BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[hellbender]

A few pictures from the farm today:

Chickens doing what chickens ought to be doing - digging in the muck pile for goodies.


The horrid little Polish cockerel on the left side is going on a dinner date in March. The SS Hamburg cockerel on the right is staying as a breeder.


The other cockerel staying is a Black Langshan. I had two other Langshans, but this one had the widest pelvic spread as well as being heavier and feeling more solid. The other two were taller and leaner.

One consideration could be to use a Buckeye cock over some of your birds. I'm very impressed by this breed's meat potential and so far, the pullets are laying very well and producing plenty of quite large, nicely shaped eggs. Don't know how I was so tunnel blind for so many years.

 

[LindaB220]

I guess I've officially started our breeding specifically for meat. I am limited on space and volume. So I can only have a rooster that is quiet. I now have one that is a Malay. Not show quality or anything. But he has thick legs and a wide stout frame.

I am going to try hatching out some chicks from my Cuckoo Marans hens that are hefty hens that lay eggs that are large to jumbo. I also have 2 hatchery Dark Cornish. Hatchery yes. But they aren't pigs and they are just at about 10 months and look and feel like a nice chicken dinner. I also have one lone EE that is nearly as big as the Marans. Out of all these the Marans lay more eggs than the others. I am just going to hatch from these early spring and see if any that we want to keep. If not we can just eat dinner, lol.

I also do have one older Buff Orpington pullet. Not sure if I want to use her. They are just pigs! Messy and eat a lot. Wasteful.

I did want to use a couple of White Plymouth Rocks that we have, but I've found they both have traits that I am not going to breed from. So they are slated for the pot.

We have some chicks started that we may use for next year. Olive Egger, Blue Copper Marans, More Orpingtons (will have to see if they are like the others), RIR and RIR/Buff Orp cross.

The main challenge I see in the next couple of years is that everything will be breeding back to the Malay if we hatch more. The only other option I see is finding someone near us with a rooster that has desirable faster growing traits. Maybe some of my pullets/hens I hatch out could go have a conjugal visit to get us some fertile eggs. Lol!

Basically it will be a melting pot breed of mutt chicken.

How about a New Hampshire? They grow pretty fast. I'll be trying to get some eggs from Jeff, catdaddyfro, in central La this spring. I want to do some sex links to sell and need a red cock. I don't like the RIR becasue of their personality. Hearsay, only. I've heard that the NH's are milder and not so load. I'll be mixing him with my one Coronation Sussex and the one Blosl silver gene hen that I have. Get it going already. If these slackers will ever start laying EGGS and they are almost 8 months old. Bummed. The little Blue egg layer is younger and started this week. Tiny light blue eggs. Can't get any more from DMRippy because she is retiring from the egg business.

I don't want to invest in Crested Cream Legbars and white loghorn's to make my own. The very best eggs hatched for me ever.

 

[Leahs Mom]

One consideration could be to use a Buckeye cock over some of your birds. I'm very impressed by this breed's meat potential and so far, the pullets are laying very well and producing plenty of quite large, nicely shaped eggs. Don't know how I was so tunnel blind for so many years.

Where did you get your Buckeyes? I've been considering them for 2 years now but just haven't gotten started.

 

[DesertChic]

When you guys use a dual purpose bird for meat, do you feed them a "broiler" diet or a "layer" diet? I hope to raise at least some of my NN Turkens for meat and I'm not sure if I should feed them differently from my egg layers.

 

[bmvf]

I'm hoping to start a hatch next week. This week is supposed to be very cold, lows in the single digits and some highs in the low 20's. Will this affect fertility and hatchability? I was thinking of collecting eggs a few times a day to prevent freezing. Is that good enough or should I wait until temps aren't so frigid?

I was also curious on washing the eggs. I've heard that you should and some say you shouldn't. Any thoughts?

 

[bnjrob]

When you guys use a dual purpose bird for meat, do you feed them a "broiler" diet or a "layer" diet? I hope to raise at least some of my NN Turkens for meat and I'm not sure if I should feed them differently from my egg layers.

Mine get Flockraiser, it has a slightly higher protein level than a layer diet to help them build up that muscle meat.

 

[bnjrob]

I'm hoping to start a hatch next week. This week is supposed to be very cold, lows in the single digits and some highs in the low 20's. Will this affect fertility and hatchability? I was thinking of collecting eggs a few times a day to prevent freezing. Is that good enough or should I wait until temps aren't so frigid?

I was also curious on washing the eggs. I've heard that you should and some say you shouldn't. Any thoughts?

My birds don't mate much when it is really cold, so that affects fertility. You won't know what yours will do until you try it and see what kind of hatch rate you get.

No, do not wash the eggs. Try not to use filthy ones. If there is a little bit of gunk on it, you can scrape it off. If you wash the eggs and get rid of the bloom, you can let in germs and dry the insides of the eggs out.

 

[gjensen]

I guess I've officially started our breeding specifically for meat. I am limited on space and volume. So I can only have a rooster that is quiet. I now have one that is a Malay. Not show quality or anything. But he has thick legs and a wide stout frame.

I am going to try hatching out some chicks from my Cuckoo Marans hens that are hefty hens that lay eggs that are large to jumbo. I also have 2 hatchery Dark Cornish. Hatchery yes. But they aren't pigs and they are just at about 10 months and look and feel like a nice chicken dinner. I also have one lone EE that is nearly as big as the Marans. Out of all these the Marans lay more eggs than the others. I am just going to hatch from these early spring and see if any that we want to keep. If not we can just eat dinner, lol.

I also do have one older Buff Orpington pullet. Not sure if I want to use her. They are just pigs! Messy and eat a lot. Wasteful.

I did want to use a couple of White Plymouth Rocks that we have, but I've found they both have traits that I am not going to breed from. So they are slated for the pot.

We have some chicks started that we may use for next year. Olive Egger, Blue Copper Marans, More Orpingtons (will have to see if they are like the others), RIR and RIR/Buff Orp cross.

The main challenge I see in the next couple of years is that everything will be breeding back to the Malay if we hatch more. The only other option I see is finding someone near us with a rooster that has desirable faster growing traits. Maybe some of my pullets/hens I hatch out could go have a conjugal visit to get us some fertile eggs. Lol!

Basically it will be a melting pot breed of mutt chicken.

Why would you want to use the Malay? They are muscular birds, but they are painfully slow to mature. Their flesh is tough. The Oriental side of the Cornish is where they get their firmness of flesh.

I like the breed Malay, and their history, and influence. A fascinating neglected breed.

 

[gjensen]

I'm hoping to start a hatch next week. This week is supposed to be very cold, lows in the single digits and some highs in the low 20's. Will this affect fertility and hatchability? I was thinking of collecting eggs a few times a day to prevent freezing. Is that good enough or should I wait until temps aren't so frigid?

I was also curious on washing the eggs. I've heard that you should and some say you shouldn't. Any thoughts?

You may be fine if you are prudent about collection. I have hatched in the winter, without lights, etc. I have tried avoiding extremes. Consider that the eggs were not fertilized the day they are laid.

It just depends. On your birds etc. It is something to try if you want to. You may not get the rates you would in the spring, but you may still get a hatch. You will know better next time. Part of learning your birds.

Lighting and nutrition is the biggest factors.

Post your results.

 

[LemonMeringue]

 Why would you want to use the Malay? They are muscular birds, but they are painfully slow to mature. Their flesh is tough. The Oriental side of the Cornish is where they get their firmness of flesh.

 I like the breed Malay, and their history, and influence. A fascinating neglected breed.

If it weren't for location I could have my choice in rooster breeds. But with neighbors close I must a quiet rooster.
Reason 1 He is quiet. He had has surgery for that.
Reason 2 he is the biggest I could get that was quiet. That is pretty much it.
I'm just working in the perameters I have.