BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[mayble]

Does anyone here have experience with Sulmtalers? It seems they are rather rare in the US.
I'm wondering if they live up to their reputation as meat birds who are also decent layers. They are a very pretty breed.

 

[neopolitancrazy]

The three Wyandotte cockerels I had the other year were VERY tasty and flavorful. Left enough of an impression on me to pursue working with the breed as my #1 project.

You mentioned your mentor told you to push your birds for early meat production, any specifics that you would care to pass along?
I am trying to improve meat production in my strain, am planning to feed 30% game chick starter for the first 4 weeks, and am ambivalent about leaving them on that (they aren't CornishXs, should not have problems outgrowing their bones, right?) or switching to 20% FlockRaiser during some part of their youth. Other than selecting against the scrawny birds, I can't think of anything else, can you?
Best wishes,
Angela

 

[gevshiba]

Man, you dodged the bullet on losing birds for sure. Good thing they were turkeys and not bantam chickens trying to hold that tractor down.

After we made our first one that was so big and heavy, we wanted to go lighter, but so many people in our area had lost birds and houses because of normal winds that we have all the time or with our usual thunderstorms, that safety was a huge concern for us if we tried to build lighter housing. In the end, we decided that we'd rather have heavier housing than lose birds. The a frames we build now are lighter than our other designs, but they are still made with 2x4 lumber and pretty heavy, while the wide base makes it easier for even the small pens to stay put in the wind. Around here, it we don't even need a storm to send things flying across the pasture. A normal windy day with 30-40 mph winds when a cold front is moving in or a warm front coming up from the Gulf is enough to do plenty of damage if we let it.

I'm in N TX too. I know those winds.

 

[Our Roost]

Pushing for early meat production means proper selection of what you plan to cross or outcross. Some breeds take longer to develop than others. I would think you want to start with one that takes less time to develop than not. If you are happy with a 4 1/2 # bird, start weighing and see how long it takes to get there! I have no idea how many years of feeding and breeding it would take you to get where you want to be. Better to start with a bird that reaches table weight at 14 weeks than say 20 weeks.

 

[dfr1973]

You mentioned your mentor told you to push your birds for early meat production, any specifics that you would care to pass along?
I am trying to improve meat production in my strain, am planning to feed 30% game chick starter for the first 4 weeks, and am ambivalent about leaving them on that (they aren't CornishXs, should not have problems outgrowing their bones, right?) or switching to 20% FlockRaiser during some part of their youth. Other than selecting against the scrawny birds, I can't think of anything else, can you?
Best wishes,
Angela

I know she certainly meant it in the breeder selection aspect. I may have not grokked right, but my impression is that I should push the cockerels in particular, feeding them like I do Cornish-Rocks once I can tell cockerels from pullets. What I have done: first four weeks 24% chick starter, then next 4 weeks on 20% chick grower (during which time I should be able to tell gender and separate). Then for potential breeders and pullets, step down to 18% chick crumble while the others still get 20% and all are on the grass at this point. By the 4 week mark, everyone is offered fermented scratch and a little dry scratch.

I can email her asking for more clarification if you like.

 

[DesertChic]

Does anyone here have experience with Sulmtalers? It seems they are rather rare in the US.
I'm wondering if they live up to their reputation as meat birds who are also decent layers. They are a very pretty breed.

I'm curious about this breed too. I know of a woman in Scottsdale, AZ who has some, but she didn't seem to have a lot to say about them...maybe because she doesn't eat any of her birds. I found one person on eBay who occasionally sells hatching eggs, but I think they're largely unheard of in this country.

 

[bnjrob]

I'm in N TX too. I know those winds.

LOL - no wonder your turkey pen kept moving! I swear, it's always feast or famine. Too hot and can't get any wind at all, or blowing so hard you can barely take care of outside chores, No rain, or rains for days on end and the chickens look like abominable mud monsters.

 

[Our Roost]

Thanks but I already dropped her a line.

 

[gevshiba]

LOL - no wonder your turkey pen kept moving! I swear, it's always feast or famine. Too hot and can't get any wind at all, or blowing so hard you can barely take care of outside chores, No rain, or rains for days on end and the chickens look like abominable mud monsters.

My dogs and I are trialing outside this weekend. Neither dog likes the rain. I'm just hoping to say upright and unhurt. My turkeys resemble mud monsters. The chickens are a little more fussy about rain and mud.

 

[bnjrob]

My dogs and I are trialing outside this weekend. Neither dog likes the rain. I'm just hoping to say upright and unhurt. My turkeys resemble mud monsters. The chickens are a little more fussy about rain and mud.

Good luck! Nothing like trying to get a dog to do something outside when they don't like the rain.