BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[CanadianBuckeye]

Purebred Dark Cornish pullet #63 DOH- 3/23/16 - day 140 - 20 weeks live weight 6 pounds 1.5oz
Dressed weight 4 pounds 1.8oz





========================================================================
Dark Cornish Cockerel#64 DOH 3/23/16 processed at day 134 - 4 pounds 11.4 oz - after brine


Dark Cornish cockerel #82 DOH 4/4/16 processed on day 122 - 4 pounds 2.8oz - after brine

Thanks lpatelski, this is the first time I have ever seen a purebred cornish that's been processed! Looks very lean. Seems like you have a fast growing strain, too! Is Bam Bam the dad?

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Since realizing the local poultry feed has gone totally vegan and noticing problems most likely associated with it(drop in egg production, feather picking).. I've started to mix eggs into their feed. They absolutely love it.. break the eggs over the regular poultry feed and stir to coat.

as for the chicks on chick starter I like to add black oil sunflower, wet the mash- stir it and then break eggs over it and stir again to coat the whole thing.

they all love this so much they go nuts when they see the bowls for this mix.. the hens are back up to laying levels they were at before the vegan feed, feather picking stopped(in the mild cases though- the hard core pickers like the EE chicks continued to pick, the only solution was culling).

be a good way to use up the excess eggs after feeding the dogs?

Yes that's another great way to use the excess eggs, the way I do it is to hard boil and then chop, shell and all. I firmly believe that chickens need animal/insect in their diet, the all- vegetable (although I don't really think of soy as a "vegetable", really) diet I believe is not adequate. It's a brilliant marketing ploy though, it sounds healthier to say all vegetable diet than all-gmo- corn and soy....

 

[Kev]

. I firmly believe that chickens need animal/insect in their diet, the all- vegetable (although I don't really think of soy as a "vegetable", really) diet I believe is not adequate. It's a brilliant marketing ploy though, it sounds healthier to say all vegetable diet than all-gmo- corn and soy....

My thoughts are same as yours, especially after being forced to deal with this and apparent results both before animal protein and after it's added.

on top of it, a bit frustrating not being able to find an easy local source animal protein in bulk so I could simply mix it into the poultry feed. Have to either use the chicken's own eggs(what am I going to do when the eggs need to be collected for hatching or when most of the hens are molting.....) or add in/toss as treats the Costco cat food(the only cat food I could find that lists animal protein first).

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Have you ever thought about raising soldier fly larvae? Seems pretty straight forward in hot climates. There's a Canadian company that's doing it
http://www.enterrafeed.com/

 

[lcertuche]

My chickens free range and I don't really worry about protein. Everyday I see them running by with frogs, toads, lizards, snakes, bugs of all kinds. I also throw in beans or peas when I cook some for the family which is often. This winter I may see about get field peas with the grain. They also got into a pack rat nest and clean the young ones out pretty quick. One was after a field mouse the other day. Then again its summer now.

 

[lpatelski]

Thanks lpatelski, this is the first time I have ever seen a purebred cornish that's been processed! Looks very lean. Seems like you have a fast growing strain, too! Is Bam Bam the dad?

Yes BamBam is my only DC cock bird. I have saved some back. Best one is NOT an SOP bird. He has the same problem dad has. Telescopic peacomb. Guinevere is mom.

 

[angry rooster]

Have you ever thought about raising soldier fly larvae? Seems pretty straight forward in hot climates. There's a Canadian company that's doing it
http://www.enterrafeed.com/

Ya but they are in bc they don't get a real winter unless they are in the mountains but it is a start so maybe one day my dream of having black soldier Flys will come true
On the other hand I did manage to cache about 60 lb of caplin it is a small fish like a sardine no fishy taste yet

 

[DesertChic]

Yes BamBam is my only DC cock bird. I have saved some back. Best one is NOT an SOP bird. He has the same problem dad has. Telescopic peacomb. Guinevere is mom.

That little DC that hatched from the "Bam Bam" egg is starting to feather out DARK, just as you predicted. I'll be doing week 2 weights and photos this weekend. The other two, the mixes, are HUGE! "Blue" increased in weight by over 200% that first week!

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Ya but they are in bc they don't get a real winter unless they are in the mountains but it is a start so maybe one day my dream of having black soldier Flys will come true
On the other hand I did manage to cache about 60 lb of caplin it is a small fish like a sardine no fishy taste yet

It is possible to raise them indoors, but it's probably easiest to feed the local fare! Fish is good for chickens, I hear.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

@lpatelski my best cockerel had a telescoping comb. I culled him for that, and also he was too aggressive, but he had the best meaty shape. I tried to find out whether the telescoping comb was a trait easily bred out, but found out very little. It does not seem to be a dominant trait, so it will stick around in the flock. Here's my cockerel's telescoping comb- very ugly and it can get infected so you don't want it around. Hens can also have a telescoping comb but it's harder to see.