BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[CanadianBuckeye]

And speaking of something phenomenal (they just were, on another thread), I'm convinced that something near 80% of the hens on this farm have gone into ''Mass-Brood-Syndrome". (Including my daughter, Ariel...I'm fearful of seeing the international phone charges on this month's bill).

It seems like just a few days ago, we were getting so many eggs, they were being cooked and fed to anything that would eat them from dogs to hogs, yet suddenly we seem to be straining to get 20 or 25 eggs from all operations/projects on this place.

Not only has my daughter, in cahoots with my son Jason, have stuffed eggs under every Dark Cornish I own with the exception of the new one from Georgia and one of the hatchery birds but I think her day will soon be upon us. This morning I was informed that 3 or 4 of my big ol' Chantecler hens were setting on convex piles of eggs and I KNOW in my heart that they have three big burly Buckeye gals that had been penned with a Chantecler cock-bird for the last several weeks have disappeared from sight.

At a family meeting, we had agreed that a total of 75 chicks plus or minus, would be plenty for us this year since we can use pullets as well as cockerels to sexually alter.

I think there just might be a bit of subterfuge afoot here. I know approximately how many hens make their homes on this farm and realize there is a prospect of being more than 300+ chicks chasing around after their mammies in short order and the blame will fall to NATURE.

Well, perhaps having the hens do the work will be less stressful but I'll believe that when I see it.

OOOoooooo this is going to be good!

But I suppose you will have to guess what the chicks' parentages are.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

So, here is my story of how I have tried to use my chickens to actually improve my ground. Sorry the pics could tell it better if I had thought to take them all from the same spot but here goes.

The chicken yard is 1/2 acre of flat ground that had been base rocked about 4" deep. Surrounding that is vast wooded areas. My focus was on the rocked part.

It all looked like this


I penned 75 three month old birds in one section of electro net for a total of 20 sf per. I left them confined for three months. I only let them out when cleaning the coop. I used pine shavings in the coop (horse trailer) and tossed the old bedding into the pen. I did not have any wood chips at the time. I did not attempt deep litter in the trailer. I did not till or otherwise turn the ground.The bits of green you see below is nothing but tar weed and small brush.

After three months the ground was very heavily impacted and had a residue of manure and shavings over the whole 1600 square feet.
About that time the wood chips arrived so I pulled down the fence and let them loose to manure the wood chips pile as it broke down some.
I seeded the whole flat, the area where the chickens had been as well as the rest of it so I could see the difference between where they had been confined and the rest of the flat. The coop was not moved and the chickens where not kept off the area. They preferred to stay on the chip piles.

This is how it looks now You can just see the front of the trailer in the upper right corner.

A view from above you can see where their impact stopped the seeds did not germinate.


Not the lushest pasture out there, but it is a very significant improvement.

That's very interesting, I'm planning on doing the same sort of thing with my chicken tractors- but I need more chickens first.

 

[Mini Meat]

That's very interesting, I'm planning on doing the same sort of thing with my chicken tractors- but I need more chickens first.

Chickens can be a great tool but they need you to focus their attentions.

After the grasses go to seed I am not going to mow or weed whack them. I am going to tie a string to both ends of a 4' 2x4 and use that to "trample" the grass down by stepping on the board. Think "crop circles"

 

[hellbender]

OOOoooooo this is going to be good!

But I suppose you will have to guess what the chicks' parentages are.

Yep...sort of. It can be one of two cocks, pure Chanteclers. Only two breeds of hens, Chantecler and Dark Cornish.

I will be more careful henceforth, especially when dealing with what I consider to be superior hens (Cornish) that have just arrived but I think the hatchery DCs will work nicely for capons and I will reserve the better birds for breeding in the future.

 

[hellbender]

WOW! I'm exhausted just reading about all those broodies and possible vast quantities of chicks. (Including Ariel, LOL!)

I'm sure you're joking about Ariel. It's still just a bit early and I haven't the nerve to ask questions but I do have grave suspicions. Whatever will be just fine....always room for one more at the trough and we can put a bit more water in the soup!

 

[Mini Meat]

Quote: If they are part Cornish they should have the crazy eyes. At least I think my Cornish have crazy eyes. They are not crazy though.

 

[hellbender]

If they are part Cornish they should have the crazy eyes. At least I think my Cornish have crazy eye. They are not crazy though.

The ONLY other breeds here are Naked Necks and Buckeyes....all in enclosures with covered runs.

 

[DesertChic]

I'm sure you're joking about Ariel. It's still just a bit early and I haven't the nerve to ask questions but I do have grave suspicions. Whatever will be just fine....always room for one more at the trough and we can put a bit more water in the soup!

I'll be anxiously awaiting updates...on everyone.

 

[DesertChic]

It's been over a week now and my injured little cockerel has been healing very well and has grown extremely attached to me (and vice versa). My only concern is the spot on top of his beak. I think the rooster(s) that attacked him actually broke the beak there. I tried re-integrating him with his old flock, but that spot on top of his beak drew everyone's attention and within minutes it was bleeding profusely again. If it doesn't heal, I honestly don't know where I'll house him.

And for any fellow "Walking Dead" fans out there....I named him Carl.

The wound on his head is almost completely healed. Just a bit more scabbing left.


You can clearly see the missing point on his comb. Cosmetic only.


And here's the spot on his beak that concerns me. I'm really hoping that with a little more time it will close up and heal properly.

 

[Mini Meat]

A little dab of coconut oil would be safe to put on his beak. It won't hurt his eyes or be poisonous. It might help the healing