BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[DesertChic]

I think the way most bee keepers handle them is to put a box with pheromones near the swarm and they naturally stuff themselves in the box. That's the way I've read they capture swarms anyway. I was considering getting a bee hive a little while back and I read and watched videos on how they do it. When my wife found out I was thinking about getting bees she made it clear that wasn't going to happen. She's pretty good about most things I want to do but I could tell this wasn't one of them.

Yeah, we love honey and I love to see my garden get pollinated, but there is absolutely no way I will ever get past my fear of bees to be able to keep them. I couple years back the local news reported on a missing hiker and his dog that had been found stung to death by thousands of bees. I just can't get past that.

 

[DesertChic]

So I just collected data on my chicks for the first time. These were the first 5 Silver Gray Dorkings from P. Allen Smith's line to reach 1 month. It was really interesting that when I actually recorded data on each numbered chick (thanks to Lpatelski's chicken jewelry) I was able to see differences I'd never have noticed just looking at them in the pen. There was a clear leader at 12 oz. and a clear loser at 9 oz. The largest chick scored consistently high on every marker from head width to body depth and looks like it might be a cockerel. Another chick weighed in at 12 oz. as well but the markers were less consistent. It had a little less length of back but a little more heart girth and might be a pullet. Another interesting point is that the genders are not clearly apparent yet at one month while my Marans were pretty clear at 2 weeks.

Sounds like you're off to a good start.

 

[ronott1]

Yeah, we love honey and I love to see my garden get pollinated, but there is absolutely no way I will ever get past my fear of bees to be able to keep them. I couple years back the local news reported on a missing hiker and his dog that had been found stung to death by thousands of bees. I just can't get past that.

The bees were Africanized bees right?

No one raises them for honey as far as I know.

 

[jbkirk]

The bees were Africanized bees right?

No one raises them for honey as far as I know.

Some beekeepers are starting to integrate them...

One reason that they are so prevalent is because they are more aggressive in everything they do.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Some beekeepers are starting to integrate them...

One reason that they are so prevalent is because they are more aggressive in everything they do.

I don't think that is a very good idea. But I don't know much about bees.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

So I just collected data on my chicks for the first time. These were the first 5 Silver Gray Dorkings from P. Allen Smith's line to reach 1 month. It was really interesting that when I actually recorded data on each numbered chick (thanks to Lpatelski's chicken jewelry) I was able to see differences I'd never have noticed just looking at them in the pen. There was a clear leader at 12 oz. and a clear loser at 9 oz. The largest chick scored consistently high on every marker from head width to body depth and looks like it might be a cockerel. Another chick weighed in at 12 oz. as well but the markers were less consistent. It had a little less length of back but a little more heart girth and might be a pullet. Another interesting point is that the genders are not clearly apparent yet at one month while my Marans were pretty clear at 2 weeks.

I thought that silver dorkings were sexable at hatch? No?

Yeah, we love honey and I love to see my garden get pollinated, but there is absolutely no way I will ever get past my fear of bees to be able to keep them. I couple years back the local news reported on a missing hiker and his dog that had been found stung to death by thousands of bees. I just can't get past that.

That's just dreadful.

 

[ronott1]

I thought that silver dorkings were sexable at hatch? No?

That's just dreadful.

no, they are not. You can tell by the breast feathers as they come in.

At best they will be 85% correct by the color at hatch. They are like Partridge Penedesencas and I think Wellsummers--Not really auto sexing like Cream Legbars.

(Although others will try to tell you something different--do not believe them).

 

[ejcrist]

The bees were Africanized bees right?

No one raises them for honey as far as I know.

I don't know anyone that raises them for honey either, and if there were they're probably not around any more. I read that there's an ongoing debate about whether or not African bees are actually a different species from European bees. I believe they're physically identical to European bees and the only difference is in their attitude. If that's true though I wonder how you could tell the difference without getting them rowled up. I think in the beginning someone imported them to South America for honey production as they're supposed to be prolific producers of honey. But then they inevitable got loose and made their way to North America leaving a trail of misery along the way. It's an interesting subject but from what I understand beekeepers in AZ mark their queens and check the hive frequently to ensure she's still there, and if they find she isn't they'll kill the queen and order a new one. I think if they're managed properly there's very little risk associated with them but I completely understand Desert Chic's feelings towards them - that's the same way my wife feels. Even though the risk is probably low there's is a risk nonetheless, unlike with the occasional chicken on a rampage.

 

[gevshiba]

I don't know anyone that raises them for honey either, and if there were they're probably not around any more. I read that there's an ongoing debate about whether or not African bees are actually a different species from European bees. I believe they're physically identical to European bees and the only difference is in their attitude. If that's true though I wonder how you could tell the difference without getting them rowled up. I think in the beginning someone imported them to South America for honey production as they're supposed to be prolific producers of honey. But then they inevitable got loose and made their way to North America leaving a trail of misery along the way. It's an interesting subject but from what I understand beekeepers in AZ mark their queens and check the hive frequently to ensure she's still there, and if they find she isn't they'll kill the queen and order a new one. I think if they're managed properly there's very little risk associated with them but I completely understand Desert Chic's feelings towards them - that's the same way my wife feels. Even though the risk is probably low there's is a risk nonetheless, unlike with the occasional chicken on a rampage.

I might be misremembering, but I think someone told me that the bees are interbreeding, so destroying all the Africanized bees isn't practical.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

So I just collected data on my chicks for the first time. These were the first 5 Silver Gray Dorkings from P. Allen Smith's line to reach 1 month. It was really interesting that when I actually recorded data on each numbered chick (thanks to Lpatelski's chicken jewelry) I was able to see differences I'd never have noticed just looking at them in the pen. There was a clear leader at 12 oz. and a clear loser at 9 oz. The largest chick scored consistently high on every marker from head width to body depth and looks like it might be a cockerel. Another chick weighed in at 12 oz. as well but the markers were less consistent. It had a little less length of back but a little more heart girth and might be a pullet. Another interesting point is that the genders are not clearly apparent yet at one month while my Marans were pretty clear at 2 weeks.

Amazing isn't it? It can be a bit of a pain to gather the data if you have your hands full - I have some chicks right now that I SHOULD have been weighing since week 1, but have decided to wait and weigh at week 5. But you learn so much more!!!

But one thing I learned in this recent group - beware of blindly following the data and looking at size as king of all, if you intend to also keep breeders and want flock leaders. Tiny cockerels should be culled, yes, but among big birds, a very small advantage in weight is useless if a cockerel ends up being an aggressive $^^#$^& that you can't use and don't want sons from. A large, quickly growing, but very slightly less heavy bird in adulthood may be worth his weight in gold. Case in point: Tank, AKA Mr. Family Man. BEST. ROOSTER. EVER. Adore this boy. I was on my knees 2.5 feet from him when I took this photo, messing with the bedding in his coop/territory - no problemo. His girls (five Speckled Sussex) ADORE him, and he adores them as well. And he apparently listened to my Womens Studies 101 for Cockerels lecture - he dances skillfully, but accepts "no" from the girls if they're not in the mood (though they are pretty small compared to him). They are not remotely overbred. This is such a successful family group that it delights me to just sit and watch them be together... (My Cream Legbar rooster Dumbledore is also fantastic, in a trio, so good to the girls. Snape the giant Naked Neck, the other hand, is not downright abusive, but IS a bit of a caveman...)




- Ant Farm