BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[stryker]

Might be a Canadian thing...You been trying to sneak anything across the border? I know a couple of folks who have and did it boldly as dirt. I was not aware that there are areas in the Eastern US that has border crossings with NO guards on either side but I think they surely must have cams of some sort???

I guess if someone can haul a load of poultry from one side to another, it wouldn't be all that difficult for a person or ten to make it. I personally wouldn't have the testicular fortitude to try to cross with a chicken sandwich, much less a big batch of live chicks!! I'll have to admit...it was a couple of Canadians who carried the 'big ones'.

I'll have to add...they must have known someone to risk their freedom and/or considerable cash and reputations. I would have just sucked up the loss and considered it a life lesson.

Shoooooot! When we just went to the peace gardens the boarder patrol looked in everything including our spare tire holder. Going to and back. . I am guessing the south boarder would be easier to cross with what is going on today.. I would agree that I am not brave enough to smuggle chicks across any boarder.

 

[Alaskan]

How much of an indicator of good laying is width between the legs? Or is that really just a meat characteristic?

I have just gotten into Spitzhauben and MAN do they have their legs closer together than all my other breeds.

I was wondering if that was just a cosmetic choice... Or if it had a production impact.

 

[Beer can]

How much of an indicator of good laying is width between the legs? Or is that really just a meat characteristic?

I have just gotten into Spitzhauben and MAN do they have their legs closer together than all my other breeds.

I was wondering if that was just a cosmetic choice... Or if it had a production impact.

Woohoo Alaskan, you've asked on the right thread, good to see you here for sure, and you will get the answer your seeking.

 

[Alaskan]

Thanks Beer Can, because yeah, I like them pretty....but only if they shell out!

 

[lpatelski]

How much of an indicator of good laying is width between the legs? Or is that really just a meat characteristic?

I have just gotten into Spitzhauben and MAN do they have their legs closer together than all my other breeds.

I was wondering if that was just a cosmetic choice... Or if it had a production impact.

Really, as we know, the width between the pubic bones and also between the pubis and the sternum is the most important feature of an egg layer. Width and length over the back is capacity. They can still only lay one egg at a time, be making one, and be developing another. With meat birds, due to the extreme muscling, sometimes things get pinched, so extra width helps.
One of my meaty pullets laid this monster as her first egg. It's a good thing I selected her for a three finger width between the pubic bones! The egg in my hand is a little over three fingers width. If she had not possessed the frame, her first egg would have been her last.

 

[ronott1]

Really, as we know, the width between the pubic bones and also between the pubis and the sternum is the most important feature of an egg layer. Width and length over the back is capacity. They can still only lay one egg at a time, be making one, and be developing another. With meat birds, due to the extreme muscling, sometimes things get pinched, so extra width helps.
One of my meaty pullets laid this monster as her first egg. It's a good thing I selected her for a three finger width between the pubic bones! The egg in my hand is a little over three fingers width. If she had not possessed the frame, her first egg would have been her last.

The best layers from the hatcheries are often a bit pinched in the tail. I think maybe a guy that was into phrenology may have been a bit off on this one.

Can you quote some recent scientific poultry research papers?

 

[ejcrist]

Really, as we know, the width between the pubic bones and also between the pubis and the sternum is the most important feature of an egg layer. Width and length over the back is capacity. They can still only lay one egg at a time, be making one, and be developing another. With meat birds, due to the extreme muscling, sometimes things get pinched, so extra width helps.
One of my meaty pullets laid this monster as her first egg. It's a good thing I selected her for a three finger width between the pubic bones! The egg in my hand is a little over three fingers width. If she had not possessed the frame, her first egg would have been her last.

This is outstanding info! I just started reading The Call of the Hen but I didn't get that far yet. My breeding coop/runs is currently under construction and I'll be taking the above measurements to select my three best girls out of 25 to breed. Without this kind of info I'd just be guessing because I have no way of knowing who's laying which eggs. Thanks for posting.

 

[lpatelski]

The best layers from the hatcheries are often a bit pinched in the tail. I think maybe a guy that was into phrenology may have been a bit off on this one.

Can you quote some recent scientific poultry research papers?

http://www.poultry.uga.edu/extension/tips/tipsbysubject.htm

UGA a a host of information, I have not located a paper on pullet selection. The Egg Farms just cull them, they are bred to lay eggs. These farms are not developing new breeds, or rarely improving on them.

http://www.cobb-vantress.com/academy/management-guides
http://www.cobb-vantress.com/docs/d...t-guide---english7ED492EF44ABB319283A4A31.pdf

cobb-vantress also has management papers

 

[ronott1]

http://www.poultry.uga.edu/extension/tips/tipsbysubject.htm

UGA a a host of information, I have not located a paper on pullet selection. The Egg Farms just cull them, they are bred to lay eggs. These farms are not developing new breeds, or rarely improving on them.

http://www.cobb-vantress.com/academy/management-guides
http://www.cobb-vantress.com/docs/d...t-guide---english7ED492EF44ABB319283A4A31.pdf

cobb-vantress also has management papers

Those are nice guides!

I did not read anything in them about culling for pelvic bone size though. When I said pinced tail I was not talking about wry tail.

@Alaskan read the guides--it has great stuff about important things for egg production, like correct feed, not too much protein, light levels, rodent control, and parasite control. Those are much more important than getting some calipers and measuring pelvic bones.

My hens are laying a lot of eggs even in the heat. Others that I work with are getting very little eggs in the heat. Husbandry is the most important part of getting production.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Might be a Canadian thing...You been trying to sneak anything across the border? I know a couple of folks who have and did it boldly as dirt. I was not aware that there are areas in the Eastern US that has border crossings with NO guards on either side but I think they surely must have cams of some sort???

I guess if someone can haul a load of poultry from one side to another, it wouldn't be all that difficult for a person or ten to make it. I personally wouldn't have the testicular fortitude to try to cross with a chicken sandwich, much less a big batch of live chicks!! I'll have to admit...it was a couple of Canadians who carried the 'big ones'.

I'll have to add...they must have known someone to risk their freedom and/or considerable cash and reputations. I would have just sucked up the loss and considered it a life lesson.

A number of years ago we found a lonely little border crossing in Quebec's eastern townships. There was nobody there. We stopped at the booth, waited for a few minutes, nothing........ so we just drove through. A few seconds later there's the border guard running the 10 second 100 yard dash after us down the road ........ I guess he was in the outhouse or something.
Same trip but crossing into New Brunswick from Maine, they looked through our truck- and found this baggie of cubed brown stuff in the glove box. They guy was so smug, he thought he'd hit the jackpot..... he wanted to know what it was.......... well it was BEEF JERKY. I've never seen a more disappointed border guard. Ha haaa haaaaaa!