Chantecler Thread!

[bruceha2000]

Is there a U.S. Hatchery where I can get partridge Chantecler chicks?

I got my two from Ideal in Texas in June 2012 as part of a 12 chick order. One died for no apparent reason in March 2014. The other was a GREAT layer of the small end of USDA Medium. Even though she went broody several times a year she laid at 50% average through a year. She was also a great forager. Unfortunately she kept her beak down too much and became fox food one evening the end of April 2015.

Of course Shelly's would be much better "examples" of the breed. Big commercial hatcheries aren't exactly known for striving for the SOP.

 

[Shello]

Shelly,
Have you found any preference in day-old partridge chick phenotype that translates into proper adult color/pattern?

John,

I think the brown for sure but whether the v on the heads makes any difference or not, I do not know yet. The light color chests were almost all male and the darker chests were females. It will be interesting to see what this year brings. I am just collecting now to set this weekend. The lighter color chicks were really orange/yellow and did not appear to have the brown base to them. Too dark (especially if dark down the back of the neck) and the pencilling seemed to get heavy.

Shel

 

[Shello]

Interesting. Will they still retain all of the other Chantecler traits though?

If you mean comb and body type, they should. The comb genetics are not related to color. Body shape (or "type") should come through as well. I crossed our Partridge with some old black Jersey Giant or Java hens (supposed to be Jersey Giant but are not giant by any means, lol) to test the comb genetics on my partridge males and have a really nice start to a Black Chantecler. Those old girls are still laying at 4 so I might get some more this year as well. I kept all with the cushion combs and lighter colored legs. Those little pullets are pretty near an egg a day layer! Our Partridge pullets are not far behind tho.

I would rather focus on the Partridge, but they were just too nice to pass working on. I tried to find someone local interested in taking this project on (Dr Wilkinson created many colors but only the Partridge was accepted before he died).

Does that answer your question?

Shel

 

[jermoatc]

If you mean comb and body type, they should.  The comb genetics are not related to color.  Body shape (or "type") should come through as well.  I crossed our Partridge with some old black Jersey Giant or Java hens (supposed to be Jersey Giant but are not giant by any means, lol) to test the comb genetics on my partridge males and have a really nice start to a Black Chantecler.  Those old girls are still laying at 4 so I might get some more this year as well.  I kept all with the cushion combs and lighter colored legs.  Those little pullets are pretty near an egg a day layer!  Our Partridge pullets are not far behind tho.

I would rather focus on the Partridge, but they were just too nice to pass working on.  I tried to find someone local interested in taking this project on (Dr Wilkinson created many colors but only the Partridge was accepted before he died).

Does that answer your question?

Shel

Yes It does. Thank you. I will be living in Minnesota so I am wanting to raise Chanteclers as a dual purpose bird. Super cold hardy birds will be a necessity. I would like to allow them to free range and reproduce naturally to a certain extent. So I will be selecting for big bodies and good winter laying. I like the partridge color for reduction of loss to arial predation but i enjoy the aesthetics of a mixed flock too. Was just curious what a white X partridge would look like.

 

[Shello]

Yes It does. Thank you. I will be living in Minnesota so I am wanting to raise Chanteclers as a dual purpose bird. Super cold hardy birds will be a necessity. I would like to allow them to free range and reproduce naturally to a certain extent. So I will be selecting for big bodies and good winter laying. I like the partridge color for reduction of loss to arial predation but i enjoy the aesthetics of a mixed flock too. Was just curious what a white X partridge would look like.

Here are a few things to consider ...

I have found that keeping roosters with the hens and allowing them places to run for cover has avoided aerial predation on our farm (we have alot of hawks that fly right over the coops.)

The combs and body type are a work in progress in all varieties IMHO. Everyone I know is working to get better combs (especially in the Partridge) and body type, so just because they are labeled Chantecler does not mean that they will not have to be culled or selectively bred for those traits. That is why I was testing the male combs on my single combed black hens.

I am not sure that big bodies and laying go together really well ... have you seen the Livestock Conservancy materials on selecting for production? http://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/chicken-manual

Winter laying is something I think might have been discussed here before, but there is really no clear definition and many people think they will lay in winter like other hens lay in spring or summer. This is the only definition I could find for a "winter layer" - “jump to” 68 at the bottom of the page http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924073887782

"Dr Pearl in his work considered any pullet which laid 30 eggs or more from November 1 to March 1 to be a good winter layer and a profitable bird to keep. in general, it may be said that a pullet which lays 50-60 eggs from November 1 to March 1 has a good chance to make a record of 200 eggs or better.”

 

[Em Ty]

I only have 1 white chantecler left and she's 3 years old. She lays 5 eggs a week like clockwork but doesn't lay at all in the winter unless there's supplemental light. With 14 hours of total light, she lays 5 a week. I have never given any supplemental heat in our winters. The past winter was incredibly mild, but the two before would get down to -10 to -40*F.

All of my birds lay 5 or 6 eggs a week and I've had EEs, Americaunas, Barred Rock, Barnevelder and a few other breeds. They always have access to a run and get fed well, but no heat, just extra light.

 

[3riverschick]

Winter laying is something I think might have been discussed here before, but there is really no clear definition and many people think they will lay in winter like other hens lay in spring or summer. This is the only definition I could find for a "winter layer" - “jump to” 68 at the bottom of the page http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924073887782
William Powell-Owen was a legend in poultry during the early part of last century Here is a quotation from his book The ABC of Breeding Poultry , 1919 : https://archive.org/details/cu31924003045261
" SUMMER AND WINTER EGGS.
In the summer months people argue that eggs are not worth
troubling about as they are so low in price. These cheap siunmer
eggs should be preserved and sold at remunerative prices in the
winter as " preserveds " or used in the house whilst the new-laids
are sold in the winter. The winter egg is the thing we want and
yet how difficult it is to obtain. So many poultry-keepers will
have us believe. I^et us bear the following in mind and eggs
should be forthcoming when " eggs is eggs." Non-sitters should
be hatched in April, May and June and sitters or " heavy " breeds,
in February, March and April. The pullets should lay, with careful
handling, by the middle of October or beginning of November.
Those that lay earUer i.e., before they are fully matured should
be stopped. This can be done by not feeding on any stimulating
foods for a time and changing the pullets to fresh quarters. Do
not boast if your pullets lay at five months, this is unnatural and
harmful to them. Do not hatch late in the season ; separate the
sexes at an early age, allowing the pullets to have all available
space ; do not overcrowd ; push the youngsters on from the
beginning, not allowing them to look back. Pullets are but very
little creatures and need careful handling."


"Dr Pearl in his work considered any pullet which laid 30 eggs or more from November 1 to March 1 to be a good winter layer and a profitable bird to keep. in general, it may be said that a pullet which lays 50-60 eggs from November 1 to March 1 has a good chance to make a record of 200 eggs or better.”

Dr, Pearl and Oscar Smart had a somewhat competitive professional relationship in the poultry world. What Dr. Pearl espoused closely mirrors the brilliant work done by Oscar Smart ( Britain's foremost poultry biologist). of the same era as Dr. Pearl. Oscar Smart wrote a brilliant book called , " The Inheritance of Fecundity in Fowls." In it de describes his method for determining rate of lay during the winter months and using this info to determine quality of laying production...using this info to increase laying production in a flock breeding program. Here's the ebook,"
The inheritance of fecundity in fowls.
by Smart, Oscar.
Published 1921
http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924003164450;view=1up;seq=3
Oscar Smart died very young in 1919 in the midst of a brilliant career in poultry biology and genetics.
It was a great loss to the poultry world.
Best,
Karen

 

[Shello]

Thank you, Karen!

Shel

 

[hellbender]

I have a an excellent Chantecler Cock bird that I intend to cover a 50% pure DC X a 50%X 50% Cornish cross.

Here she be..just a young pullet and I have very high hopes for their get.

EDIT. The offspring will designated for CAPONS.

 

[Folly's place]

Nice pullet! Mary