BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Fire Ant Farm]

Usually those with zip ties on the left leg will be for culling.

For whatever it's worth, anyone who does want to keep track of each bird by banding can do so very easily using numbered zip ties. Very inexpensive and easy to use (I especially like being able to size them just so for each growing bird - big enough to allow for growth, small enough not to slip above the joint and cut off circulation). They are sold in several colors at Strombergs - I switch colors as they get swapped out in growing chicks - helps me tell by eye who has and hasn't had their band changed, so I don't risk missing switching out a band that then causes injury as they outgrow it. You do need to tell them if you want certain sequences, though (e.g., 1-25 - vs. getting #s 75-100 like I did once when I forgot to say on the form). This was very useful to me as I kept track of my chicks, as I had a hard time telling them all apart reliably until relatively recently (and it would be even harder if there weren't so many different leg colors in the mix). I doubt I will continue to use them on the adults, but they have been very useful.

(No financial relationship to Strombergs, blah, blah, blah...)

- Ant Farm

Edit to add: The numbers DO wear off over time. Hasn't been a real problem for me as they have to be swapped out every few weeks anyway due to them growing out of them. If you wanted to use them long term on adult birds, you might need to switch them out/refresh them every so often.

 

[Kassaundra]

You can also make leg bands from the colorful or printed duct tape, a different color or pattern for each category, easy to see from a distance. Start w/ a rectangle, cut a square out of two of the long sides fold over on itself (sticky sides together) that covers the sticky except for two "tabs" at each end, use those to secure the band to itself.

 

[Beer can]

Harbor Freight has small multi colored zipties real cheap. No #s, but six different colors. I don't see them on their website, these are 5" small ones, picked them up in store, 100 for $1.99.

 

[DesertChic]

@gjensen , these are helpful observations and you've given me some things to consider (as always, I listen carefully to all advice, even when I end up not taking it!

). I'm keeping so much data on this group in part to learn - so I can understand how they grow over time, and so that later I can know the key points at which to check. Although I will say that the added benefit is that I get my hands on each bird each week, so no one escapes regular evaluation (including feeling for body type and sussing out any injuries they might otherwise try to hide). I've added a trough feeder in the paddock in addition to the two large feeders in the tractor (it's what I had immediately available). Watched Tank today - he's super timid in approaching the food, even more so than some of the pullets. I haven't observed him getting attacked, but maybe he got in a fight that left him nervous - he did have a deep scratch across his crop area earlier in the week (healing fine). So I do wonder about the food thing, and will add more feeders.

What sort of live weight/dressed weight ratio does one usually get when culling/harvesting? Just curious... I'm planning to do my first culling in a week or two.

- Ant Farm

Most of my cockerels have dressed out between 70% and 80% of live weight. I don't know about pullets/hens since I haven't butchered any of those...yet.

 

[ronott1]

Most of my cockerels have dressed out between 70% and 80% of live weight. I don't know about pullets/hens since I haven't butchered any of those...yet.

Sounds about right!

 

[DesertChic]

So this is day two of my trying to shovel, wash and relocate 1 1/2 tons of lava rock into my aquaponics setup...all by myself. I'm somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 way there. I should've bought stock in the makers of ibuprofen before taking on this project.

I noticed that about half of my flock has taken to roosting on the retaining wall so they can watch me labor away. I swear they're mocking me.

 

[dfr1973]

I noticed that about half of my flock has taken to roosting on the retaining wall so they can watch me labor away. I swear they're mocking me.

Think of them as cats with feathers ... and yes, they are.

 

[Pasturedpeeps]

Cool idea! I will have to give it a try!

 

[dfr1973]

Roasted up one of the slips tonight. It took four hours for the stuffed bird to be done in the oven, so guesstimating his weight at approximately eight pounds, and he was just shy of 11 months. VERY tasty, with stuffing made of pork breakfast sausage, a sliced apple, and the heels from the most recent loaf of homemade bread, lightly seasoned with a bit of parsley and dried oregano. Now hubby and I are both stuffed.

 

[Pasturedpeeps]

Yes, you have time to go before picking the tops. But you know now, what group to select them from. It is time to start evaluating them. In time, you will be able to pick them now, because you will know them well enough. I could pick them now.

You are thinking too much on the possibilities. There are always possibilities. You cannot avoid them. They have to do well in your setting. The numbers do not lie. Your perception will. It always does. We cannot base our decisions on perception unless that is all we have. If that is all we have, we do not have a lot to go on. Do make sure there is more than one feeder and water station, and with some space in between them. That is always a good idea. No matter if you have 4 or more. The less birds, the more attention a bird might get. The more birds, the more competition. I go with the commercial recommendations, and cut that in half or more. Never less than two though.

But, forget about one week. That point is useless.

And you need to decide at what age you are going to evaluate them. Chart them this year so you see it, but you will not want to do that year after year. You are going to want to weigh them at a particular point in time. Is that 12 wks, 14 wks, or 16wks?

You should not have to check on the molt. Suddenly you will see feathers all over the place, and the males growing in mature tail feathers. There is no mistaking when it begins to occur. Who knows, maybe your Tank has started that before the others.

It takes a lot of protein and energy to replace all of that feather. Their growth will slow when this occurs. Much of the energy and protein devoted to growth will be in replacing all of that feather. Afterwards, their growth is slowed substantially. That is why it is a goal to get a good carcass to harvest at this point and benefit from the most efficient gains. Any gain after is less efficient. The cockerels flesh also begins to get more stringy and tough.

Figure out when this molt is. That is your cull date, and forever after, you are trying to get a good and meaty (not grocery store meaty) carcass by then. That will press you to improve them. Your later roasters can be from your top birds that you grew out longer.

You have to be hard on the pullets for type and size etc. They are half of the contribution. They are important. Do not keep a small pullet with poor type. Maybe be more forgiving of them. Maybe not. It depends on what you have. You do not have a lot to choose from this year. Maybe figure on culling half of them for size and type. They are good eating to.

You should be shooting for two trios. Or a quad with two cockerels. Base the families on the sire, and alternate two males on four females. That will give you enough eggs from each sire to hatch. That will give you twenty eggs per week and for two weeks, that is 40. If you get 36 to hatch, that is enough to start two families. Two families will be a more simple start. You will not have any trouble coming up with a Naked Neck that you would be happy with when you need one. Then hatch one family in the spring, and one in the fall. Or one, one year, and the other, the next.

Do as you please. It is just offering ideas.

I really think that two families is the way to go for you. It is simpler, and easy to manage.

When researching breeding for egg production there seems to be a lot of emphases on using pullets in the breeding pens. I’m going out on a limb here. But using chickens of that immature age could work against breeding quality birds. They haven't had the time to show their metal. As you pointed out gjensen that two weeks out of a 52 week cycle isn't enough time to evaluate a quality egg layer. Wouldn't this same idea apply to breeder selection?