BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[bnjrob]

Yes, I have one that started crowing early--he has olive egg genes and is a cross between araucana, leghorn and Partridge Penedesenca.

Cute little thing. His crow is very cute to hear. Definately not very lout.

The Pita Pintas have not started crowing yet and the are the same age--9 weeks old.

We have several out of every hatch that crow really early. Some of them will stop crowing when they get moved to the pasture and can hear and see the adults, but others think they're hot stuff and they will continue to lend their sickly crowing sounds to the music of the adult crowers.

 

[Kev]

If it's not normal, chances are we do it around here. The batch of turkey poults we got last month - barely a week old and several of them started strutting and chest bumping, even fanning out their tiny little tail feathers to show off. It's always something here.

That is normal for poults. Ditto for peachicks- not uncommon to see them raising their little tail at even a day old.

Crowing at 3 weeks, now that is something I don't see however it gets mentioned here and there often enough.

 

[gjensen]

I was checking into rooster fertility in the heat and came across a bulletin from the Kansas State board of Agriculture from 1911-1912. Notice that they used both Rooster and Cockerel in the report...from 1912!

The point is that it was not profitable even in 1912 to raise cockerels past crowing age.

Do not get me started. LOL.

 

[bnjrob]

That is normal for poults. Ditto for peachicks- not uncommon to see them raising their little tail at even a day old.

Crowing at 3 weeks, now that is something I don't see however it gets mentioned here and there often enough.

Good to know about the poults. At first I wasn't even sure of what I was seeing - took me a minute to realize what was going on. Absolutely hilarious. The poults have way more personality than our chickens do. They are going to be a mess by the time they get put out to the pasture. Bad enough the donkeys follow me around and get into mischief, picturing all these turkeys doing the same thing...aye yi yi.

 

[gjensen]

I ordered multiple roosters. They will not be getting processed when they crow. I need to find the Best rooster for each breed. And you never know how a bird will turn out at full maturity

You find a rhyme and rhythm to the timing of the selection. Some should go real early, early, later, and late. It is a process. There is no reason to carry them all until late, but it is not smart to get rid of them all early. By 8wks a percentage goes here, then most go in the 12-14wk range. Less in the 24 wk. range, and if they make it a year . . . I have hope in them, but I cannot keep them all.

 

[gjensen]

Early crowers is not unusual in some lines, but does not represent sexual maturity. The evaluations concerning economy are a comparison to sexual maturity and the peak of the growth curve.

My Catalanas have the extreme early crowers, but are not the typical. The typical is exceptionally early though, if not a little earlier than I prefer.

 

[collie1470]

After one gets a bit of experience, the 'keepers' are pretty obvious before beginning to crow.  In our case, the many birds that are not reserved for breeding have been turned to [COLOR=EE82EE]EUNUCHS [/COLOR]LONG before any notion of crowing crosses their little minds.

EDIT:  Even in dealing with superior stock and regardless of what type of animal is being bred, it is only a very select few that is worthy of being used as breeding stock...that goes for males and females of the species.

Our non-breeding boys will be caponized as well. I mean...my goodness, have you seen the market price for capon meat?!?! It's about $8 a pound, bones included! Crazy prices. Unfortunately for me, I'll have to be the one to learn how to do it, since I have way steadier hands than my fiance does haha. But, I like the idea of eating a full grown bird, versus a little cockerel.

 

[Kev]

Good to know about the poults. At first I wasn't even sure of what I was seeing - took me a minute to realize what was going on. Absolutely hilarious. The poults have way more personality than our chickens do. They are going to be a mess by the time they get put out to the pasture. Bad enough the donkeys follow me around and get into mischief, picturing all these turkeys doing the same thing...aye yi yi.

That is very true, the poults are among the most charming little ones.

Sorry to say, expect their sweet personality to continue.....

There is some difference between breeds/lines in the young and adults. Some stay way friendly, others get a little more aloof/independent and unfortunately in some lines the toms can be inclined to be obnoxious in not a good way.

 

[JRNash]

I will know better when i order my SOP standard.

 

[JRNash]

I don't plan on showing. I think,strictly an opinion, The SOP.will.be a guide.