn]

I have 2 pages of pictures on my uploads. now what do I do with them. Keith: