BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[seventreesfarm]

I was googling around for more info on breeds with good feed conversion (didn't find much specific yet) and stumbled on this site - http://www.richsoil.com/raising-chickens.jsp
I'm sure most of it is common sense and old news, but I like the way this guy quantifies the elements of running a flock.

Here's the Henderson's chart - http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html
Says it was last modified in Jan 2014. I like the anecdotal reviews, but no idea if these are hatchery birds, someone's prize project stock or what.

 

[tony4850]

Golden Comets or ISA Browns will give you excellent egg production. Their feed conversion will be second only to Leghorns. Their temperament will be exceptional, they are very friendly. The downside is their life expectancy is shorter than most other breeds.

 

[seventreesfarm]

Golden Comets or ISA Browns will give you excellent egg production. Their feed conversion will be second only to Leghorns. Their temperament will be exceptional, they are very friendly. The downside is their life expectancy is shorter than most other breeds.

Yeah, I've tried a lot of the hybrids and they seem to tap out much faster than traditional breeds, and the spent hens aren't great for stewing either. We had a lady who bought a lot of our old hens for her tamale business, and we always had to discount on the hybrids. They were ok when we rotated flocks out faster, and needed a bump in production in the off season though.

It would just be interesting to see if anyone has done a more scientific study on conversion rates for different breeds in a controlled setting.

 

[tony4850]

My research isn't 100 percent accurate I' m sure but the Golden Comets were in the 4.2-4.5 lb. of feed per dozen eggs, Black Sex-Links were closer to 5. Anconas and Leghorns were the best of the Mediterranean breeds followed by Blue Andulusians and Minorcas. I make my own feed. We have a grinder mixer for the hogs and cattle. We also grow our own corn, so we just buy a 38 percent supplement and add corn accordingly. I make a 19 percent layer ration. Works good.

 

[seventreesfarm]

My research isn't 100 percent accurate I' m sure but the Golden Comets were in the 4.2-4.5 lb. of feed per dozen eggs, Black Sex-Links were closer to 5. Anconas and Leghorns were the best of the Mediterranean breeds followed by Blue Andulusians and Minorcas. I make my own feed. We have a grinder mixer for the hogs and cattle. We also grow our own corn, so we just buy a 38 percent supplement and add corn accordingly. I make a 19 percent layer ration. Works good.

I just dug out my old spreadsheet for when I had a lot of hybrids in my flock, and the feed per dozen in summer was anywhere from 4 to 6lbs and that was with some barred rocks in the mix. I usually ran a mixed flock for more egg colors though, since my customers like that, so I don't have good numbers for just the hybrids.

It's satisfying to have all those records to look over though. See what worked and what didn't. I'm kind of goofing off this year and not keeping production records. Mostly building up new breeding stock. But now I'm looking forward to tracking feed and production rates. Crazy....

 

[gjensen]

I keep up with it per pen. It is not 100% accurate. My boys help. We do not do anything fancy. We only mark the qty. of eggs per pen per day. Then each pen is fed separately, so I know how much a pen is being fed.

My Catalanas are in the neighborhood of 4lbs per dozen. They are eating right at 4oz per day, and are averaging 5.5 eggs per week. This is including waste, but I believe the difference is made up by the fact that I let them range. I do not know where they would be if they were confined all of the time.
This is a mix of birds in their hen year, and in their pullet year. This is also what they are doing right now, and does not account for any seasonal fluctuations. They are pretty steady though.

I am surprised to read that the Leghorns did not do better than that. It seams they would be a little lower. I would have guessed 3.5 to 3.75. Then again, if they are confined, and there is any waste . . . that number would make sense.

The New Hampshires are around 5.5. I would feel better about this number if the eggs were larger, and the total egg weight per dozen was higher compared to the amount of feed eaten. I believe that big birds should lay big eggs and offset some of the difference. Their lay rate is nothing to brag on, but not bad. My Catalanas have larger eggs. Large and extra large compared to more of a medium large.
The New Hampshires are allowed to range also.

Another thing that is not included in this, is that they get kitchen scraps. Not every day, but periodically. We try not to have too much scraps, and the dogs get any meat products. There is not enough scraps to make a big difference with the amount of birds that I have.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Ahhh . . .given the climate of discussion about EE v Ameraucana and the endless debate . . . .I lump Ams and EE together, and my boys from GFF cover my EE's from hatchery stock.

I have 4 roosters here from hatchery mothers and they are all good boys. THey rule the barnyard for sure but don't pick fights; their are confrontations when roosters meet up at the edge of ther territories, but I have noticed it is the lower runged roosters ( not EE , not AM) that live at the edges are are the most likely to get a reminder from an Am rooster.

Is that clear as mud??

In general you make a good point Ron, the hatchery roosters are far less likely to be selected for good temperaments whereas breeder birds are.

 

[LindaB220]

I was googling around for more info on breeds with good feed conversion (didn't find much specific yet) and stumbled on this site - http://www.richsoil.com/raising-chickens.jsp
I'm sure most of it is common sense and old news, but I like the way this guy quantifies the elements of running a flock.

Here's the Henderson's chart - http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html
Says it was last modified in Jan 2014. I like the anecdotal reviews, but no idea if these are hatchery birds, someone's prize project stock or what.

I really like Paul Wheaten. Very verbose but I like most of his ideas.

 

[LindaB220]

I just dug out my old spreadsheet for when I had a lot of hybrids in my flock, and the feed per dozen in summer was anywhere from 4 to 6lbs and that was with some barred rocks in the mix. I usually ran a mixed flock for more egg colors though, since my customers like that, so I don't have good numbers for just the hybrids.

It's satisfying to have all those records to look over though. See what worked and what didn't. I'm kind of goofing off this year and not keeping production records. Mostly building up new breeding stock. But now I'm looking forward to tracking feed and production rates. Crazy....

Thanks, good to know.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: George finding these sustainable breeds is a difficult thing-- because they are less popular and few have them, they get lost in the noise touting the popular breeds.

I started asking over 2 years ago about free ranging etc. GOt a beautiful reply from Joeseph ( Yellow House Farm) and only at the end did someone mention games; unfortunatte ly by then the dual pupose of the more popular breeds were fixed in my head; but as I said above, I never forgot what that man said-- while initally I didn't want to heat the advice , that changed to I just didn't know how to investigate it and find out more: all my questions were hitting closed doors. BUt I never forgot.

In my first batch of hatchery chicks I got a SSH, a little rooster that was slow to mature, and when he did he ruled the yard for a long time ( until the EE crosses grew up) and I appreciate his quick reaction time. Approachable to about 5 feet, then he was wary and could only catch him when he went to roost for the night. He was a tiny bird being hatchery, but I saw what looked like a fine example at a regional show and was stunned at the sheer size of that SSH ( SIlver Spangled Hamburg) -- and I often think of the possibility as a sustainable farm bird--.

I did not learn of the high protein requirement of the buckeye chicks until the day the chicks mailed-- was totally surprized as I have read the buckeye thread for several years, and though that might have been mentioned and went right over my head, it certainly was not a focus of dicssion like feather color is.

AM am still at trying to undestand what " sustainable" means . . . . and I suspect there are several models which reflect differing levels of selfsufficency.