BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Gorman Farm]

So the guy that buys fertile eggs from me came by today, and I told him about my Roo. He said he lost two last night. I should say that we are in Florida and like 55 degrees is really cold for us, lately it has been 80's daytime and maybe 65 at night, but last night it dipped down to about 40 degrees. I didn't think much of it, the 8 week old chicks are fine and my old lady that is like 5 years old and can't even get up to the roost anymore was fine. He told me when we get these weird cold snaps (he has like 100 or more chickens at any one time) that often he'll lose one or two, I am like really, how do they manage to stay alive in really cold places. He said it has to do with they are accustomed to the warmer weather and some just don't adapt? I dunno if I buy it but thought I would share.

 

[DesertChic]

Desert Chick can I ask how Stripy Butt got completely naked? Is he a NN gone wild?
He is so freakin cute, I love him.

Sorry, but Stripy Butt isn't mine. @Kassaundra is his breeder/chicken mama.

That said, I think the "secret" is that he's scaleless.

 

[DesertChic]

So the guy that buys fertile eggs from me came by today, and I told him about my Roo. He said he lost two last night. I should say that we are in Florida and like 55 degrees is really cold for us, lately it has been 80's daytime and maybe 65 at night, but last night it dipped down to about 40 degrees. I didn't think much of it, the 8 week old chicks are fine and my old lady that is like 5 years old and can't even get up to the roost anymore was fine. He told me when we get these weird cold snaps (he has like 100 or more chickens at any one time) that often he'll lose one or two, I am like really, how do they manage to stay alive in really cold places. He said it has to do with they are accustomed to the warmer weather and some just don't adapt? I dunno if I buy it but thought I would share.

Hmm...I'm just not buying it. I'd expect them to show signs of illness first, even if it's just a cold. To just drop like that....the temperature range you detailed is downright normal where I live, with fluctuations as great as 40+ degrees between day and night temperatures, and I've never had a chicken just drop dead from it. I truly do suspect something venomous if he hadn't been showing any signs of illness.

 

[Gorman Farm]

Hmm...I'm just not buying it. I'd expect them to show signs of illness first, even if it's just a cold. To just drop like that....the temperature range you detailed is downright normal where I live, with fluctuations as great as 40+ degrees between day and night temperatures, and I've never had a chicken just drop dead from it. I truly do suspect something venomous if he hadn't been showing any signs of illness.

Sorry, but Stripy Butt isn't mine. @Kassaundra is his breeder/chicken mama.

That said, I think the "secret" is that he's scaleless.

OOPS sorry

 

[Gorman Farm]

Some pics from today.




Stripy Butt's new duds, I was amused him not so much! lol



Experimenting w/ a sock tunic but they are to big. It is working as a shirt w/ pants in the mild weather though



I have 2 almost identical. I need to look under her feathers and see if she is just gypsy faced or fm.













The young ones love being outside. I put them out full time at 4ish weeks.

Kassandra can I get the scoop on Stripy Butt? Why doesn't he have feathers? That said I think he is sooo cute!!

 

[Gorman Farm]

Hmm...I'm just not buying it. I'd expect them to show signs of illness first, even if it's just a cold. To just drop like that....the temperature range you detailed is downright normal where I live, with fluctuations as great as 40+ degrees between day and night temperatures, and I've never had a chicken just drop dead from it. I truly do suspect something venomous if he hadn't been showing any signs of illness.

Yep I agree, I don't think it was the cold, and mine are cooped and perched close together at night, they would be ok. I just thought I would share what he said. If any of my birds were going to succumb to the chilled evening it woulda been the old one I think.
I think what you said makes more sense.

 

[Kassaundra]

Stripey Butt and all my scaleless are genetically naked necks. But they have a double hit of a rare gene called scaleless (Sc) This gene can be in any breed or mix of chickens, it was originally found in the 1950's in some red fully feathered chickens in California. (rhode island red or new hampshires I always get them mixed up) The Sc gene has nothing to do w/ the Na gene. This gene has been around since chickens basically hiding in the genetic recesses of chickendom. But in the wild they can't survive. This gene causes decreased body fat, and no feather follicles and no leg scales.

 

[dan26552]

Got some pictures of my ducklings.

Pekin X Black Swede

Pekin X Black Swede. This one has wild type leakage on its breast, making it Ee instead of EE like the other blacks. (EE being Swede coloring and ee being Mallard coloring.) I think that's cool.

Its breast.

Pekin X Black Swede.

Pekin X Blue Swede.

Pekin X Blue Swede.

I think this is a Blue Swede.

Pekin X Blue Swede.

The blacks mostly have nice bibs so I'm considering crossing them back to my Swedes (who have poor bibs)

 

[Gorman Farm]

Stripey Butt and all my scaleless are genetically naked necks. But they have a double hit of a rare gene called scaleless (Sc) This gene can be in any breed or mix of chickens, it was originally found in the 1950's in some red fully feathered chickens in California. (rhode island red or new hampshires I always get them mixed up) The Sc gene has nothing to do w/ the Na gene. This gene has been around since chickens basically hiding in the genetic recesses of chickendom. But in the wild they can't survive. This gene causes decreased body fat, and no feather follicles and no leg scales.

thanks for explaining.......hugs to Stripey...

 

[NanaKat]

A few of the month old ducklings.

Same ducking.

My drake weighs 2.5 pounds and both the hens each weighs 1.75 pounds. After laying the egg for the day.