BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[varidgerunner]

I am guessing Southern Appalachians?

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

I only have Speckled Sussex and turkeys, so I can't comment on auto sexing or any of those other ways to sex early. But I can say that I'm getting much better at educated guesses. I think the more you get to know your chosen breed, the better you get at *seeing* those characteristics.

After reading a lot, I think my "problem" is that I think all 5 are pullets by tail, breast feathering, and body shape - this is a good thing (I will use them as backyard layers), but I was trying to see differences where there are none...

That is the reason I got some Bielefelders, I wanted to know what my chicks were when they hatched.

Yeah, I looked into them as well, but unfortunately, I don't think they will do well in our extreme heat here (per DesertChic).

- Ant Farm

 

[Kassaundra]

@FAF, I wouldn't "count my pullets" just yet if I were you

OOOOPs that was meant for Stink not FAF


Double oooops, I think I posted this to the wrong thread. I need more coffee.

 

[DesertChic]

@FAF, I wouldn't "count my pullets" just yet if I were you

OOOOPs that was meant for Stink not FAF


Double oooops, I think I posted this to the wrong thread. I need more coffee.

LMAO!!!

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

@Kassaundra no pullet counting here...

I'm cross-posting this from the Naked Neck thread - I hope that's not too irritating for the NN folks who've already seen this.

OK, I didn't get weights last week, but I got weights today (figured out that a small cardboard box on the scale worked better at containing them now that they're bigger). In order to make the graphs work, I had to extrapolate the "missing" week 9 weights (so week 9 weights are calculated, not actual measurements). You can see that the males and females have now very clearly separated.

Bane is on an impressive growth spurt trajectory, and will catch Tank any day now. Interestingly, something spooked them all this evening while I was out there - I realized belatedly that it was me laughing very loudly (well, they were being funny!!!!). I guess it was high pitched and sounded like something threatening. Anyhow, interestingly, only Tank and Bane stayed outside, both on alert - Bane was far out in the paddock on alert, and Tank perched on a concrete block right by the door and took a protective stance. (Dozer ran like a little wuss). I'm watching them all develop, but making note of behaviors like this. Only the lowest ranking males have been bothering the pullets. Still not sure I want a rose comb in my flock, but Bane is so HUGE!!!! Meanwhile, Trinity (all black pullet) is about to catch Mystique as largest pullet - can you imagine a Trinity/Bane cross?! Black and big!!!

Oh, I almost forgot - Bane is now crowing! I heard someone over the past week or so, but directly observed him this morning. Not the loveliest thing I ever heard, but definitely an attempted crow.





- Ant Farm

 

[draye]

Hi,
I can do find out the sexes of my chicks  three ways. My strains can be feather sexed at hatch thru 4 days old.
Second, the hackle feathers work. Rounded at the ends is a female. Pointed at the ends is Male.
Third is  the old metal nut and string method. Some say it is horsefeathers. I don't agree. I saw it work. Amazing. I rehomed 5 cockerels and pullets to a local farmer. Farmer Karl  is an old time farmer and when I told him the started birds could have been feather sexed,  Karl was not impressed and ordered me to go get a small metal nut ( that wrenches onto a bolt)  and a smaller diameter string. I got both and he tied the small nut (sans bolt) onto the string. Then ordered me to watch. Held each chick and held the string over their heads. Now I already knew which was male and female. I watched, fascinated, as the nut began to move, either in a circle over their heads or in a back and forth line over their heads...depending on the sex.  Karl nailed it 100% on the corrct sexes.  Very impressive.
 Best,
 Karen

You never said which was which on the sexing that Farmer Karl did.

Is the circling for the female and back and forth for the male?

Does anyone know where this practice originated?

Witchcraft. My wife's folks can do it. No joking either.

 

[varidgerunner]

Back and forth for males is the way I learned it. Across the border in West Virginia it might be the other way around but that doesn't concern me, nothing but Hatfields over there anyway.

 

[DesertChic]

@Kassaundra no pullet counting here...

I'm cross-posting this from the Naked Neck thread - I hope that's not too irritating for the NN folks who've already seen this.

OK, I didn't get weights last week, but I got weights today (figured out that a small cardboard box on the scale worked better at containing them now that they're bigger). In order to make the graphs work, I had to extrapolate the "missing" week 9 weights (so week 9 weights are calculated, not actual measurements). You can see that the males and females have now very clearly separated.

Bane is on an impressive growth spurt trajectory, and will catch Tank any day now. Interestingly, something spooked them all this evening while I was out there - I realized belatedly that it was me laughing very loudly (well, they were being funny!!!!). I guess it was high pitched and sounded like something threatening. Anyhow, interestingly, only Tank and Bane stayed outside, both on alert - Bane was far out in the paddock on alert, and Tank perched on a concrete block right by the door and took a protective stance. (Dozer ran like a little wuss). I'm watching them all develop, but making note of behaviors like this. Only the lowest ranking males have been bothering the pullets. Still not sure I want a rose comb in my flock, but Bane is so HUGE!!!! Meanwhile, Trinity (all black pullet) is about to catch Mystique as largest pullet - can you imagine a Trinity/Bane cross?! Black and big!!!

Oh, I almost forgot - Bane is now crowing! I heard someone over the past week or so, but directly observed him this morning. Not the loveliest thing I ever heard, but definitely an attempted crow.





- Ant Farm

I love when they first start crowing! Cracks me up every time with their little kazoo voices and awkwardness, as if they're looking around for approval or something after that first crow. My breeding Bielefelder cockerel began crowing at 3 weeks and it literally sounded like a child screaming. When I burst out laughing he looked positively indignant, repositioned on his roost and screamed again at full volume before fluffing his feathers and hopping away. Hilarious!

Would you be willing to message me with the largest cockerel weights you have for you NNs at 6 weeks? I'd like to compare your results with my current hatch and my first hatch...just for my own reference. My current hatch, while developing well, isn't growing as quickly as the parent stock did, and I'd appreciate another node for comparison.

 

[dfr1973]

I love when they first start crowing! Cracks me up every time with their little kazoo voices and awkwardness, as if they're looking around for approval or something after that first crow. My breeding Bielefelder cockerel began crowing at 3 weeks and it literally sounded like a child screaming. When I burst out laughing he looked positively indignant, repositioned on his roost and screamed again at full volume before fluffing his feathers and hopping away. Hilarious!

Would you be willing to message me with the largest cockerel weights you have for you NNs at 6 weeks? I'd like to compare your results with my current hatch and my first hatch...just for my own reference. My current hatch, while developing well, isn't growing as quickly as the parent stock did, and I'd appreciate another node for comparison.

No, post it up here as well. My GLWs will be 6 weeks on Tuesday, and I'd like to see if they've gained any ground with the expanded feeding schedule.

As for that first week's attempts at crowing ... I do not call it crowing, I call it kazooing.

First time we heard one, we were laying in bed in the morning, the cockerel kazooed, and hubby and I both burst out laughing. Hubby remarked, "Ah, puberty!

 

[Beer can]

I've always thought of getting some of those Tomaru long crowers just to freak the neighbors out, those and some New Guinea singing dogs.... LOL!