California - Northern

[ronott1]

Thank you for the complement, but I am by no means an expert. I have so much to learn and the more I learn the more I realize how little I know. LOL

Walt helped me go through my birds at the Cream Legbar event in May. Of my 10 hens and 2 cocks he choose my nicest 3 hens and 1 cock and told me to breed them. Interestingly, my hens with the biggest crests had the poorest type.

Walt suggested that I put each hen in her own pen and rotate the rooster between the pens then keep track of their babies. He recommended that I figure out which hen produces the best female chicks and which hen produces the best male chicks. Then breed the best rooster from the rooster line to the nicest hens of the hens line.

In an ideal line the birds will all look very similar so at one look you can tell they are related. My line is very immature since the individual birds look like individuals and not a cohesive group. This is why Line Breeding is so important. In line breeding you breed for certain traits and breed out the undesirable ones. If/When you add in new genes you add in new traits good and bad. Thus, adding to the gene pool is not always a good idea unless you are prepared to cull hard.

In my sample of birds, some had wonky keels, narrow legs, knock knees, high tails, red splotching in the ear lobes, crow heads... the list goes on. All these things need work but not all at the same time. Walt recommended concentrating on type first and addressing cosmetic issues ( color, ear lobe color, S combs, size of crest, and # of points etc ) when all else is equal. For example: if two birds are identical in every way except one is heavier choose the heavier of the two.

To be honest, I was a little overwhelmed when I considered all the features among my birds that needed improvement . However, I was relieved to hear that my birds are nicest enough to work with and I did not need to bring in additional birds/bloodlines to improve my program. The fact is, most of us breeding Cream Legbars got our birds from the same source so we are all faced with many of the same faults/challenges. The key to breeding is knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each bird in your breeding program.

I don't have any birds available, and I have limited eggs since I am down only 3 birds. However, there were a couple people who came to the Cream Legbar event who I was impressed by. These folks were not only very knowledgable but they are committed to breeding Cream Legbars methodically to the standard. These folks are: Curtis @GaryDean26 or Jane @sol2go. There was one other woman who came from west Marin, but I can't find her contact info.

I know Chiqita and pappaspoultry also raising Cream Legbars so they are another option.

@GaryDean26

and @sol2go

are local?

 

[juststruttin]

I have been lazy and hatching in the dicky.
@juststruttin your right its crazy messy. I have been scrubbing it once a week.

Are you using that hatching tray? Hopefully the mess in contained.

 

[chrissyr]

Dont some of them hatch without fully absorbing the yolk? 

I've had 2 this year hatch 100% by themselves with some yolk unabsorbed still

 

[juststruttin]

I wasn't going to say anything, but I'm feeling like I never want to hatch anything ever again. I had eggs in the RCom, eggs in the Genesis, and under 3 broodies. Early on, the Genesis humidity kept fluctuating from 19-69%, so I took those eggs and put them in the RCom. One of the broodies didn't stick, so I lost those eggs.
Then, when I upped the humidity prior to hatch on the RCom, the temperature kept shooting up over 100-102. I unplugged & reset it twice, but it would not stay below 100. So, I put all those eggs under the broody whose eggs had not hatched. The third broody did hatch out 6-8 chicks. I just finished pulling out all the full term dead chicks from under the broody who had the RCom eggs.

In addition, I had 2 chicks and a pig die from the heat. I'm not a happy farmer at the moment. Too much death for me to keep a stiff upper lip.

Sorry, to hear of your loss.

 

[juststruttin]

Can we quit perpetuating it now

 

[juststruttin]

@GaryDean26

and @sol2go

are local?

@GaryDean26
flew in from Texas

and @sol2go
drove up for Los Angeles

to attend the event and to watch Walt evaluate and discuss the breed.

For people interested in breeding Cream Legbars to the standard they should check out the Cream Legbar Working group forum. There is some great info.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/713115/cream-legbar-working-group-standard-of-perfection

 

[chrissyr]

I have 2 questions I need help with:
I decided to feed medicated chick start. I just never had cocci when I did.
Now I don't have it BUT, if your feeding medicated and your chicks get cocci, can you still give corid at the same time?
Wasn't sure if it would be overdosing

Second question: I have the genesis for hatching and clean it thoroughly with activated oxine.
But the display window seem to have chick dander in it. Does anyone clean that out? There's quite a bit but wasn't sure if I opened that up if I'd have problems

Thanks in advance

 

[sol2go]

@GaryDean26

and @sol2go

I heard my name!
Hi NorCal =)

 

[ronott1]

I have 2 questions I need help with:
I decided to feed medicated chick start. I just never had cocci when I did.
Now I don't have it BUT, if your feeding medicated and your chicks get cocci, can you still give corid at the same time?
Wasn't sure if it would be overdosing

Second question: I have the genesis for hatching and clean it thoroughly with activated oxine.
But the display window seem to have chick dander in it. Does anyone clean that out? There's quite a bit but wasn't sure if I opened that up if I'd have problems

Thanks in advance

I use an air duster to get the dander out. If you are talking about the LCD top display, do not open it up. It is a booger to get back together.

 

[caychris]

I have 2 questions I need help with:
I decided to feed medicated chick start. I just never had cocci when I did.
Now I don't have it BUT, if your feeding medicated and your chicks get cocci, can you still give corid at the same time?
Wasn't sure if it would be overdosing

Second question: I have the genesis for hatching and clean it thoroughly with activated oxine.
But the display window seem to have chick dander in it. Does anyone clean that out? There's quite a bit but wasn't sure if I opened that up if I'd have problems

Thanks in advance

From Kathys sig.
Just got a call back from them and it is 4.536 grams per gallon. He also said that it's a very safe product and the risk of overdosing is very slim.