BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[Fire Ant Farm]

Week 11, weighing day. Bane's growth curve has finally crossed Tanks - it's so interesting how his growth has taken such a different shape than the others (his is the light blue line). OI wonder what else is in his genetics (he is Nn and rose combed, so he's a cross with SOMETHING, either F1 or further back). I am watching them all, nothing wrong with him per se, and he's not a jerk, but he just doesn't seem as engaged with the rest of the flock like the others. Like, loner-dude - maybe I should have named him "Batman"? (Also, not sure I want anything but straight combs). Numbers-wise, the boys are all between about 3.5 to 4 lbs at 11 weeks, and the girls are 2.3 to 2.8 lbs. They continue to split off in size based on gender. (They're on FlockRaiser plus lots and lots of grass and bugs.)


I finally got the rafters up on the coop. Seems minor, but cutting and shaping them was a TOTAL POA and took forever. Purlins next, and I bought the roof panels today so that I can install them tomorrow. (In between cooking turkey...)

(Cross-posted on Naked Neck thread - apologies in advance to those of you who haunt both.)

- Ant Farm

 

[bnjrob]

I finally got the rafters up on the coop. Seems minor, but cutting and shaping them was a TOTAL POA and took forever. Purlins next, and I bought the roof panels today so that I can install them tomorrow. (In between cooking turkey...)

- Ant Farm

Did you make a template for your rafters? That makes it go a lot faster and if you build another one, you already have the template ready to go. I have two 2x4 templates for the large and small a-frame houses that have the correct angles cut into them, so when I make a new house I lay the template on my 2x4, trace, and cut the rafters all at once.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Did you make a template for your rafters? That makes it go a lot faster and if you build another one, you already have the template ready to go. I have two 2x4 templates for the large and small a-frame houses that have the correct angles cut into them, so when I make a new house I lay the template on my 2x4, trace, and cut the rafters all at once.

It's from a set of coop plans (The Garden Coop), and it's basically based on 2x8x12s cut on the long diagonal. I am not very good at that cutting on the diagonal thing, and had to break out the bench planer to get them more even in height. (Better than or the last coop, when I cut them by hand - NEVER AGAIN!!!!)

But you're right - I think I should use a template for tracing instead (though I don't know how many more coops I'll be building!!!!!!!)

- Ant Farm

 

[hellbender]

It's from a set of coop plans (The Garden Coop), and it's basically based on 2x8x12s cut on the long diagonal. I am not very good at that cutting on the diagonal thing, and had to break out the bench planer to get them more even in height. (Better than or the last coop, when I cut them by hand - NEVER AGAIN!!!!)

But you're right - I think I should use a template for tracing instead (though I don't know how many more coops I'll be building!!!!!!!)

- Ant Farm

A BUNCH more....

 

[DesertChic]

It's from a set of coop plans (The Garden Coop), and it's basically based on 2x8x12s cut on the long diagonal. I am not very good at that cutting on the diagonal thing, and had to break out the bench planer to get them more even in height. (Better than or the last coop, when I cut them by hand - NEVER AGAIN!!!!)

But you're right - I think I should use a template for tracing instead (though I don't know how many more coops I'll be building!!!!!!!)

- Ant Farm

A BUNCH more....

Yep! You can never have too many coops! And I highly recommend the DeWalt compound miter saw. It has a 13" cross-cut capacity and makes cutting at angles a breeze.

 

[RiddleMe]

 


It's from a set of coop plans (The Garden Coop), and it's basically based on 2x8x12s cut on the long diagonal. I am not very good at that cutting on the diagonal thing, and had to break out the bench planer to get them more even in height. (Better than or the last coop, when I cut them by hand - NEVER AGAIN!!!!)

But you're right - I think I should use a template for tracing instead (though I don't know how many more coops I'll be building!!!!!!!)

- Ant Farm 

A BUNCH more....

lol I remember fondly when I got back into chickens and split an order of 25 with a friend, thinking at the time that was still way too many but I could sell always half. Fast forward a few years and now I'm just happy I got down into double digits before winter hit.

 

[Kassaundra]

Thought I'd share some pics from today. For you guys on the NN thread sorry for the duplications

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Yep! You can never have too many coops! And I highly recommend the DeWalt compound miter saw. It has a 13" cross-cut capacity and makes cutting at angles a breeze.

I have that exact miter saw - but when I say on the diagonal, I mean LONG ways, over the entire 12 ft length. I had to do it with a straight edge and a circular saw, and didn't quite get them as even as I'd like...

Ugh...

 

[gjensen]

I'm just small time, small flock breeding here, so nothing to shout about, but I've got my own ideas on some things that may differ from other folks. I've only got one breeding pen and I do a trio or quad breeding there. This spring I'm changing things up a bit to include a small run attached to the breeding pen that will also have an outside roosting area so that the actual pen is used for nesting only.

I've got a few nesting ideas I'll talk more about in the spring that I'm going to try this next year to increase clutch size and ease in sitting a large clutch by my fat girls. I'll be breeding in April and not collecting the eggs from the nests but will let them build up to see if I can bring on that broody feelin' in the breeder girls so that when they get an appropriate clutch they start sitting them as a natural consequence of being bred in the spring and having a natural nesting site in which to lay a clutch. If this method doesn't induce broodiness, I'll breed again in May when they all went broody last year and use the same method. Sure to get a broody or two then.

Hopefully all the breeders will go broody at that time, as that's what I'm breeding towards...WRs that raise their own replacements at the appropriate time of year, raise their family and then get back to laying but no more brooding.

I'll also let any broody in the general population that wants to sit have a go at some eggs, as I'll be buying some good Red eggs from Fred this spring for some color variety in the flock.

My first breeding of an heirloom line male WR was to an ancient hatchery WR female that had many traits I wanted in my line. Those 50% offspring were then bred back to their sire to produce some 75% heirloom genetics birds which I hope will retain the early maturing, excellent laying of the hatchery genetics. So far one of the 50s has done well and is performing the way I wanted and she will be bred back to her son in the spring. She and her sister produced some really nice looking pullets that should be coming into POL this next month, as they hit the 6 mo. mark at Thanksgiving. I'll be banding those that started laying in the 6th mo. and, according to their other traits, I'll be choosing my breeders from that group to go along with their mama into the breeding pens.

The original breeder hen from hatchery lines...5 yrs old at time of breeding and producing these offspring...





The heirloom lines male, via Mr. Weaver and out of Blosl lines...he's molting a tad in his tail in this pic but still a fine bird...



My 50% female as a young pullet....the one that made the grade for breeding in the spring. The other 50% pullet didn't make the cut and will be used for brooding but will be culled next fall.




And a few shots of this year's hatch, at 5 mo.....will take better pics later when they've matured more....










So, there ya have it. My small time breeding efforts to get the kind of WR I like to have....early maturing, excellent laying, longevity of laying life, great feathering, good form, hardy, good forager, good mother but not excessively broody, hard working, calm, good survival instincts out on range, good meaty carcass when done laying and able to turn out meaty males for butchering.

Will take pics later of the flock when they get their mature size and shapes and will show chosen breeders in the pen come spring. Should be an exciting spring as I start the Fox Run line of WRs, all my own line.

The "3/4" birds should give a good balance of control, and variability to select from. Too far one way, and we lose variability to select from. Not far enough is a wreck to work through.

You and I discussed these points a year or more ago. I suggested these points, because it seamed to me, to align with your ideals. If I was doing White Rocks, that is the way I would go. I would have built a utility line with good type and size.

Flock breeding is an excellent way to start. The method is a little less sensitive to mistakes. There is also the flexibility to do any side mating, which I believe in.

I believe that you are on the right track, and on your way to building a bird that fits your own ideals. I applaud the effort because we need utility lines that have good type, health, and size. Where are they? In most cases, there are none. They have to be built is why.

Your birds will be variable for some time, but less and less any given generation. They will represent one extreme and the other, but most will be intermediate in size between the two, trending more towards the greater influence.

Congratulations on your start. I am convinced that you will do exceptionally well.

If you keep your eye on the Standard, it will help you. Not to any extreme necessarily. Consider it a frame for your own painting.

That your birds are a single simple color is helpful. I believe that utility lines should be. The more points of selection, the slower the progress. I have that additional challenge with a difficult color pattern. I want it right though. I could not imagine another way. I like the color, though I recognize that is not the ideal for an utility line. I cannot help but what them both right.

 

[neopolitancrazy]

Quote:Originally Posted by Fire Ant Farm

... not sure I want anything but straight combs...


why? are you showing? are you eating their combs?