BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Heron's Nest Farm]

Thanks everyone! I'm building my laying flock and folks love the variety of eggs. I have none of the breed you mentioned.

My olive eggers are part cuckoo maran. They are finally getting big enough to lay. Any day now I hope as they are 4 months, working on the 5th!

My Barnvelder is the only dark layer I have.

 

[KittieChick]

What's your bet for the best dark brown egg producers? :yiipchick

I like my Delaware hen. She started laying first, lays almost everyday. I'm receiving Welsummers in March. Hoping they'll be good layers.

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

I like my Delaware hen. She started laying first, lays almost everyday. I'm receiving Welsummers in March. Hoping they'll be good layers.

I just ordered some Delawares. I'm super excited as I have nothing that looks like them. Glad to hear they are good layers! How are they at foraging?

 

[KittieChick]

I just ordered some Delawares. I'm super excited as I have nothing that looks like them. Glad to hear they are good layers! How are they at foraging?

Very good, from what I've observed. My little Delaware is very social, as well, and comes running to see if I have goodies. She nips a bit, I think I read on the Delaware thread that they can be nippers. Very nice hen, though. I'm anxious for my day olds to come, so I can compare the 2 sources. and then, I can compare the lot with the KathyinMO line of Dels I'm getting.... Yay!

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

Very good, from what I've observed. My little Delaware is very social, as well, and comes running to see if I have goodies. She nips a bit, I think I read on the Delaware thread that they can be nippers. Very nice hen, though. I'm anxious for my day olds to come, so I can compare the 2 sources. and then, I can compare the lot with the KathyinMO line of Dels I'm getting.... Yay!

Please post pics. I too am excited to compare my chicks. I'm learning lots as the years go by. I will be curious to see if the chicks you got from KathinMO will be superior. I find local breeders so great.

Anyone ordering form a h that the hatchery feel is really good at maintaining the breed?

 

[southernmomma]

Has anyone bred a "mutt" but adhered to their own, specific standard? I have read accounts of folks breeding sex-links (like red stars, etc) and wonder.....if you wished to have some fun but learn and use systematic breedings and have "breed" goals, what might be a good place to start?

Also, does the position a hen is held change the width between her pelvis bones? And would it ever really matter what position they were held in if it was always the same position for each hen?

M

 

[ronott1]

Has anyone bred a "mutt" but adhered to their own, specific standard? I have read accounts of folks breeding sex-links (like red stars, etc) and wonder.....if you wished to have some fun but learn and use systematic breedings and have "breed" goals, what might be a good place to start?

Also, does the position a hen is held change the width between her pelvis bones? And would it ever really matter what position they were held in if it was always the same position for each hen?

M

Before basing culling decisions on a book written in 1920, check to see if any studies support it. From what I recall, Studies do not support culling based on bones.

Trap nesting and taking notes is the preferred method of finding your best laying hens.

Making sexlinks is fine but the parent stock needs to be good layers. Many heritage breeds are not good at laying eggs anymore.

 

[southernmomma]

Well that's interesting....I am under the impression that greater pelvic width does have a positive impact on laying ability. I love learning all this! It would not be the deciding factor for a cull.

As for breeding sex-links, I meant breeding sex-link to sex-link to get....? Or any variety together to get something that could be useful and bred back and forth to get something that was consistent but without an APA standard that should be followed. I'm interested in a proper breeding program, I want to get into it and have the space and time. But I do hate coloring inside the lines and have had a terrible time deciding on a specific breed. So I've been thinking of just picking something that I can fool with and not feel guilty about making the way I want. There are plenty of production types and non-standard colors etc to choose from; I was wondering if someone might have a similar pipedream backed with a little knowledge or experience that could recommend a jumping off point. Or not, lol, I'm a terrible fence-sitter on this subject! I do have some lovely chicks but they aren't something I especially want to move forward with.

M

 

[ronott1]

Well that's interesting....I am under the impression that greater pelvic width does have a positive impact on laying ability. I love learning all this! It would not be the deciding factor for a cull.

As for breeding sex-links, I meant breeding sex-link to sex-link to get....? Or any variety together to get something that could be useful and bred back and forth to get something that was consistent but without an APA standard that should be followed. I'm interested in a proper breeding program, I want to get into it and have the space and time. But I do hate coloring inside the lines and have had a terrible time deciding on a specific breed. So I've been thinking of just picking something that I can fool with and not feel guilty about making the way I want. There are plenty of production types and non-standard colors etc to choose from; I was wondering if someone might have a similar pipedream backed with a little knowledge or experience that could recommend a jumping off point. Or not, lol, I'm a terrible fence-sitter on this subject! I do have some lovely chicks but they aren't something I especially want to move forward with.

M

Do not feel guilty about breeding sexlinks back to sex links. That spreads out the genes and is not a bad thing. The trick would be to pick the best laying hens and breed them to see if you can increase laying.

Some of the best laying hens from hatcheries have pinched tails and small bones. The have been genetically selected over the years for putting more energy into making eggs and not pretty feathers. The opposite is true for meat breeds. They usually do not lay as many or as large of eggs but put on a lot of meat. They are not usually very Show pretty either--they do taste good though.

 

[gjensen]

Has anyone bred a "mutt" but adhered to their own, specific standard? I have read accounts of folks breeding sex-links (like red stars, etc) and wonder.....if you wished to have some fun but learn and use systematic breedings and have "breed" goals, what might be a good place to start?

Also, does the position a hen is held change the width between her pelvis bones? And would it ever really matter what position they were held in if it was always the same position for each hen?

M

You certainly can if that is what you want to do.

That is how I started. With chicks from the feed store. Some were sex linked cockerels that you could get free with a bag of feed. They were not pretty but their daughters made for good layers. They make good crosses with heavy birds because they have very fast growth rates. Plus the males are a dime a dozen. Ironic.

Some would say that you should not, but I disagree. If you want to experiment with it, go for it. It can actually be fun, and we have access to genetics that we never had before in history. The sky is the limit. Do as you please.

Check out that ALBC summary. It has some illustrations. Take the time and purchase "Genetics of the Fowl" by Hutt off of Amazon. It is a good place to start for beginners.

The Hogan method is outdated, but that does not mean none of it is helpful. That is why I suggest the ALBC summary. Just keep in mind, a snap shot in time does not define a layer.

Ron is right. The best way to evaluate a pullet is by counting her eggs. We can't possible be breeding for production if we are not fully evaluating them. A good layer is the sum of her characteristics. The eggs are the proof in the pudding. Anything less is just chatter and speculation.
I cannot trap nest. It isn't absolutely necessary.