BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Kev]

Just because we would pick the easy and visible prey does not mean the predators do...from what I've read or seen, they usually nab the more natural looking prey or the obvious loners that are far from the flock.

I had a bunch of red goldens let loose to free range. They stay around like chickens. It was awesome to watch them display a fuller range of natural behavior. For example, on free range they showed being able to walk along branches, like a monkey does. They'd grab the thinnest twigs and reach out to the branches on an adjoining tree and walk over.. something chickens cannot do and you just don't get to see in an aviary... The males also showed courtship behaviors they never did while confined.

Anyways the point for responding to your comment is, they all did great spring time through mid-fall..... until the winter hawks showed up. ALL of the females and juvenile males were killed, while the fully colored adult males were left alone. For years..... Hawks never touched those.

I've always thought it was because the males did not resemble any of their natural prey, too different looking. I can imagine that some hawks would 'learn' to give them a go though as hawks will go after chickens, so...

 

[Arielle]

Lavender will help as well. Also, just taking the wool out a few times a year, tossing it around, and letting it rest in the sunshine for an hour or two will help. The moths don't like light and movement and typically settle on things that are in the dark and rarely handled.

We bought some alpacas last year at $200/head for their fleece, which reminds me that I need to get said fleece sold.

Holy moly, great price. I havent mentioned it to DH yet. . . waiting for the timing to be right. lol ANd yes, the moths do seem to find my woolen item that is dropped somewhere and forgotten.

Quote: Sorry for your loss, both of you. We are never ready for that day.

 

[holm25]

I ordered a few special hens today to do some meat bird projects!!

 

[gjensen]

This was a popular and productive cross in it's day. A good dual purpose cross where the cockerels could be put to good use. Note that both have good size, deep bodies, and would offer good fryers at a young age. You will get nothing like these from a hatchery.

There is nothing taboo about traditional simple crosses. Particularly when considering the benefits of the vigor from crossing two tightly bred, and distantly related lines. The problem is that it requires good smart breeding of two breeds, which the way people like to collect chickens, that should not be a problem. Not a problem if learning to select the two breeds is done.

Jwhip has both breeds, and good strains for making this cross.

 

[gjensen]

That's how I feel too. There was once a time when a white bird was more attractive due to having less visible hairs and pin feathers on the finished carcass, for the use of the feathers in pillows, mattresses, etc. and people just wanted to eat a white bird...had some perception of them being more clean and wholesome, I guess. Those old timers would gag if they saw folks breeding chickens with black meat!

To me they are the height of practicality and versatility so that makes them attractive to me. The White Rocks have a way of moving across the land that is less a walk and more of a glide, like royalty pacing down the middle of a red carpet...they don't get in a hurry, but they get there. They have a calm, regal air about them that I admire and they back it up with gaining weight on little feed, keeping good weights on little feed, performing well in the cold weather and even in the hot, they work hard at foraging and laying and their meat has a density and fine texture that I've found no equal for just yet. Their eggs are extra large and uniform and, if you get the right line, they will lay like crazy and through the winter. I've had many breeds but none with the fineness of feather of the WRs...pure light silk in texture.

And you are right...when ill bred, they look common, when done right they look beautiful! They bring a smile to my face and I guess that's what everyone feels when they look at their special, chosen breed...that warmth and kinship between flock owner and flock.

Here you go Bee. These have great type, do not look to be oversized, nice tight feathering, and they are not overdone. Beautiful, practical, and useful. I am kind of fond of them to, so I can relate. I always admired good White Wyandotte to.Too many have too much feather today. A good utility line is better off with simpler colors. The more traits to select for, the slower it is to make progress, and the more difficult to maintain. The silly mice taught me that as a kid. I could make a lot of progress with size in five generations. Add a color, and fur type, etc. to the mix, then you are talking 15 generations. And there is more to select for with our birds even when they are a simple color.

 

[hellbender]

I ordered a few special hens today to do some meat bird projects!!

Is it private or do you mind saying what breeds? I'm one of those who crosses breeds and strains in hope of specific results.

 

[Our Roost]

Ha Ha, and just what is your formula for producing those results?

 

[mayble]

Those old timers would gag if they saw folks breeding chickens with black meat!

Not just the old timers! I googled some pictures this morning out of curiosity - blech

 

[holm25]

Is it private or do you mind saying what breeds? I'm one of those who crosses breeds and strains in hope of specific results.

A few are Dark Cornish hens and some White Rocks hens. Hopefully next summer if I like the hatchery cross birds I will get these breeds from good breeder so they have more size to them.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

While I can relate . . .I 'm working myself up to trying some black meat.