BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Our Roost]

I know and I'm looking for a return email from you regarding my next steps.

 

[Beer can]

Thanks for the link.   I put it on FB with a question.   "Are you ready for a few chickens yet.?  La and Texas are safe right now"       

NY has had no AI, but they banned, or canceled I guess, all poultry shows/ exhibits at the state fair and all county fairs over the outbreaks in other states. Going to be some upset 4H kids. Probably for the best though I don't think there is any 'biosecurity'whatsoever at the fairs.

 

[gjensen]

Great post. I have a buddy in south La that is growing out great Lt Sussex's and will get a start of them later. I have only one Coronation Sussex and her demeanor is terrific. The taste of sussex's are supposed to be almost as good as Dorkings. I NEED to get a good NH cockerel or something to grow out. I could sell the POL pullets (or babies for that matter) and caponize the cockerels. Just thinking outloud. I have a lot to do before I get into this.

If you get some good ones developed, share the pictures. The good old heavy strains from England would have made good roasters, and one of the few true roasting typed fowl. Cinder block shaped bodies, with a slight slope from the shoulders. Deep, long, and wide. They would have laid flat in a pan or plate. A good bird to put some fat on.
All I have ever seen here (a problem that they have to) are pretty birds with an awful lot of pretty feathers. They look good in a pen, but not particularly useful. It would be interesting to see someone develop a good and useful strain. A good heavy strain where the birds were good for fattening, and allowed to develop for the oven. It would not be cheap, but it would be good.

 

[gjensen]

NY has had no AI, but they banned, or canceled I guess, all poultry shows/ exhibits at the state fair and all county fairs over the outbreaks in other states. Going to be some upset 4H kids. Probably for the best though I don't think there is any 'biosecurity'whatsoever at the fairs.

We will see a lot of that before it is over with.

 

[LindaB220]

If you get some good ones developed, share the pictures. The good old heavy strains from England would have made good roasters, and one of the few true roasting typed fowl. Cinder block shaped bodies, with a slight slope from the shoulders. Deep, long, and wide. They would have laid flat in a pan or plate. A good bird to put some fat on.
All I have ever seen here (a problem that they have to) are pretty birds with an awful lot of pretty feathers. They look good in a pen, but not particularly useful. It would be interesting to see someone develop a good and useful strain. A good heavy strain where the birds were good for fattening, and allowed to develop for the oven. It would not be cheap, but it would be good.

Pam in Baton Rouge got hers from GFF. The pictures look good. It'll be at least 6 mo before I can get eggs. They may be the decorative kind. I'll have to work at that. Maybe some mixtures. I really wanted white dorkings originally. Maybe a mixture? I never plan to show and wanted to get the good Blosl and XW's down here to sell and get them in the South. I definitely need a good NH.

I've been clearing up around my coops. After the time off for surgery, it looked wretched. It finally stopped raining so I will have time to do a few things. GOT to get the 2 wk olds out of the storeroom. Their container is not big enough. Good little babies though.

 

[hellbender]

Great post. I have a buddy in south La that is growing out great Lt Sussex's and will get a start of them later. I have only one Coronation Sussex and her demeanor is terrific. The taste of sussex's are supposed to be almost as good as Dorkings. I NEED to get a good NH cockerel or something to grow out. I could sell the POL pullets (or babies for that matter) and caponize the cockerels. Just thinking outloud. I have a lot to do before I get into this.

Yes indeedy! I sorta' like having my capons and poulardes walking around 'til I need them. I do have a few (several) in the freezer but I have a feeling they might be appropriated and passed out to some places where they could be sampled. I have however, given strict ORDERS that none of MY PERSONAL LIVE birds are to be molested in any way.

 

[gjensen]

Yes indeedy! I sorta' like having my capons and poulardes walking around 'til I need them. I do have a few (several) in the freezer but I have a feeling they might be appropriated and passed out to some places where they could be sampled. I have however, given strict ORDERS that none of MY PERSONAL LIVE birds are to be molested in any way.

Aren't you raising rabbits?

 

[hellbender]

Aren't you raising rabbits?

Yes we are...Florida Whites and NZ Whites. We eat the hybrids.

Also, we bred every doe last fall too with plans to greatly increase our herd...(Saanens, Toggs, experimentals, working toward American Saanens).

We feed curdled goat milk and ground corn to finish the capons before we butcher what we plan on eating in a certain period but the birds can be quite satisfactory without finishing...simply NOT quite as tender nor as tasty, in my opinion.

 

[gjensen]

Yes we are...Florida Whites and NZ Whites. We eat the hybrids.

Also, we bred every doe last fall too with plans to greatly increase our herd...(Saanens, Toggs, experimentals, working toward American Saanens).

We feed curdled goat milk and ground corn to finish the capons before we butcher what we plan on eating in a certain period but the birds can be quite satisfactory without finishing...simply NOT quite as tender nor as tasty, in my opinion.

I am going to give rabbits a go. They are better cut and carry animals being high fiber and low starch.

I am not certain exactly what approach I will take. I am leaning towards commercial rabbits. I have to go to Vanderbilt University, and I was considering coming back with a few. I am trying to settle on a design for the rabbitry though. Our summer heat and humidity is the largest concern. There is about three months of tough heat for rabbits here.

Texas A&M has put a new strain of Whites out. They are claiming good numbers. Supposed good heat tolerance.

Florida Whites has been and is a breed that I was/am considering. There is a lot to commend them. I have had trouble finding them within a reasonable distance. I would like to purchase from someone that selected well, and knew the numbers. I have heard a few process them when they are ready remarks. That is about like the chicken that laid so many that week or month. It doesn't say much. LOL.
I want to know the average size litter, weight @ weaning, 8, and 10 or 12 wks. Incidence rate of good and poor mothers etc.

I have not fed rabbits for a lot of years.

I like some of the dual purpose rabbits, but I am not so sure about the heavier coats.

Roasters of all types should be finished, I agree. They always were. They were considered a special item, and not something that was enjoyed all year round. Many European breeds were developed and evaluated according to how well they did finish. They used a lot of wheat and milk products. They did not have the convenient benefit of corn though (they do now). Corn is a better finisher, but wheat might be a treat being different.

 

[hellbender]

I am going to give rabbits a go. They are better cut and carry animals being high fiber and low starch.

I am not certain exactly what approach I will take. I am leaning towards commercial rabbits. I have to go to Vanderbilt University, and I was considering coming back with a few. I am trying to settle on a design for the rabbitry though. Our summer heat and humidity is the largest concern. There is about three months of tough heat for rabbits here.

Texas A&M has put a new strain of Whites out. They are claiming good numbers. Supposed good heat tolerance.

Florida Whites has been and is a breed that I was/am considering. There is a lot to commend them. I have had trouble finding them within a reasonable distance. I would like to purchase from someone that selected well, and knew the numbers. I have heard a few process them when they are ready remarks. That is about like the chicken that laid so many that week or month. It doesn't say much. LOL.
I want to know the average size litter, weight @ weaning, 8, and 10 or 12 wks. Incidence rate of good and poor mothers etc.

I have not fed rabbits for a lot of years.

I like some of the dual purpose rabbits, but I am not so sure about the heavier coats.

Roasters of all types should be finished, I agree. They always were. They were considered a special item, and not something that was enjoyed all year round. Many European breeds were developed and evaluated according to how well they did finish. They used a lot of wheat and milk products. They did not have the convenient benefit of corn though (they do now). Corn is a better finisher, but wheat might be a treat being different.

As for rabbits being 'cut and carry'....that's true but I still like to brine mine for three or four days after slaughter.

I bought my starter FW's from an older gentleman near Toledo Ohio who is pretty well at the top of the show world. I have never weighed the kits at any age because if they looked good to me, that is good enough. We have rarely eaten a FW, rather eating T
the FW X NZ white hybrids which has a much better carcass with respect to bone to meat than the pure NZs and they are still large enough where by one can feed three people with one rabbit as opposed to butchering two pure FW , making it a very expensive meal!

I paid $400 per trio on two different occasions for the FWs.

What ever you deal with, I would suggest you get the best you can afford but start with just one trio from a well known breeder. You will soon be up to your ear lobes in bunnies!

Oh, The FW's have proven to generally be great mothers, producing an average litter of 6 to 8 and the NZ does will produce 10 to 12, even when bred to a FW or any other breed for that matter and they will almost always kindle at night which I think is best....no one around spying at them.

I make certain to never over-cook rabbit. The meat is dense to begin with and over-cooking can make it stringy or going still farther, can make it mushy.

Good luck!


OOPS....I have never been able to get any of my chickens interested in eating wheat...unless it's been ground into flour and baked into bread... Hummm...wheat bread and buttermilk might do fine as a finisher..lolol