BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[hellbender]

I prefer the Austra-Whites over Leghorns because the the resulting capon is much more worthwhile....far meatier than the Leghorn to begin with and in MHO, the AWs are less excitable of the two breeds....less chance of killing them with shock. I have no charts or any kind of literature on this but it's my personal touchy-feeling on the subject.

Couldn't help it...so sorry...

edit: I bought AW cockerels from Cackle three times and each shipment developed into nice sized birds...Capons as well as intact.

 

[hellbender]

Yes, of course. I realize there are size differences in both White Rocks and in White Leghorns. I'm simply comparing hatchery type to hatchery type. Not that there's anything wrong with hatchery tyke, that's mostly all I know anyway. Never have had breeder birds way too expensive for me and my purposes.

Although I bought my Chanteclers from a hatchery (Cackle), I think I was lucky to have gotten them before the hatchery had time to ruin them and I think I have some birds that can compete but I know they will need considerable work to real contenders.

 

[oshun55555]

Quote: My thoughts exactly, I use a rolling method of breeding, don't need records with, If i had to collect data, just kill me now. I have been raising and eating my birds for a very long time and my instincts are good enough to not have to do drudgery (which is how i feel about record keeping)

 

[Kassaundra]

I prefer the Austra-Whites over Leghorns because the the resulting capon is much more worthwhile....far meatier than the Leghorn to begin with and in MHO, the AWs are less excitable of the two breeds....less chance of killing them with shock. I have no charts or any kind of literature on this but it's my personal touchy-feeling on the subject.

Couldn't help it...so sorry...

edit: I bought AW cockerels from Cackle three times and each shipment developed into nice sized birds...Capons as well as intact.

Absolutely agree, the flightier birds are not good capon candidates. They are much more likely not to make it through the procedure. Leghorns being one of the worst.

 

[varidgerunner]

I've never caponized, but I've bought a bunch of assortments. I've butchered at all different times. If you need the testicles to be decent sized to be able to find, the mixed breed assortments could be tough. Different breeds mature at different times. I've butchered Brahmas that were huge and had bb sized testicles. Wyandottes the same age were the size of plums.

The best thing I found to do with leghorns is butcher them when they are big enough to tell apart. There is not much meat but it is tasty. You aren't going to gain much by growing them bigger. I used to hatch about three hundred leghorns every year, and sell the pullets when they started laying. We ate a lot of leghorn roosters. They are a true production machine, they lay like crazy.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

(On a different topic, I don't know what is officially recommended for rabbit tractors, but I would put a wire floor of some sort in them. My pet rabbits dug out of their open-floored chicken tractor about every other day.)

Oh, the meat rabbits will be raised in wire cages - and inside, in my climate. (Hence the housing issue.) I'm not wanting the parasite issue that raising domestic rabbits on the ground brings. I would cut the forage and provide in cages as fresh greens.

- Ant Farm

 

[cyborg]

Perhaps early next summer ( Ariel's idea)...she and I might pay you a visit.  ( we love motels)...We would really enjoy looking around that area and provided you are interested, we could have a Caponizing 'Clinic', just to get you up and running.  If you have room, we could order 15 or 25 Austra-White Cockerels.  They make excellent birds to begin with.

Something to consider!

If this happens, keep me posted! Inquiring minds and all that!

 

[Kassaundra]

I've never caponized, but I've bought a bunch of assortments. I've butchered at all different times. If you need the testicles to be decent sized to be able to find, the mixed breed assortments could be tough. Different breeds mature at different times. I've butchered Brahmas that were huge and had bb sized testicles. Wyandottes the same age were the size of plums.

The best thing I found to do with leghorns is butcher them when they are big enough to tell apart. There is not much meat but it is tasty. You aren't going to gain much by growing them bigger. I used to hatch about three hundred leghorns every year, and sell the pullets when they started laying. We ate a lot of leghorn roosters. They are a true production machine, they lay like crazy.

I wouldn't caponize leghorns enmass (or even individually) they would get fatter, but they will always be a "slight" breed caponizing won't change that. And many would be lost from shock, they REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, object to the tying down process more then anything. They work themselves up to such a state they are much more likely to die of "shock" even w/ very successful techniques.

 

[varidgerunner]

The thing that I always noticed and admired about the leghorn cockerels, their breast meat seemed to grow more in proportion to the size of their breast bone. As soon as their comb became distinguishable, we found it cost efficient to go ahead and salvage what we could form them. Which means they were between dove and quail sized. But always with full breasts. Some breeds I have dealt with were 7 pound birds and their keel bone was sticking out with two little ribbons of meat on either side.

 

[hellbender]

Absolutely! I'd LOVE to meet you guys!

One warning though...the summers here can be pretty miserable...especially if you're not used to the heat. June is the absolute worst month out here with temps in the 100 range and high humidity before monsoons kick in. But the mountains where I live are a gorgeous place to visit during the hot season and we literally live a little below the base of one of those mountains. I'd love to show off my little corner of the world.

And the Caponizing Clinic would be a bonus. I'd be happy to pay you for your time.

Don't know where my mind was when I suggested Austra-Whites. I took an 'old man's nap' and came to my senses....Don't know why I didn't think of Naked Necks as first choice. The AW's did fine here but the NNs would almost certainly be the breed for you to learn with.

Yep...the EDIT: We will have our hands full here until somewhere around the first two weeks of June. We can then slip away for some time close to a week. We'll certainly be flying so no exhaustion from a long drive and turn-around.