BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[armorfirelady]

 
 I weighed my Dorkings at several different ages and tracked their weights last year. My "country" co-workers thought that was the funniest thing they had ever heard of

I weigh my birds to. First @ 12 wks. Then at least again @ 1 yr. I like to spot check them here and there in the mean time.

I cannot see how you can intelligently breed them without a scale.

Silly question but how do you weigh your birds? I have a small digital scale I use to measure their feed when I mix the ingredients together. But my hens don't stand still long enough to stand on a scale.

Mine are all over a year old but I see this as a way to check wait them if they are having problems and am wondering if they have lost weight. I can never tell the difference between a sharp keel or a regular one.

 

[trilliumcoop]

Subscribing

 

[RedRidge]

 
 I weighed my Dorkings at several different ages and tracked their weights last year. My "country" co-workers thought that was the funniest thing they had ever heard of

I weigh my birds to. First @ 12 wks. Then at least again @ 1 yr. I like to spot check them here and there in the mean time.

I cannot see how you can intelligently breed them without a scale.

Silly question but how do you weigh your birds? I have a small digital scale I use to measure their feed when I mix the ingredients together. But my hens don't stand still long enough to stand on a scale.

Mine are all over a year old but I see this as a way to check wait them if they are having problems and am wondering if they have lost weight. I can never tell the difference between a sharp keel or a regular one.

If they're live I put them in a small cage "after" I tare the cage empty.
If it's a carcass I simply put it directly in a bowl (after I tare) on the scale.
The scale i use for poultry is a certified produce scale.

 

[neopolitancrazy]

Silly question but how do you weigh your birds? I have a small digital scale I use to measure their feed when I mix the ingredients together. But my hens don't stand still long enough to stand on a scale.

Mine are all over a year old but I see this as a way to check wait them if they are having problems and am wondering if they have lost weight. I can never tell the difference between a sharp keel or a regular one.

I have weighed chicks in a solo cup after tareing the scale. I found it was easier to weigh the larger chickens after dark when they are half asleep. It helps to have a second pair of hands, one to calmly stand chicken on scale, a second to aim the flashlight at the scale and record weights. My spouse is amazingly patient with my projects, lol.

I use a postage scale, weighs in ounces and grams, for eggs, chicks and birds.

 

[Gramma Chick]

" I'm in !!

While I love trying to understand the SOP, I ultimately have the birds for eggs and meat. ANd all the hatchery stock has been very poor on the meat capacity, which is what I expected. Decent layers but . . . . . I'm looking for something else.

DOgs-- I saw a comparison of a breed think it was a bull dog painted about 1890-1900 and a puiture today and I almost fell off my chair. I then understood why one shep breed does NOT allow the animals to become show sheep as production is the focus. As for chickens, MR Reese has NH which are a production line for meat.

For me production of eggs needs to be year round-- we go thru withdrawls when the girls stop laying in the fall and we are reduced to buying eggs from the store. . . . they sure are not like the eggs our girls produce!!

OP thanks for starting the thread!" Quoted Arielle'

For my part, I would do without, rather than try to choke down one of those miserable things called eggs in most markets.

Us Too ! we are spoiled by our own fresh eggs

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: Thank you to you & Redridge. Once it warms up again I will try at night after they are roosting to see what they weigh. I keep a calender for the hens to track daily egg laying, feed etc so I can easily add weights there as well

 

[southernmomma]

Southernmomma,

I need to figure out this quote thing. I will try that later.

I would have no problem with someone wanting an attractive looking flock, that laid enough eggs for a family, and wanted to process some extra cockerels. Or even try showing a few birds.
That is if they understood really where they were, and their expectations were tempered.
They would meet your expectations, but are not reliably broody.
It would seem they do. You manage to be very critical of them and also convince me they're a perfect fit, lol

They are also easy to manage and a delight to own. They have better color when they are younger. This breed and other light colored gold based varieties tend to lose some color after a molt or two.

Of course, I am speaking of my own. Others may have had different experiences.

If I was to make a recommendation concerning strain, it would only be that you are familiar with breed type and find some decent examples to start with. Some have done better than others with the. It is hard to dig out of a hole. I have seen some junk floating around, and some decent birds. Nothing that makes my heart go pitter patter.
Which begs the question~ when searching for a breeder that fits with me, of a breed that is relatively popular and widely bred, how does one separate the wheat from the chafe? Perhaps not relevant to this thread but still a question of mine.

I am guessing that you would like them. They are a good American breed and can use some attention.

This is a picture of a cockerel at 24-26 wks. I do not have him anymore. You can see that size is not a problem.
I would like to know what makes your heart pitter-patter because this guy is handsome. I like the barrel chest.

I've enjoyed the pics and all the very informative posts!

I'm not sure now if I bragging or complaining here...perhaps a little of both. It's 31*F with gusting wind and my layers are all out as they have been all day, keeping the dogs busy by running all over the place looking for bits of just about everything the warmer days before have brought up. I will never understand why some folks can not understand why NN/Turkens actually do very well in all weather extremes.

Also, I'm pleased the three NN gals are still holding fast to their clutches of Australorp eggs. In fact, I think one or two of them have deposited a couple of their own eggs. Should be no problem. I doubt there will be need to have them DNA tested as those shiny little necks will be just as accurate as any other documentation.

Bragging or complaining I don't know but you do have a knack for dropping knowledge in a most casual way and I for one appreciate it

Perhaps you can expound in the virtues of the Turken or at least your experience with them (which by any definition seems extensive). My son is quite convinced they may be the answer to all of the world's ills with their resemblance to his beloved dinosaurs. And as I will eventually be in the market for broody hens.......

My current breeding project is improving the Rhodebars to be the dual purpose birds they were supposed to be using standard bred RIR hens. There are two of us in the US working on this project, myself and another breeder in FL with the help of 2 geneticists.

Rhodebars are an autosexed, barred RIR. This is not meant to be a criticism of anyone else's project. If egg production is what you are looking for you can't beat a production red. But if you want a great carcass and better than average egg production, then the SOP reds can't be beat. I've tried many breeds over the years for both meat and eggs - i don't make that statement lightly.
I hate to bring up the SOP on this thread but remember, the SOP is a necessary baseline. It really is impossible not to consider the SOP when a breed is based on one.
Type, color, etc... it's all important or what we are creating is a whole new breed. That's what happened when the production Reds were created - a whole new breed. Useful and important but... they did a disservice to the heritage birds by not renaming the production Reds to something else.
If you want to create a new breed, I applaud you. I simply want to improve a breed in dire need of help.
I found an interesting post not long ago that addressed the need for SOP and then went on to break down the reasoning behind each aspect of it. For example; body depth, width, length and as it relates to carcass quality and egg production, feather quality and how it relates to energy usage. Pretty neat stuff and sensible now that I understand the reasoning. Your project sounds interesting, they're pretty birds

Cheers,
M

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I am still trying to find a breed that fill my needs. As winter has jumped into spring, the laying has dramatically increased. BUt while I am happy for all the eggs, I am rather irked that these girls wont lay in the late fall and all winter. Why feed them for only 7 months of eggs?

My goal this week is to ID any that are not laying by now. On with a leg band for culling-- which double annoys me as I then cut that band off and toss.

It seems today I am annoyed about the chickens.

 

[RedRidge]

@Arielle
Finding a new breed can be very daunting and frustrating. Be patient, you will know when you find it. Then be patient again in finding just the right breeder. It takes time to establish and develop relationships and to gain knowledge about who the reputable breeders are. Listen carefully to what the experienced breeders of other breeds have to say. There is frequently as much wisdom in what they don't say as in what they do. ;-)
I personally avoid (boy, I may offend a few folks here but here goes), anyone who has lots of breeds. If someone has 10, 15 or even more breeds then I have trouble wrapping my head around how they can possibly be doing each breed justice. I'm not talking about backyard chickens or laying flocks. I'm talking about people who sell eggs and/or chicks that are a specific "breed" who have more than a couple of breeds.
Find someone who cares enough to point you in the right direction of a few good mentors - good mentors are like lgds... they are invaluable. ;-)

 

[gjensen]

Southernmomma, concerning finding a breeder. Once you have settled on what you want. Check out what someone might have. The birds tell on us. After you have them for a generation or two, you will know what you have compared to what you want.

Arielle, maybe you can tease a few winter eggs out of the Buckeyes. Some are better winter layers than others, but all have a drop off in the winter. Running lights is the most sure method for any of them.
The length of molt plays a part in some. The longer it takes them to molt, the less eggs you will see that time of year. Commercial birds lose and get them back fast, and are a bit on the extreme end of the spectrum. The later they molt, and the sooner they come out of molt, the better. Within reason. I am not a fan of extremes.
The later they molt means more eggs later into the season. The sooner they molt means that you have the opportunity at a few more late season eggs. Also as you are doing identifying who back into lay earlier in the year.

Winter eggs without lights, is a series of small victories. A little here and a little there.

RedRidge, I agree with what you have said. I just want to note that there are exceptions. I know a couple that has the time, resources, know how, commitment, and talent to handle quite a few. I know of one that I would recommend for every breed that she owns. Every single one. BUT, she is an exception.