Chantecler Thread!

[blkjak]

I am watching this thread. I have 35 White Chanteclers but only 4 are adults. 2013 I bought a roo and 2 hens from a breeder who sold off all her Chantys. That roo was a looker but went to freezer camp because of his bad attitude. 2014 I bought 4 chicks at a sale. The roo from these chicks is a great bird but his comb is too high off his head. This summer I hatched 10 of my bird's chicks and purchased the rest as chicks. I am hoping to have 2 breeding pens next summer and hatch some good birds.

 

[hellbender]

I am watching this thread. I have 35 White Chanteclers but only 4 are adults. 2013 I bought a roo and 2 hens from a breeder who sold off all her Chantys. That roo was a looker but went to freezer camp because of his bad attitude. 2014 I bought 4 chicks at a sale. The roo from these chicks is a great bird but his comb is too high off his head. This summer I hatched 10 of my bird's chicks and purchased the rest as chicks. I am hoping to have 2 breeding pens next summer and hatch some good birds.

At this point, the three cockerels I've kept for breeding are sweethearts but even if they weren't, I'm afraid I would have used them because there seems to be a dearth of high quality birds, especially cockerels, at least from what I've seen. I did cull/kill 2 otherwise beautiful cockerels because they had pea combs but if that was all I had, I would have used them because everything else about them was in good measure.

This is based solely on my opinion and experience with other bird breeds.

Combs can be corrected much quicker than the set of wing, topline (back width and length) and other important features as described in the SOP.

 

[Candy442]

I hope folks take more interest in their birds than they appear to have in this thread. I know there are some serious breeders in the U.S. and certainly in Canada. One would think they would be willing to share and help out others who have shined up to this delightful breed.

RON

I certainly do take lots of interest in my small flock. I really like the breed. Even though I am not specifically breeding for show, I would still like to keep the flock as close to SOP as possible. In past posts, there has been lots of good information on the breed and pictures from Canadian breeders. I am not sure where everyone went, but I know I will post periodically. I just had my hip replaced, so I am not on here as much as normal

 

[blkjak]

What color of skin is SOP? Some of my birds have yellow skin and some have pinkish skin.

 

[hellbender]

What color of skin is SOP? Some of my birds have yellow skin and some have pinkish skin.

My understanding is that yellow is the correct skin color.

 

[blkjak]

My understanding is that yellow is the correct skin color.

That was my understanding also. The original breeder I bought my first trio from was getting out of them because she was having people come back to her saying the roos were nasty. Another breeder of heritage birds that I know will not keep Chantys because of their reputation of being nasty. Is this truth or fiction? Our first roo was nasty but I didn't raise him. The boy I have now is very nice.

 

[hellbender]

That was my understanding also. The original breeder I bought my first trio from was getting out of them because she was having people come back to her saying the roos were nasty. Another breeder of heritage birds that I know will not keep Chantys because of their reputation of being nasty. Is this truth or fiction? Our first roo was nasty but I didn't raise him. The boy I have now is very nice.

I only have young white cockerels now and they have plenty of time to show any aggressive tendencies toward folks but honestly, I won't fail to use them if human aggression is their major fault because of the difficulty in finding good birds. I consider 'nasty cocks' as part of the territory. Honestly, I have no small children here and even my rather petite adult daughter has dealt with hormone-crazed birds of other breeds in the past.

I am hoping to get some birds(Chanteclers) of another color at some point soon and after I get my breeding program(s) off the ground, I might consider culling truly hateful birds should they manifest themselves. Good numbers of good/excellent stock is my first priority.

Remember... My cockerels are only 8 months old now and are sweet-heart lap chickens. I hope they don't put me to the test.

 

[bruceha2000]

I had hoped to get 4 White Chantecler pullets this year but it didn't work out. The breeder is in my state but was almost totally non communicative. I paid my $25/bird up front (which I have gotten back). He didn't answer my July inquiry about the age of the birds (so I could plan). Answered the late August inquiry with "they had a predator in the grow out pen and had to start over, should be good in a couple of weeks". So I made the temporary coop next to the primary coop for integration purposes.

TWO months later, I still had no idea when to expect the birds or how old they were. His response at that time was maybe we would both be happier if he kept them until spring. Um, no, *I* wouldn't be happier with adult birds of unknown age, already laying. Then he says some are still under heat. This was November and means they were FAR from being hatched when he said "should be good in a couple of weeks" back in August. And he NEVER answered my very direct question "how old are the birds now?". For all I know, they hatched the day before he said some were still under heat.

So I guess whatever he would have for me in the spring wouldn't actually be adults if they were no more than maybe 3 weeks old in early November. I asked him to give me my money back, I am not willing to trust this guy anymore.

I even offered to take eight 1 day old chicks in the spring, let a broody raise them and when they reached "guaranteed gender" age, give him back all the cockerels but no fewer than 4 birds (or $25/bird if something happened to them) and he could sell them. 100% profit, no work, I take all the risk of not ending up with any pullets and losing $100 if I didn't have 4 birds to return. I didn't figure he would go for that given he likely wouldn't want them raised outside his "care" and he didn't. But I have to wonder if a Fisher got into his grow out pen, just how secure is it? They would be safer here.

 

[hellbender]

I had hoped to get 4 White Chantecler pullets this year but it didn't work out. The breeder is in my state but was almost totally non communicative. I paid my $25/bird up front (which I have gotten back). He didn't answer my July inquiry about the age of the birds (so I could plan). Answered the late August inquiry with "they had a predator in the grow out pen and had to start over, should be good in a couple of weeks". So I made the temporary coop next to the primary coop for integration purposes.

TWO months later, I still had no idea when to expect the birds or how old they were. His response at that time was maybe we would both be happier if he kept them until spring. Um, no, *I* wouldn't be happier with adult birds of unknown age, already laying. Then he says some are still under heat. This was November and means they were FAR from being hatched when he said "should be good in a couple of weeks" back in August. And he NEVER answered my very direct question "how old are the birds now?". For all I know, they hatched the day before he said some were still under heat.

So I guess whatever he would have for me in the spring wouldn't actually be adults if they were no more than maybe 3 weeks old in early November. I asked him to give me my money back, I am not willing to trust this guy anymore.

I even offered to take eight 1 day old chicks in the spring, let a broody raise them and when they reached "guaranteed gender" age, give him back all the cockerels but no fewer than 4 birds (or $25/bird if something happened to them) and he could sell them. 100% profit, no work, I take all the risk of not ending up with any pullets and losing $100 if I didn't have 4 birds to return. I didn't figure he would go for that given he likely wouldn't want them raised outside his "care" and he didn't. But I have to wonder if a Fisher got into his grow out pen, just how secure is it? They would be safer here.

Of course I'm not in your state but I expect to hatch out several chicks from 4 of my 10 pullets in the Spring of 2016. I can sex them at 3 to 5 days of age and would gladly work with you if you haven't found some you like closer.

I haven't taken any pics lately but will when we get a warming trend. I do have some bad pics taken back quite a while ago and I can try to post a couple of them...keeping in mind that they were only 4 months old.

 

[RiddleMe]

You've got some nice yellow legs on those boys Ron!