BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[gjensen]

See...now I MUST take all that data I've been tracking on my newest flock and put it into a graph because this totally feeds into my slightly anal/control-freak/obsessive personality....LOL!

(Why I didn't think to do this already is a mystery to me.)

I do not want to encourage complicating it for anyone. We should get to know when and how they grow out though. Otherwise we do not know much. We should be able to look back at a point and see our progress or not. Every breed is different and should be different. Every project is different. I would not want a NH to grow out like a Red. I would have a different mindset for a laced variety of Wyandotte than I would a White Wyandotte etc.

The main point is get to know them, and establish some system to improve them.

I say this because I do not want others to think I am saying to make a graph. Simply weighing them at 8wks, and then 12 or 16 wks is good enough. With observation you can see what they are doing. After knowing what they are doing you can get away with weighing them at a single target date. We should know what their curve is looks like though. A point to look at is when you start seeing all of the feathers laying around. They are molting into their adult feathers, and growth will be much slower from there. They are devoting more protein and energy into the replacement of feather. They have reached a big chunk of their adult size. Do they have any meat on them at this point? They should if they are a dual purpose bird with an emphasis on meat. when you start seeing all of that feather everywhere, weigh them, and note the date. Maybe dress a couple. Examine them. How much did they gain while molting. No what age are they at? How much are they eating? 4oz per day? 5oz? How much longer do you think they need to grow? How many do you want to?

I have been mentioning this to "raise the bar". To encourage a process and intentional rather than casual effort. To know them. To think about it. Everyone comes up with their own way. You have to work with what you have, but we should know what we have. Our goals should be realistic. We should not let them dictate all of it forever though. Nothing changes like that.

Picking the biggest bird is easier said than done. There are a lot of considerations to make with a pure breed. The more complicated the color, the more considerations and selection points. A percentage should be grown all of the way out for evaluation.

 

[gjensen]

It would take a lot of DE to change the moisture content in deep bedding for any length of time. DE is useless in the bedding, and useless against parasites. DE has some potential in some applications, but very few concerning our birds. If it makes us feel better by spending the extra money, then so be it.

ETA: Wood ash is a good addition to dusting material. Dust baths help rid the birds of parasites, but do not count on it. Confined birds are sitting ducks.
Management aids prevention, but like it or not, it takes something toxic to actually kill mites. Once they become established, it requires an actual effort to get rid of them.

 

[Beer can]

Ok, on another note...I'm striving for better record keeping this year. As gjenson posted earlier, I would like to weigh my birds more often. I need to know the easiest way to weigh large fowl when they start getting over a few pounds - outgrow the little, digital kitchen scale. Anybody got any ideas for best scale they use - how you do it? Also I have a rooster that's quite heavy & hard to manage. He's docile, but just not used to being handled much.

Put them in a pillow case and use a hanging fish scale. I'm joking but it would work. I got a bunch of crap on one thread for suggesting someone transport their chickens in feed sacks, it didn't go over good with the people on that thread. That's how my father always did it. Once you get them in the dark sack they calm right down and don't even move, kinda like covering the head of a scared horse.

 

[gjensen]

I have been keeping a heat lamp in the coop mainly to keep their inside water from freezing. I have a light but turned it off as it didn't help with the egg laying situation. I had hoped the heat lamp would help but atlas, no avail. Counting what I have molting I should be vetting 10-12 eggs everyday but only getting half that. Just looking at some possibilities to increase egg production. Birds look good, healthy. Poop looks right. Eating good drinking good.

Turn the lights back on, or wait. The length of day is the biggest factor. If you have birds molting now (an odd time), did you trigger a molt by cutting the lights off?

You want the lights on a timer, and for them to cut on in the morning. It cannot change from day to day.

As late into the winter, it might be best to wait now. I do not where you live or what you have. They should b increasing on their own by now, or soon.

 

[DesertChic]

I do not want to encourage complicating it for anyone. We should get to know when and how they grow out though. Otherwise we do not know much. We should be able to look back at a point and see our progress or not. Every breed is different and should be different. Every project is different. I would not want a NH to grow out like a Red. I would have a different mindset for a laced variety of Wyandotte than I would a White Wyandotte etc.

The main point is get to know them, and establish some system to improve them.

I say this because I do not want others to think I am saying to make a graph. Simply weighing them at 8wks, and then 12 or 16 wks is good enough. With observation you can see what they are doing. After knowing what they are doing you can get away with weighing them at a single target date. We should know what their curve is looks like though. A point to look at is when you start seeing all of the feathers laying around. They are molting into their adult feathers, and growth will be much slower from there. They are devoting more protein and energy into the replacement of feather. They have reached a big chunk of their adult size. Do they have any meat on them at this point? They should if they are a dual purpose bird with an emphasis on meat. when you start seeing all of that feather everywhere, weigh them, and note the date. Maybe dress a couple. Examine them. How much did they gain while molting. No what age are they at? How much are they eating? 4oz per day? 5oz? How much longer do you think they need to grow? How many do you want to?

I have been mentioning this to "raise the bar". To encourage a process and intentional rather than casual effort. To know them. To think about it. Everyone comes up with their own way. You have to work with what you have, but we should know what we have. Our goals should be realistic. We should not let them dictate all of it forever though. Nothing changes like that.

Picking the biggest bird is easier said than done. There are a lot of considerations to make with a pure breed. The more complicated the color, the more considerations and selection points. A percentage should be grown all of the way out for evaluation.

No worries! I wasn't accusing you of pushing anything or complicating anything. It was more of an "aha!" moment for me as I'm a very visual person and a graph makes perfect sense. My quirky sense of humor doesn't always translate well into text, but I'm actually quite grateful for the revelation. I'm all for more information so that I may make informed decisions and appreciate your and others' wonderful little nuggets of insight.

 

[Our Roost]

Dueling Rooster, Freezing water? Sounds like you have a source of electric within the coop? TSC and other pet stores have gallon plus heated dog dishes which some of us chicken lovers use. Made of heavy duty plastic and the plug wire is wrapped with nonabrasive coil protectant wire. Have not had a day as yet with frozen or frosted water! Priced around $20.00 or less? Good investment to save on maintenance!

 

[Our Roost]

Beer can! I'll buy into the sack idea. This is how I take my chickens to the butcher. Yes, they do calm down and your father was a smart man!

 

[Beekissed]

Put them in a pillow case and use a hanging fish scale. I'm joking but it would work. I got a bunch of crap on one thread for suggesting someone transport their chickens in feed sacks, it didn't go over good with the people on that thread. That's how my father always did it. Once you get them in the dark sack they calm right down and don't even move, kinda like covering the head of a scared horse.

That's how folks always did it back in my youth, as few had those fancy wooden crates, but everyone had feed sacks and bailing twine. It does settle them down and keeps them from injuring themselves by flapping around. I've even transported by tying the legs, putting down an old sleeping bag, placing the birds on it and laying a flap of the sleeping bag over them. Worked like a charm in the absence of crate OR gunny sack.

 

[Our Roost]

Beekissed, Heres a tip for the legs. I buy a package of ponytail elastic stretch bands. I double them and stretch over their feet and onto their ankles.

 

[Beekissed]

Beekissed, Heres a tip for the legs. I buy a package of ponytail elastic stretch bands. I double them and stretch over their feet and onto their ankles.

That would be nice and soft! Good idea! Nowadays I just use duct tape and it works like a charm. I've even used it to form hobbles on certain roosters so that they couldn't ride other roosters in the pen. They can still walk, eat, drink, sleep and even roost if they're coordinated enough, but they can't step up to take a ride.