BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[dfr1973]

I'm running fence right now. 97 temp and 100%humidity. Rain off and on. Got dizzy came in for liquids and cool down

Are you new to the deep south? I learned years ago (in east Texas, in fact) not to work outdoors in the afternoon. Get up at zero-dark-thirty (as opposed to zero-dark-stupid) for coffee and some kind of breakfast (salty food!) then work from daybreak to about eleven-ish. Then chill in the shade until at least 1800 (6 in the evening) and resume work as it cools off ... be sure to drink a lot of water and snack on something salty ... eat a banana or two if possible. The only thing more dangerous than 90+F with high humidity is 100+F with very low humidity. Out in the desert, we wouldn't notice just how much we were sweating while working, and there was precious little shade in northern Iraq.

 

[JRNash]

Born and bred here. I'm 48 and I still think im 20. When i started cramping and got nauseous i shut it down. I just hate to stop.

 

[dfr1973]

Born and bred here. I'm 48 and I still think im 20. When i started cramping and got nauseous i shut it down. I just hate to stop.

So you know better ... a couple remarks from a 42yo:
1. We ain't 20 no more!
2. As we get older, we're supposed to work smarter, not harder.
3. You should start working on that "old age and treachery" idea nowadays.

Just remember the parable/fable about the skinny-dippers and the pond, where the old farmer casually mentions it's an alligator pond when they refuse to leave.

 

[JRNash]

THAT'S FUNNY!!

 

[JRNash]

My brain says i am but my body says NO YOU AINT@!

 

[hellbender]

Layers lay as well or better than chickens. Pure breeds do as well or better concerning flesh. But what does set them apart is they do better on higher fiber/lower energy feed than chickens. They get more from the greens that chickens do, and are better at converting those greens into our protein.

Yes, the Muscovies are pretty good layers but not as good as some other breeds of ducks. I am not really interested in birds that lay any more than they need to to take care of our needs and to produce offspring. Our days of selling eggs is over and of course we need good setters (which the Muscovies are...just about as good as most).

Again, our new impetus on meat production over eggs with chickens stands with the ducks too, even though two of our current breeds make a pretty good showing of themselves as layers too. The eggs not used for the family and a couple friends are fed back into the flocks and to the dogs. Win-Win.

 

[gjensen]

I'm running fence right now. 97 temp and 100%humidity. Rain off and on. Got dizzy came in for liquids and cool down

It is never 97 and 100% humidity.

Yes, you have to be careful.

I always ran work in commercial construction. Large projects. Could have 200 people on my jobsite. The job site could be acres and acres with no shade. It does not matter if it is 105, the work does not stop. BUT . . . .you have to keep a closer eye on the guys. We can get in trouble pretty quick. Most of us were conditioned, but there was always that guy that stayed up too late the night before etc. You really watched the new guys. There was also certain trades that were stressed more or exposed more.

At home, I always did as mentioned. Start at the break of dawn and take a mid day break. It gets to a point where you are not particularly productive anyways. I ran some work in Phoenix for a bit. We started with lights at 4am and was wrapping up at 1:00.

Once you go far it is time to quit for the day. There is tomorrow.

 

[gjensen]

So you know better ... a couple remarks from a 42yo:
1. We ain't 20 no more!
2. As we get older, we're supposed to work smarter, not harder.
3. You should start working on that "old age and treachery" idea nowadays.

Just remember the parable/fable about the skinny-dippers and the pond, where the old farmer casually mentions it's an alligator pond when they refuse to leave.

This is the age that unexpected stuff starts popping up to. Trust me. We should certainly be thinking of what we can and cannot do a decade and more from now. Plan accordingly. I had everything going as if I was going to be in good shape forever.

We are certainly not here forever.

 

[gjensen]

Yes, the Muscovies are pretty good layers but not as good as some other breeds of ducks. I am not really interested in birds that lay any more than they need to to take care of our needs and to produce offspring. Our days of selling eggs is over and of course we need good setters (which the Muscovies are...just about as good as most).

Again, our new impetus on meat production over eggs with chickens stands with the ducks too, even though two of our current breeds make a pretty good showing of themselves as layers too. The eggs not used for the family and a couple friends are fed back into the flocks and to the dogs. Win-Win.

I hear you. I was just speaking of waterfowl in general, and the difference in their dietary requirements. They are not as dependent on grain.

 

[JRNash]

100% to me means its raining. I don't think its ever going to stop. And thise are words of wisdom gjensen