BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[CanadianBuckeye]

Some of my Buff Plymouth Rocks
4 weeks and averaging 315g (a bit puny compared to my meatballs)
Not sure what they going to bring to my meat project, but I like buff birds.
I'm hoping they have a strong statue, but we will see.

I ordered some buff rocks too but mine are from our local hatchery, and they probably came from Ideal. Although they are the largest looking chicks they are all fluff, not much under there at all, but because I'm most interested in their egg laying ability I'm hopeful they will do well in that department. They only resemble your chicks in colour! Yours look meaty, mine look lay-ey.

 

[Dave C]

My Buff Rocks aren't bad for a pure breed really but I'm comparing them to my Slow grow Sasso hybrids which were 480g at 4 weeks !

Pic of them at 5 weeks

 

[DesertChic]

A few years ago set up a kiddy pool with bricks in the shade. Chickens would sit on the bricks to stay cool. Could use two by fours on the bricks to give more room for roosting above the water to accommodate more birds. In the wild, birds congregate on limbs above the water under shade trees. This mimics that.

You know....that's rather brilliant! I never thought of putting bricks in the water for them.

 

[DesertChic]

One of my Barred Rock pullets suddenly decided to go broody.

I'd bred my hatchery BRs, resulting in two lovely pullets and one gorgeous cockerel that I had to cull for temperament. Given that the parents were hatchery birds, I really never expected one of them or their offspring to go broody. I never ever expected to have so many broody hens in my flock.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

I had hatchery barred rocks a number of years ago, they went broody, but not until their second year. They were good moms.
Thankfully I have no broodies at the moment, I had a broody explosion a few weeks ago but due to broken eggs the clutches were destroyed, which is just as well since I really didn't want more chicks this year. The hens were close to the 21 days and it was pretty easy to break them of it.
I had silkies once but never again, their constant broodiness drove me nuts. Something I plan to eventually breed out of my flock. It really does put a huge dent in egg production plus it's a pain.

 

[DesertChic]

I had hatchery barred rocks a number of years ago, they went broody, but not until their second year. They were good moms.
Thankfully I have no broodies at the moment, I had a broody explosion a few weeks ago but due to broken eggs the clutches were destroyed, which is just as well since I really didn't want more chicks this year. The hens were close to the 21 days and it was pretty easy to break them of it.
I had silkies once but never again, their constant broodiness drove me nuts. Something I plan to eventually breed out of my flock. It really does put a huge dent in egg production plus it's a pain.

Most of the time I don't mind, but with these excessively hot temperatures, it really isn't a good time to be sitting on eggs. My sole Silkie hen has only gone broody two times in two years. One of my White Rocks goes broody every 6 weeks like clockwork. She's an awesome mother hen, but it gets a bit tedious.

 

[eyralis]

Hi folks! A quick update on our “San Francisco Super Breed“ project

Recap: We want to create a breed that is:
-super quiet (neighbors!),
-super friendly,
-good layers, laying often, all year round, and good sized eggs
-cold hardy (aka fog resistant)
-small-ish

Here's what we decided to go with in the end:
Faverolles (bantam)
Bielefelder (got a dozen directly from Greenfire, allocated one to this breeding program)
Swedish Flower Hens (got a dozen directly from Greenfire, allocated one to this breeding program)

We're hoping to cross these three breeds over several generations to benefit from hybrid vigor in addition to each breed's advantages.

First hatch due next week; we're really excited to see what comes out!!!

 

[lpatelski]

Auggie 6/17/16 day 27



Just hanging out

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Hi folks! A quick update on our “San Francisco Super Breed“ project

Recap: We want to create a breed that is:
-super quiet (neighbors!),
-super friendly,
-good layers, laying often, all year round, and good sized eggs
-cold hardy (aka fog resistant)
-small-ish

Here's what we decided to go with in the end:
Faverolles (bantam)
Bielefelder (got a dozen directly from Greenfire, allocated one to this breeding program)
Swedish Flower Hens (got a dozen directly from Greenfire, allocated one to this breeding program)

We're hoping to cross these three breeds over several generations to benefit from hybrid vigor in addition to each breed's advantages.

First hatch due next week; we're really excited to see what comes out!!!

I'm curious, how are you making the crosses? Do you have an end result in mind, eg colour, number of toes, beards? Not too many are breeding for eggs, like me, so this will be fun to follow. Is this going to be strictly an egg layer, or are you looking for more dual purpose?
PS: I don't know if it's just the chicks I have, or if it's too early to tell, but the Barred Holland chicks I have are the most quiet and laid back of all my chicks including the Buckeyes. They may have come from Ideal, they may be worth a look!

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Auggie 6/17/16 day 27



Just hanging out

He's already too big for the scale! I suppose he will be kept for breeding? I was wondering if you are selecting for barring, is there any advantage in being able to sex the day old chicks?