Chantecler Thread!

[Arielle]

Quote: And here I'm specifically getting the white so I can focus on learning/breeding type.

Not that I'm afraid of challenge, I also have Orloffs and that's a whole lot of challenge in one breed. But it is why I picked white over penciled.
Robert BLosl always said a noob should start with a white bird! lol IF I can't have RIR then it's a buckeye for me. ANd I keep considering the chantie as another possiblity. I looked at a rooster yesterday and was startled to see this new comb type and then the ahha hit. ALl th points are gone , completely GONE. SIgh. Hence I follow this thread in hopes of chanties as room allows.

 

[RiddleMe]

 

 

 

Ooooo, I wish I had room and money enough to take those for you.  I LOVE RIRs!  I really like the rose combed ones but wish they had smaller wattles.  There isn't much of anything finer than a well-bred Rhode Island Red!

      Heresy!   This IS a Chantecler thread!   Seriously, I much prefer the challenge of breeding a penciled bird, and the Partridge Chantecler serves my preferences very well.

And here I'm specifically getting the white so I can focus on learning/breeding type. Not that I'm afraid of challenge, I also have Orloffs and that's a whole lot of challenge in one breed. But it is why I picked white over penciled.

Robert BLosl always said a noob should start with a white bird! lol  IF I can't have  RIR then it's a buckeye for me. ANd I keep considering the chantie as another possiblity. I looked at a rooster yesterday and was startled to see this new comb type and then the ahha hit. ALl th points are gone , completely GONE. SIgh. Hence I follow this thread in hopes of chanties as room allows.

Yup, Bob and I exchanged some emails prior to his passing wrt my trying to figure out which breed would be a good fit. I'm really looking forward to getting some this year.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: And here I'm specifically getting the white so I can focus on learning/breeding type.

Not that I'm afraid of challenge, I also have Orloffs and that's a whole lot of challenge in one breed. But it is why I picked white over penciled.
Robert BLosl always said a noob should start with a white bird! lol IF I can't have RIR then it's a buckeye for me. ANd I keep considering the chantie as another possiblity. I looked at a rooster yesterday and was startled to see this new comb type and then the ahha hit. ALl th points are gone , completely GONE. SIgh. Hence I follow this thread in hopes of chanties as room allows. Yup, Bob and I exchanged some emails prior to his passing wrt my trying to figure out which breed would be a good fit. I'm really looking forward to getting some this year.
I have speckled sussex and they give me a headache. lol ANything is easier than those birds. BUt I love the personality.

Generally speaking I have been seeking a dual purpose meat bird. As a hen produces so many eggs I am eager for more feed going into meat. ANd combineing meat and egg production with foraging. THis is more complex than origianlly realized . . . and at this point I am thinking that lower egg production might be better for a foraging situation. IMO calcium seems to be the limiting nutrient along with protein.

How do you feeed?

 

[RiddleMe]

I have speckled sussex and they give me a headache. lol ANything is easier than those birds. BUt I love the personality.

Generally speaking I have been seeking a dual purpose meat bird. As a hen produces so many eggs I am eager for more feed going into meat. ANd combineing meat and egg production with foraging. THis is more complex than origianlly realized . . . and at this point I am thinking that lower egg production might be better for a foraging situation. IMO calcium seems to be the limiting nutrient along with protein.

How do you feeed?

I feed the equivalent of a high protein (20%) layer pellet and they have about 1 1/2 acres of free range. The feed is locally milled, they sell it as a turkey/meat bird pellet but when I talked specifics with them, they admitted it's basically the same vitamin/mineral/calcium content just a little higher protein. Seems to work well for the birds. Typically they don't range too far during the day but today when I went out to call them in they were well scattered, probably hunting out all the new growth popping up. It's a mix of native and whatever will grow, each winter I just toss out some mixed pasture/clover/etc seed. I try to do it when the ground is frozen/cracked and right before we're expecting snow so it has a chance to get into the ground and not just eaten, but nothing too scientific or labor intensive here!

 

[Lacy Blues]

I have speckled sussex and they give me a headache. lol ANything is easier than those birds. BUt I love the personality.

Generally speaking I have been seeking a dual purpose meat bird. As a hen produces so many eggs I am eager for more feed going into meat. ANd combineing meat and egg production with foraging. THis is more complex than origianlly realized . . . and at this point I am thinking that lower egg production might be better for a foraging situation. IMO calcium seems to be the limiting nutrient along with protein.

How do you feeed?

I think if you have layers and you want to limit the number of eggs they lay by reducing calcium, you're going to have more problems than you realize. Their bodies are going to make eggs. If you take away the calcium, you're going to have egg bound hens that die on you. You might try lowering the protein content but still keep the oyster shell available.

 

[popsicle]

I got my White Chanteclers from Cackle a couple days ago. They are far and away the largest chicks of all the chicks that came (and there is an assortment). They're the largest chicks I think I've ever had (it's been a while since I've had non-hatchery birds). I'm excited to see how they grow.

I'm still trying to find the best breed for me. I hate providing heat in the winter, so cold hardy and no single combs (I also just don't like them as much). I want eggs and meat (don't need broiler sized carcass). I also got some Buckeye, Saipan, Orloff and Kraienkoppe (all hatchery stock).

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

I think you will be pleased with your Chanteclers for what you want. They are from John Blehm who has done awesome things with the breed (and with Ameraucanas) and I am so pleased to see him working with Cackle! Out of the breeds you list, the only one that would come close to them is the Buckeye, but I have no idea what Cackle's stock is like. They do have a reputation for working closely with breeders when they can, but I don't know about the Buckeyes.

 

[insanity]

I just hatched my first buff chantecler x Wellsummer( I think) chick. I got a hen as a rescue about a month ago and threw a few eggs in the bator. I don't have a matching roo for her but am excited to add her cold hardy traits to my project flock.

 

[Beour3rd]

34 partridge day olds arrive on may 30th, i figured i'd wait till the heat was upon us so they get a good growth period with warm weather.

not had chickens in years ;] about time i get some again, and very excited for the breed

 

[Lacy Blues]

I can't tell where you live but summer heat is not necessarily the best thing for chicks. They do better in slightly cooler weather rather than HOT. Good luck with them though.