BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[DesertChic]

My pet wouldn't have lived more than another day or two with that kind of drubbing, if that long. I think knocking his head off was the best course of action. The little cocky thing didn't weigh much more than two pounds and I know my NN weighed at least 9 or so pounds but the Bantam didn't get tired and the big bird couldn't get a good hold of him. For me, bantams are totally useless. Their not as meaty as a Leghorn and their eggs are about the size of a large robin and I'm happy for the folks get any joy out of owning and breeding them for pets but there will not be any live here, at least for long.

Yeah, I don't have much use for bantams around here, though I do appreciate their beauty when I see them. I've only got one lonely little Silkie hen left, and three of her little-bigger-than-bantam hens. They're all very good layers of small to medium eggs that my husband appreciates when he makes egg in a basket, so I'll keep them around for his benefit, but I've no desire for more. Didi herself is now a family pet and I have to admit that she makes me laugh quite often, but I'm definitely in the "bigger is better" category.

 

[lpatelski]

I know...Just venting over getting my feelings hurt so badly when I was a kid. In truth, it was a valuable lesson for me and my pet. While I do find bantams more useless than teats on a boar hog, I'll admit some of them are quite beautiful. And I'll walk back a bit farther on my original statement...I have looked very hard at Dark Cornish Bantams. Likely wont pull the trigger any time soon but perhaps in my old age...

Hey...I use to count teats on boars. They pass that trait on. You ever tried to nurse 14 pigs on a 10 teat sow?

 

[TabITSWD]

The Auto-sexing Blue Egger is called a Cream Legbar. I have been working with them since 2011. I have have done some crosses. While a cross is NOT auto sexing but definition (Auto-sexing means that you have a pure breed that creates 100% accurately sexed chicks generation after generation after generations), I have breed some crosses that were sex-linked. The crosses are typically better for egg and meat production that the pure breeds are. This year we did Cream Legbar x Breda Gueldre and Cream Legbar x Marans. The Marans cross grow a lot better producing a meatier bird. They lay an olive egg. The Breda Gueldre crosses are eye candy. They are a stunning bird but are a lighter weight layer. I am breeding them to be a blue plumaged bird with blue legs, that lays blue eggs. I was hoping for some with blue ear lobes because I have seen that in botht eh Breda Gueldr line and the Cream Legbar line but everyone came out with white lobes. Better luck next year for the all blue blue egg layer.

I agree, the Marans x Legbar cross is a decent table bird. No big breasts, but decent size cockerels and mine were ready in 15 weeks.
I would love to see your Breda crosses, do you have any pics? I've been wondering about a cross between them and Marans for a few months.

I currently have a group of chicks in the brooder pen that are American Bresse crossed with Legbar. I was able to sex them by 5 days old because the female chicks all developed blue legs but the males have pale yellowish legs. I expect the cockerels to be decent sized and the females to lay blue as the rooster came from a white egg.

 

[Turk Raphael]

Hey...I use to count teats on boars. They pass that trait on. You ever tried to nurse 14 pigs on a 10 teat sow?

I KNEW you would come back on me with that one, remembering what you told me of your 'previous life' and of course, I also understand what you're talking about, after raising dairy goats since I was 10 years old.

We paid almost as much attention to the size, shape, attachment, etc to a buck's teats as those of a doe's or doeling's. We have a 2 year old, 5-Star buck from Caprikorn Farms of Maryland that would give a pint of milk if someone dared milk the big ugly thing. I don't know why we even bought him since we only have 7 does but I never could pass up such a handsome guy as him! But, just like my Big Brother, I intend to increase my herd size rather dramatically and take a very long time before going back to work, beginning in late Sept. so I will have the time to live a life of leisure for about 5 years or so, provided I don't get bored to death before time.

 

[lpatelski]

I KNEW you would come back on me with that one, remembering what you told me of your 'previous life' and of course, I also understand what you're talking about, after raising dairy goats since I was 10 years old.

We paid almost as much attention to the size, shape, attachment, etc to a buck's teats as those of a doe's or doeling's. We have a 2 year old, 5-Star buck from Caprikorn Farms of Maryland that would give a pint of milk if someone dared milk the big ugly thing. I don't know why we even bought him since we only have 7 does but I never could pass up such a handsome guy as him! But, just like my Big Brother, I intend to increase my herd size rather dramatically and take a very long time before going back to work, beginning in late Sept. so I will have the time to live a life of leisure for about 5 years or so, provided I don't get bored to death before time.

I don't believe anyone who chooses to farm as a business or hobby is living in leisure. That is unless you pay people to do the work for you!

 

[Kusanar]

Quote:
Wait... bucks have teats? What about bulls? I thought things with udders didn't have teats in the male.... Figured that's why male horses didn't.... now I'm confused....

 

[Beer can]

They do on the cartoon series Barnyard. It seems like the idiots after being called out on it when the movie came out would have eliminated them for the cartoon series.

Those are supposed to be bulls if you never watched it, Lol!

 

[Turk Raphael]

I don't believe anyone who chooses to farm as a business or hobby is living in leisure. That is unless you pay people to do the work for you!

I guess you could be right there but I mean I won't have to be worried about going to work as my 'work' will be at the home-40.

 

[Turk Raphael]

Wait... bucks have teats? What about bulls? I thought things with udders didn't have teats in the male.... Figured that's why male horses didn't.... now I'm confused....

It would be far easier for you to simply 'google' it.

Check this out as well...when one is thinking of buying a buck goat, it's important to check out the size and shape of his testicles, their suspension and how they set within the escutcheon.... even check for a pocket. Also, one must make sure there aren't any little extra mammary teats on buck or doe kids. If a doe is strictly for a home dairy herd, an extra teat is no big deal as most can be nipped off and cause no problem for anyone so long as NO one ever sells or gives away a doe kid from that gal and all buckings should be castrated by about 4 weeks if there's a market for the meat. I would use the 8"X8" option since Saanens aren't worth messing with for food as far as I'm concerned.

 

[NanaKat]

Quote: Ah, the joys of country life. I retired early in 2004 and have never regretted it. Herding chickens and cows is a whole lot more enjoyable than disciplining high school students..