Chantecler Thread!

[RhodeRunner]

My experience with Partridge Chanteclers (that I think came by way of Blehm) is that there won't be much to put in the freezer. They're on the small side.

All of my roosters (minus a runt or two) hit proper weight and quite a few where overweight. One rooster weighed thirteen pounds. The hens where a little underweight, but seem to be filling out nicer in their second year. The roosters packed it on in their first year.

 

[TimG]

That's good to hear. My experience is limited, I've only had two roosters and both were undersized at one year.

 

[Jake Levi]

Hi Tim

Where did your roosters come from?

 

[TimG]

My Partridge Chanteclers came from a BYC forum member, who I believe got her stock from Blehm. Not 100% positive.

I've had two roosters, father and son. I've never weighed either, but they are (were) on the small side. I'd be shocked if the one I have at the moment is over 7 pounds.

 

[bruceha2000]

I checked the Ideal website, they have several colors besides the Partridge, I am thinking that it might be worth it to get an order from each, rear them separately and compare at 6-8 mos,

for sure will have freezer birds with extra roosters and the surplus 15 from Johns order.

My 2 Partridge Chanteclers came from Ideal. For a while one had an up tail and the other sort of a "bob" with the tail feathers curving down over the rump. Then the other one's tail did the same thing. Definitely not the nice long, flat back through the tail look of the one's on John's page. Maybe it is just a "teen age" look? They are 15 weeks today.

Have to agree with the comments on ChickHatchery re: price and "get whatever" unless you really like all the type of birds you might get after the 10 you want and you don't mind ~50% roos.
Otherwise, yeah, if you really want 10 Partridge Chantecler pullets at $8/each and take the other 15 as "Surplus chicks" at @4 each to keep the cost down, the odds are you will get 5 pullet PCs at $28/ desired pullet and 20 chicks you aren't really interested in having. Unless, of course, he has a whacking great hatch of PCs

Since he is limiting to 10 PCs, I suspect he either expects a lot of demand for them and/or not a huge supply.

Looking at the "bright side" I guess one could be pleasantly surprised to find they really like the breeds they got as "extras". I bet my daughter would love a bunch of Lavender Ameraucanas

 

[Jake Levi]

That is my view too, I might get some from Ideal and freezer all those roosters and keep the ones from Blem, could get a few others I want of the surplus, for sure at least half will be roosters, so lots of chicken in the freezer next year no matter what.

 

[Blackhorsehill]

Why don't you give John a call? If you can pick them up, maybe you don't have to get the other birds. I think that is all just to keep the numbers up for warmth for shipping. He has a little blurb on the website about selling locally. It sounds like you can pick them up there, because he sells culls on Craig's list that people come to pick up.

Worth checking into.

 

[Jake Levi]

That is a good idea, making a drive would still be cheaper in the long run over buying birds I dont want, and certainly no problem keeping them warm on the way home,

well worth checking out, thanks.

 

[coopslave]

My experience with Partridge Chanteclers (that I think came by way of Blehm) is that there won't be much to put in the freezer. They're on the small side.

I process my Partridge Chanteclers at 22-24 weeks. Before that they have not really started to fill out. Mine are between 4.5 and 5 pounds when done.






The flavour was great and I even dry roasted one and it was not tough at all. I have to say I am very impressed with them for the last 3 years I have been doing them. I only do the cockerels I grow out and decide not to use for breeding.
The first year I did them I was only used to the store bought franken birds so I had to get used to the texture of a heritage bird, but the flavour is so WOW!

 

[Blackhorsehill]

Love the girl in your avatar. Where are you located? What is the source of your stock?