BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[collie1470]

It sounds like suggestions, maybe?

 

[Ifish]

Hows everyone's flock doing in this east coast heat wave?

Mine seem to be doing well. Panting in the shade of the coop, but it was 95* with a heat index of 112 yesterday and today. Fresh cool water, watermelon, and corn cobs from the fridge. Thankfully we do have a nice breeze.

 

[ronott1]

It sounds like suggestions, maybe?

Someone asked for suggestions and breed experiences last week. Quoting would help give context.

 

[hellbender]

Hows everyone's flock doing in this east coast heat wave?

Mine seem to be doing well. Panting in the shade of the coop, but it was 95* with a heat index of 112 yesterday and today. Fresh cool water, watermelon, and corn cobs from the fridge. Thankfully we do have a nice breeze.

Ours are doing pretty well so far but we really haven't had it too hot and it's been breezy and generally cloudy. Jason freezes those large 3 gallon black rubber tubs full of water and spreads them around the youngsters' coop about 1 or 2 in the after noon. We haven't had to turn on the fan yet this year but we keep the exhaust fan running for the week old chicks on a 24 hour basis...Both the NN and White Rock babies are comfortable and eating like hogs!

 

[DesertChic]

Not so concerned with color, as with disposition, and longer laying times. We found the Icelanders aggressive, and very hard to keep contained.
Just want something used to northern climates; although, we have lights & heaters for really bad weather. We handle our hens and get eggs out from under them; pick them up in the yard, etc. I prefer a mid size chicken.
Regards

Well, if you're looking for really good disposition, you might want to check out the Bielefelders. I've had six cockerels and they're all super sweet. One of my cockerels is more like a pet, runs to me as soon as I go outside, and is perfectly content to sit on my lap to be pet as he drifts off to sleep. If I sit down on the garden wall he'll often jump up to join me.

I just culled and processed one of my extra Biel cockerels at 19 weeks with outstanding results. He processed out at 3.9 lbs, was nice and meaty and the flavor was awesome. I prepare my culls using the same recipe each time so we can make an honest assessment of the flavor. My NN Turkens were a bit meatier and had crispier skin, but the Bielefelder actually had more tender and juicier meat, and I think tasted just a bit better than the NN. I can't speak to their egg laying yet as mine haven't reached POL, but all of my flock hatched out of X-large eggs, so I'm pretty hopeful. And they definitely prefer cooler temps to the heat. The one I culled and a cockerel that died earlier this week both struggled with the summer heat. Yesterday the temps here dropped into the mid-70s thanks to the monsoon rains and my Biels were in heaven. I never knew that chickens enjoyed playing in the rain so much.

 

[collie1470]

Someone asked for suggestions and breed experiences last week. Quoting would help give context.

I was responding to the comment before mine, who appeared to be referring to the comment before theirs, judging by the flow of the conversation, anyway.

 

[bnjrob]

Not so concerned with color, as with disposition, and longer laying times. We found the Icelanders aggressive, and very hard to keep contained.
Just want something used to northern climates; although, we have lights & heaters for really bad weather. We handle our hens and get eggs out from under them; pick them up in the yard, etc. I prefer a mid size chicken.
Regards

Raising poultry in different climates has a lot more to do with your husbandry. Yes, if you get large single combed birds you may have more problems with frostbite in a very cold climate, but not necessarily. The breed I raise - with a single comb that can get pretty big on the males- does well here in the humid heat of TX, the drier heat of AZ, the cold of ME and MN, and the wet of the Pacific NW. People have been raising chickens for eons in cold climates, without heaters, and the chickens survived to this day - husbandry is key in getting what you want out of your birds. I would recommend making a list of what you traits are important to you, as well as how much work you are willing/want to put into them, and then start learning about breeds that interest you to help you narrow things down.

 

[collie1470]

Raising poultry in different climates has a lot more to do with your husbandry.  Yes, if you get large single combed birds you may have more problems with frostbite in a very cold climate, but not necessarily.  The breed I raise - with a single comb that can get pretty big on the males- does well here in the humid heat of TX, the drier heat of AZ, the cold of ME and MN, and the wet of the Pacific NW.  People have been raising chickens for eons in cold climates, without heaters, and the chickens survived to this day - husbandry is key in getting what you want out of your birds.  I would recommend making a list of what you traits are important to you, as well as how much work you are willing/want to put into them, and then start learning about breeds that interest you to help you narrow things down.

Great point!

 

[Beer can]

@ShaVirginia My straight comb brownleghorns suffered no frostbite last winter, below zero daily with many days of -25 windchill. The key is ventilation. Don't use a heater.

 

[Beer can]

Been warm hot and sticky here the last few days, 85ish. Had some cool nights, could see my breath the other night, checked temp, 46!