BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[DesertChic]

Afternoon gang! Just wanted to share some pics of the lil Sulmtalers we have at the moment, these three were being the least difficult to catch during brooder clean-up day, so I decided to snag some pics. The goal is to end up with at least one breeding pair from the 6 we got from GFF, so we'll be putting the extra cockerels in the freezer, and keeping the extra girls to get a grasp of egg-production.


Here's half the gang, everyone is between 9-13 days old depending on age when Greenfire shipped them, so I'm not bothering guessing on sex just yet. However, I have noticed the development of some orange patches on some of the chicks backs, I just figured they were older than the others, I'll make a note of who has it and see if they end up all being the same sex.

What are your thoughts on 'em? Anything I should note on body type / conformation so I can address it? They feel pretty sturdy in my hands, but I haven't done an official weighing of the chicks like I've been doing with the Juves.
Chick #1:



Chick #2





Chick #3 (note the black dot on it's head, I'm 90% sure Greenfire marked it before shipping, I won this auction st run, so I'm puzzled)

So cute! I'm gonna guess that Chick #3 is a cockerel, and #2 is a pullet. I'm leaning towards cockerel for Chick #1 too, but not confident in that guess.

I've read a little about the Sulmtalers but haven't encountered anything resembling an SOP for the breed other than "rounded breast"...you know, the ideal for nearly every bird we want to use for meat.

 

[GabrielBane]

So cute! I'm gonna guess that Chick #3 is a cockerel, and #2 is a pullet. I'm leaning towards cockerel for Chick #1 too, but not confident in that guess.

I've read a little about the Sulmtalers but haven't encountered anything resembling an SOP for the breed other than "rounded breast"...you know, the ideal for nearly every bird we want to use for meat.

I'm thinking similarly, I've noticed both of the ones who have orange-ish rumps were the marked ones, so perhaps they were sexed out of courtesy.

I have noticed they have the cutest little breasts already, little round bumps and that to drag them down lol.

I have copies of the UK and German standards, if you'd like me to forward them to ya!

 

[bramblefir]

I'm thinking similarly, I've noticed both of the ones who have orange-ish rumps were the marked ones, so perhaps they were sexed out of courtesy.

I have noticed they have the cutest little breasts already, little round bumps and that to drag them down lol.

I have copies of the UK and German standards, if you'd like me to forward them to ya!

Out of curiosity, what made you choose the Sulmtalers instead of Salmon Faverolles?

 

[GabrielBane]

Out of curiosity, what made you choose the Sulmtalers instead of Salmon Faverolles?

Good question!


For starters, I'm not a huge fan of feather-footed fowl, we get a lot of rain and mud and I'm super OCD about tattered feather feet lol. We also do have a soft spot for the landrace birds, the Sulmtalers had a unique look to 'em and we read good things from others. They aren't APA recognized just yet, but we're hopeful others will see the benefits of having these beauts.

 

[DesertChic]

Good question!


For starters, I'm not a huge fan of feather-footed fowl, we get a lot of rain and mud and I'm super OCD about tattered feather feet lol. We also do have a soft spot for the landrace birds, the Sulmtalers had a unique look to 'em and we read good things from others. They aren't APA recognized just yet, but we're hopeful others will see the benefits of having these beauts.

Please give feedback on their personalities once you've had them for a while, along with details about laying habits and meat quality. I'm really curious about this breed. I've heard widely mixed reviews about them, the least flattering being that they were "...the dumbest birds I've ever seen...", LOL! Personally, I'd love to be able to have a few of many, many breeds for the sake of comparison...just to see if there really is any difference in taste, texture, etc. (You're OCD...and I'm just a nerd.)

 

[GabrielBane]

Please give feedback on their personalities once you've had them for a while, along with details about laying habits and meat quality. I'm really curious about this breed. I've heard widely mixed reviews about them, the least flattering being that they were "...the dumbest birds I've ever seen...", LOL! Personally, I'd love to be able to have a few of many, many breeds for the sake of comparison...just to see if there really is any difference in taste, texture, etc. (You're OCD...and I'm just a nerd.)

Hahah, will do! I will say, thus far, the day-olds are quiet and easier to handle than our Meyer EE's. The 12-week old juves are a mixed bag. The cockerel is erratic as all heck, the pullet is trusting and pretty OK with human interaction. I can't wait to see how they act as a flock.

We're starting with a few breeds at first (Sulmtalers,NNs, EEs [to be replaced over time with another colored layer, I really like Isbars], and at least one heritage breed we just haven't chosen one we'd like LOL.) and then over time as we cull/sell/butcher birds, cycle through breeds until we find what works best for us in terms of production/the market up in Jacksonville. My SO and I are very partiular about raising/cultivating things that are rich in flavor AND nice to look at,and I'm sure we'll have breeding pairs of a bunch of banties for ornamental/exhibition purposes, Meyer already got us started by including a "Meal Maker" that looks like it's a Bantam BO LOL.

ETA The Grumpy cockerel being disturbed in his cage lol!

 

[lpatelski]

UPDATE DAY 22...
WEIGHT 589g - 567g = 22g ... 22g+78g=100g/2 days = 50g average daily gain.
Just above the 45.17g average needed to beat Auggie's 26 day weight of 760g.
By the way... note the red comb and waddles. LO169 is most definitely a cockerel. Hurricane name: Hugo


DAY 21...

Will Chick#LO169 meet the "Auggie" weight gain challenge of 45.17g per day?

Day 21 weight: 567 - 489 day 20 weight = 78g gain. Looks like we have a challenger

Quote:
Originally Posted by lpatelski

Fall hatch Batch#1 Big Chick update: 20 days and 489g
F2 generation of 50%DC x 50%CX "Bob" over 50%DC x 50%CX "Pebbles"
Looks like the 25% chance for CX phenotype won out on this chick.

This chick has 6 days to gain 271g just 45.17g per day no problem right?

Auggie chick #123 6/16/16 was 26 days and 760g so fat he barely fit on the scale.

 

[dfr1973]

We're starting with a few breeds at first (Sulmtalers,NNs, EEs [to be replaced over time with another colored layer, I really like Isbars], and at least one heritage breed we just haven't chosen one we'd like LOL.) and then over time as we cull/sell/butcher birds, cycle through breeds until we find what works best for us in terms of production/the market up in Jacksonville. My SO and I are very partiular about raising/cultivating things that are rich in flavor AND nice to look at,and I'm sure we'll have breeding pairs of a bunch of banties for ornamental/exhibition purposes, Meyer already got us started by including a "Meal Maker" that looks like it's a Bantam BO LOL.

If you get a hankering for Gold-Laced Wyandottes, I am probably a bit to your south, considering the Jax market is on your radar. I sometimes sell cull pullets at the TSC swap in Palatka - when I have some. Right now I am dealing with an egg-thieving *family* of possums. Two juveniles down, "big mama" has been sighted but not yet trapped, and there may be more juvies out there. The juvenile delinquents have both been trapped *inside* my electric perimeter. At least they haven't killed any chickens, but I have been wanting to load up the incubator and they keep breaking and eating eggs.

 

[GabrielBane]

If you get a hankering for Gold-Laced Wyandottes, I am probably a bit to your south, considering the Jax market is on your radar. I sometimes sell cull pullets at the TSC swap in Palatka - when I have some. Right now I am dealing with an egg-thieving *family* of possums. Two juveniles down, "big mama" has been sighted but not yet trapped, and there may be more juvies out there. The juvenile delinquents have both been trapped *inside* my electric perimeter. At least they haven't killed any chickens, but I have been wanting to load up the incubator and they keep breaking and eating eggs.

Jax is where we're actually re-locating to in the New Year, so we'll definitely cross paths at Palatka eventually.

Best of luck on getting a handle on those possums, I know they can be a hassle! I tend to have a preference for started pullets, so that works out perfectly.

 

[Kassaundra]

On a chicken thread someone asked if their chickens can eat grapes, the answers basically were yes if you pick out the moldy ones, deseed and cut them in at least half. I'm sitting here thinking, that's more effort then I put into eating grapes for me. My chickens (I have seen w/ my own eyes) swallow mice, snakes, and reptiles whole, and dig through poop and eat the treasures they find in it, I just bet they can handle a whole grape w/ the seeds in it!!!!! lol