BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[GabrielBane]

Okay guys.... how long do your pullers squawk and squat before giving up an egg? We have a girl who is so boisterous she's practically screaming any time we're around. She'll even squat the moment I say "Bonnie" or "bonbon", her comb and waffles have doubled in the past few weeks, but still nothing. I'd say she's close to 20-21 weeks. (We got her at "an estimated 12 weeks old")

 

[DesertChic]

Okay guys.... how long do your pullers squawk and squat before giving up an egg? We have a girl who is so boisterous she's practically screaming any time we're around. She'll even squat the moment I say "Bonnie" or "bonbon", her comb and waffles have doubled in the past few weeks, but still nothing. I'd say she's close to 20-21 weeks. (We got her at "an estimated 12 weeks old")

There's no doubt she's close, but it's up to the individual bird to decide when she's ready. The best precursor I've found to telling me when a pullet will lay is a rooster. As soon as one of my roosters mounts a pullet I know I'll get an egg within 2 days, 3 at the most. Notice that I said "rooster" and not "cockerel". Those young boys are so hormonal and wound up that they're not as reliable, but a more seasoned rooster always seems to know.

 

[GabrielBane]

There's no doubt she's close, but it's up to the individual bird to decide when she's ready. The best precursor I've found to telling me when a pullet will lay is a rooster. As soon as one of my roosters mounts a pullet I know I'll get an egg within 2 days, 3 at the most. Notice that I said "rooster" and not "cockerel". Those young boys are so hormonal and wound up that they're not as reliable, but a more seasoned rooster always seems to know.

I'll keep that noted! We only have teen-age boys, but I recently replaced my Ayam Cemani with SBH's (which I'm getting in the next few days EEE!), so after quarintine, Bonnie will have a new tall, dark and handsome boy to squawk at.

 

[miss heny]

Hey, I have a question for all of you;

Has any one tried to breed for bantam meat birds? For those with smaller families or just prefer smaller in general. I have seen Sumlater (so miss spelled that) bantams in a book of mind but I am not sure if they actually are bred with meat like quality.

 

[Maeschak]

Hey, I have a question for all of you;

Has any one tried to breed for bantam meat birds? For those with smaller families or just prefer smaller in general. I have seen Sumlater (so miss spelled that) bantams in a book of mind but I am not sure if they actually are bred with meat like quality.

Probably not what you are looking for as they are Silkies w dark skin, but there is this: https://www.purelypoultry.com/silkie-broilers-p-1303.html

I don't really know anything about Silkies but it looks like you would butcher them young so they are pretty small, even if they aren't bantams.

 

[miss heny]

plan on buying those to test them out for our local Asian market, curious though if people have worked on a regular meat type bird bantamish size.

 

[Maeschak]

plan on buying those to test them out for our local Asian market, curious though if people have worked on a regular meat type bird bantamish size.

Yeah I was thinking about getting some simply for the novelty of it.... kinda interesting.

 

[lpatelski]

Hey, I have a question for all of you;

Has any one tried to breed for bantam meat birds? For those with smaller families or just prefer smaller in general. I have seen Sumlater (so miss spelled that) bantams in a book of mind but I am not sure if they actually are bred with meat like quality.

Your large meat birds can be taken earlier. I aim for game hen size. These are large fowl Dark Cornish crossed with a CX meat bird at about 5 weeks of age.

 

[lpatelski]

plan on buying those to test them out for our local Asian market, curious though if people have worked on a regular meat type bird bantamish size.

All the Cornish Bantams are meat birds

 

[miss heny]

All the Cornish Bantams are meat birds

but take forever to grow and are unable to breed naturally :/

I personally just don't like big birds XD I know you can butcher big birds at a younger age but I have read older birds have better flavor hence why I wonder about a bantam true meat breed.