Chantecler Thread!

[garett]

cute chicks

 

[RhodeRunner]

Alright... more black and I have poor combs. I have Russian Orloffs here so I can watch the combs the same way.

About culling chicks: how do you do that? I have decided a pair of shears seems quickest but I wouldn't be culling chicks to anything other than the meat pen if we are talking about PC.

A thought from some other breeders for those breeding flocks (not single pairs) who want to keep track of who lays what: start by marking every hen with a colored band or number. Then, depending on how many females you have, use food coloring dropped/squirted (a few drops) into the vent to mark the color of their eggs. The dyes will streak the egg on its way out, though yellow and orange are not great to use. You could just leave one without a color. Then you could have red, no color, blue, green and maybe purple. That's five distinctions. Pick out who you want to hatch from and write on them with pencil your notes because the dye may not make it through incubation. Hatch and keep a log/notebook of which hen threw which chicks. Its the only way I know to make flock breeding trackable.

I have tried finding good pictures of SOP PC but am not getting very far. Recommendations?

Yes, you can certainly use the Russian Orloffs as an example!

How you cull chicks is up to you. Some people keep them for meat/eggs, some kill them, and others sell them. If you are actually killing them (which, you will eventually come upon chicks that need put down), I have found a cement block to be the easiest and fastest method.

Great point with the food coloring method!

Here is the standard of perfection https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/243277/chantecler-thread/850

Photos of SOP PC are far and few between. I don't think the PC has been perfected. You can use photos to display certain traits (as I did with the combs) but I am yet to see a bird that is physically perfect. If desired I can do more examples color/type, as I did with the combs? But, a good SOP PC photo, I'm not sure where to send you. There is of course the painting in the standard of perfection, but partridge paintings are not that visually helpful as they are dark. (Which, the bird is supposed to be dark, but you can't really see the detail in paintings.)

 

[ashandvine]

I have found a cement block to be the easiest and fastest method.


Here is the standard of perfection https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/243277/chantecler-thread/850

Photos of SOP PC are far and few between. I don't think the PC has been perfected. You can use photos to display certain traits (as I did with the combs) but I am yet to see a bird that is physically perfect. If desired I can do more examples color/type, as I did with the combs? But, a good SOP PC photo, I'm not sure where to send you. There is of course the painting in the standard of perfection, but partridge paintings are not that visually helpful as they are dark. (Which, the bird is supposed to be dark, but you can't really see the detail in paintings.)

Ummm,,, for fear of the answer I have to ask for an explanation of the 'cinder block.' Shears are obvious IMO but the block??

Thank you for the Standard. I have to admit I rather like the red in the chest of the boy I showed but if I am going to show then black it is. I went and looked at combs. I have one gal with a great comb and one that is pretty good. That's half. I also have one pullet who is darker than the rest but she is so young that IDK how she will fill in or if she will be fluffy. I will try for more photos... And yes, more from others as examples are GREAT. I think the CSU Thread was meant to do this but I don't believe they have covered PC and if it was anything like the Java coverage they didn't know what to say because the birds are so rare.

 

[RhodeRunner]

Ummm,,, for fear of the answer I have to ask for an explanation of the 'cinder block.' Shears are obvious IMO but the block??

Thank you for the Standard. I have to admit I rather like the red in the chest of the boy I showed but if I am going to show then black it is. I went and looked at combs. I have one gal with a great comb and one that is pretty good. That's half. I also have one pullet who is darker than the rest but she is so young that IDK how she will fill in or if she will be fluffy. I will try for more photos... And yes, more from others as examples are GREAT. I think the CSU Thread was meant to do this but I don't believe they have covered PC and if it was anything like the Java coverage they didn't know what to say because the birds are so rare.

The cement block method is fastest method I have found, and if done correctly the chick doesn't even notice. I tuck them into my hand to sleep, grab their legs, and swing. When their head hits, they are dead instantly. It is also a clean method, there is rarely any blood.

Your hens are actually a little light, so the darker hen might be a good thing! I will have to piece together some more examples. I really hope the CSU covers the PC, and have certainly been checking it! It is sad to see lack of information on Javas, especially when it is the rarer breeds like the Java that need the most help!

Also, you should be able to tell how fluffy or tight her feathers will be as soon as she is a couple of months old. But, I would wait to see how she fills out too!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Alright... more black and I have poor combs. I have Russian Orloffs here so I can watch the combs the same way.

About culling chicks: how do you do that? I have decided a pair of shears seems quickest but I wouldn't be culling chicks to anything other than the meat pen if we are talking about PC.

A thought from some other breeders for those breeding flocks (not single pairs) who want to keep track of who lays what: start by marking every hen with a colored band or number. Then, depending on how many females you have, use food coloring dropped/squirted (a few drops) into the vent to mark the color of their eggs. The dyes will streak the egg on its way out, though yellow and orange are not great to use. You could just leave one without a color. Then you could have red, no color, blue, green and maybe purple. That's five distinctions. Pick out who you want to hatch from and write on them with pencil your notes because the dye may not make it through incubation. Hatch and keep a log/notebook of which hen threw which chicks. Its the only way I know to make flock breeding trackable.

I have tried finding good pictures of SOP PC but am not getting very far. Recommendations?

I would not recommend red... especially on the vent... you know how chickens are!

I have used this process of identifying eggs from which girls. My girls lay white eggs and I thought it would be easy to tell which egg came from whom. I can tell you, it is not. I think they must have a BM (bowel movement) between the time I apply dye and then time they lay their egg. If you could catch each one right before laying, then maybe it would work better but on a very white egg, it was very difficult sometimes to see any color streaks at all.

The cement block method is fastest method I have found, and if done correctly the chick doesn't even notice. I tuck them into my hand to sleep, grab their legs, and swing. When their head hits, they are dead instantly. It is also a clean method, there is rarely any blood.

Your hens are actually a little light, so the darker hen might be a good thing! I will have to piece together some more examples. I really hope the CSU covers the PC, and have certainly been checking it! It is sad to see lack of information on Javas, especially when it is the rarer breeds like the Java that need the most help!

Also, you should be able to tell how fluffy or tight her feathers will be as soon as she is a couple of months old. But, I would wait to see how she fills out too!

I guess I have to commend you on this. I can't do that I don't think. That little baby falling asleep in my hand would do nothing but warm my heart to it. I use the shears.

 

[Jake Levi]

Reference to culling for plumage/color etc, you really cant see them fully until they have their first molt. Some breeds it is easier early on to have a pretty good idea but its best to wait until have the molt. If they are roosters you can get a good idea by 3-4 mos, by even them a few extra days in a meat pen doesnt hurt.

Combs will show well early on.

Just my 3 cents worth.

For me in my first years selection its going to be strictly on the roosters. Pullets are good to stay, size and egg production is their standard to meet until well after their first molt, they will have the winters egg production to go on. By spring I will have a good idea who stays and who wont, the next springs incubating will be based on many factors, before color.

Wishing all a great spring hatching !

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Woot! Just ordered 25 white Chantecler chicks from Fayrehale! I'm excited!

 

[toofarout]

Woot! Just ordered 25 white Chantecler chicks from Fayrehale! I'm excited!

Wonderful!

 

[Blackhorsehill]

Wonderful!

You will love them. Glad that James is brave enough to ship. It scares the bejeebers out of me.

 

[ashandvine]

Alright... more combs etc so we can talk more with real examples...

I think this is one of the two best combs on that gals so far.

Clearly this is a 'no no' comb

Not a great one but she was in the nest box so I had to try because I had her cornered.

The cockerel I like so much... with a wrinkle


Crappy cockerel with the best comb OF COURSE

One more of a hen whose comb has a wrinkle....


Now what are the recommendations for darkening up this line here since it seems pretty clear everyone is light. And regarding that pullet; she seems to be tightly feathered.