BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[CanadianBuckeye]

This is newfoundland it is the Atlantic storm graveyard so we always get rain I can ship you some if you need it god knows what it will cost

I'll take the rain, but you can keep the black flies! Any icebergs, you can send our way too.

 

[Beer can]

Has anyone heard from that crazy rabbit?

Not lately, hope he comes back to holler at us soon...

 

[Beer can]

Was in the garden all 90degrees beaten sun day...so glad when the sun went down tilled up another section for planting tomorrow and the gnats ate me alive!!! I swear they come out of the dirt, I'd almost had rather delt with the beating sun.

 

[Beer can]

Are you having a storm? Looks like we are having a drought........... ugh.

Been dry as crap here also, humid though, waiting for a storm, heard thunder the last couple days.

 

[ronott1]

Was in the garden all 90degrees beaten sun day...so glad when the sun went down tilled up another section for planting tomorrow and the gnats ate me alive!!! I swear they come out of the dirt, I'd almost had rather delt with the beating sun.

Yes, they come out of the dirt.

Look it up!

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

I got my 9 week weights on my German New Hampshire chicks. They are roughly the same weights as the hatchery NNs from Ideal at that age (this is just comparing boys to boys). I went through a lot to get these special GNHs from a very good breeder, so I was a bit amused. That being said, though, I've been happy with the look and health of the GNHs overall, and as I have three girls, will be keeping a quad for breeding for at least a couple years. I plan on crossing the GNHs with my NNs.

I was thinking - if the GNH boys can roughly match the growth of NNs while being fully feathered and at the "disadvantage" of having to "spend" all that protein on feathers, perhaps when brought into the NN line there will indeed be a size benefit. (And, of course, there are variables that cannot be controlled, at least in my management/abilities, with regard to season, feed, etc.).

I suspect that I MIGHT find that any growth advantage may come a bit later in the GNHs than in NNs, and will need to keep the GNH boys longer to evaluate for a keeper (provided they don't start trying to kill each other). I only say this because the sole *hatchery* New Hampshire pullet I kept in the NN flock (about 8-9 months old currently) is heavier than the other NN girls, with a very nice body shape/conformation for a dual purpose/meat bird. Polly is a good girl and keeps Mr. Snapeity Snape Snape happy (she's a bit of a favorite).

I gotta tell you, if there's not added benefit in crossing in the GNHs, then this is a lot of work for not much return, although it is temporarily engaging/amusing. If that happens I may give up all fancy schmancy cross attempts (and their associated cost and trouble) and just keep a mixed NN flock (with maybe another batch of Ideal chicks added in) and breed the big 'uns.

- Ant Farm

(Cross-posed to the Naked Neck Thread - please forgive any duplication on your eyeballs...)

 

[Kassaundra]

Sent 11 buns to freezer camp, still have about 20 or more to go. Man turn your back on them for a month or two and things just get ridiculous!

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

I got my 9 week weights on my German New Hampshire chicks. They are roughly the same weights as the hatchery NNs from Ideal at that age (this is just comparing boys to boys). I went through a lot to get these special GNHs from a very good breeder, so I was a bit amused. That being said, though, I've been happy with the look and health of the GNHs overall, and as I have three girls, will be keeping a quad for breeding for at least a couple years. I plan on crossing the GNHs with my NNs.

I was thinking - if the GNH boys can roughly match the growth of NNs while being fully feathered and at the "disadvantage" of having to "spend" all that protein on feathers, perhaps when brought into the NN line there will indeed be a size benefit. (And, of course, there are variables that cannot be controlled, at least in my management/abilities, with regard to season, feed, etc.).

I suspect that I MIGHT find that any growth advantage may come a bit later in the GNHs than in NNs, and will need to keep the GNH boys longer to evaluate for a keeper (provided they don't start trying to kill each other). I only say this because the sole *hatchery* New Hampshire pullet I kept in the NN flock (about 8-9 months old currently) is heavier than the other NN girls, with a very nice body shape/conformation for a dual purpose/meat bird. Polly is a good girl and keeps Mr. Snapeity Snape Snape happy (she's a bit of a favorite).

I gotta tell you, if there's not added benefit in crossing in the GNHs, then this is a lot of work for not much return, although it is temporarily engaging/amusing. If that happens I may give up all fancy schmancy cross attempts (and their associated cost and trouble) and just keep a mixed NN flock (with maybe another batch of Ideal chicks added in) and breed the big 'uns.

- Ant Farm

(Cross-posed to the Naked Neck Thread - please forgive any duplication on your eyeballs...)

Definitely sounds like a good plan !

 

[DesertChic]

I'm feeling a little bummed today. I had to cull one of my favorite roosters, Q. He foolishly decided to fight my dominant rooster, Copper, over some girls and he lost...big time. In fact, he lost one of his eyes in the process. So, instead of breeding him a few more times to take advantage of his extraordinary comb, he's now in my freezer. Thankfully he did give me a really nice son, so his genetics will live on, but it's not quite the same.

Q strikes a pose. He was the only bird I ever had who loved being photographed.


Quincy, Q's son:

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

I'm feeling a little bummed today. I had to cull one of my favorite roosters, Q. He foolishly decided to fight my dominant rooster, Copper, over some girls and he lost...big time. In fact, he lost one of his eyes in the process. So, instead of breeding him a few more times to take advantage of his extraordinary comb, he's now in my freezer. Thankfully he did give me a really nice son, so his genetics will live on, but it's not quite the same.

Q strikes a pose. He was the only bird I ever had who loved being photographed.


Quincy, Q's son:

I'm so sorry to hear that.