Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[fowlman01]

hens are RIR, White leghorn, EE (always a gamble I'm sure) , black Austrolop, and Sumatra hens.

All of the Sumatra's have yellow foot pads. I honestly haven't paid the least bit of attention to the foot pad color of the hybrids as I wasn't concerned with it.

As Stated, these birds are not for sale. Hens are for eggs, 99.9 % of roosters are for the freezer. If a hens lays poorly, she will be in the freezer.

Only time will tell on the success. The roosters at 16 weeks are getting to be a nice size. I'll see how they look at 20 weeks and may dispatch one to see how the meat is. Egg production I'm not worried about. I only hatched from my best laying hens. So I'm hopeful that will show in the pullets.

How much does your biggest Sumatra male weigh? I don't think I would use that legnhorn at all. If meat is not a big deal maybe try him to a white leghorn.

Walt

 

[stonykill]

How much does your biggest Sumatra male weigh? I don't think I would use that legnhorn at all. If meat is not a big deal maybe try him to a white leghorn.

Walt

haven't actually weighed them, but the largest is possibly 5 lbs. He is smaller than my RIR's and Austrolops.

What I didn't clarify for meat is I don't expect more meat than a heritage bird would have. Enough meat for 2 or 3 with side dishes. As an example one of our Sumatra roo's is enough for 3 of us with plenty of sides

Meat is secondary to eggs. Meat is for our freezer.

 

[thedragonlady]

Have you ever been in a cage at a show? Have you ever been to a show...not a fair, a show? You have already expressed your position on showing....several times. No need to keep expressing it, especially when you are asking for help.

Even hatchery leghorn males don't have a lopped comb.....you have all kinds of things going on here and since none of these are pure/predictable, you have no way to know what their genetic makeup may be. This isn't about showing or any kind of standards. No one can predict what is going to happen with the matings you have already done , so I can't see anyone knowledgeable giving you direction with these hybrids. Try one of the experts in the breeding threads if you want an answer. It won't be correct, but they will give you an answer. There is no way to predict their behavior or performance at this point.

Play with them and learn from your results/experience, but don't expect anyone to "firm up" your plan, because there is no plan. These are F1 hybrids with unknown backgrounds other than the mating you have done. The bonus to the "80's style Flock of Seagulls" comb is that they can be used for lunch meat.

Walt

I thought of asking there, but would prefer a thought from an old timer who breeds for his or her own flock needs only.

I re expressed my thoughts (actually REALLY held back my thoughts on it) to clarify that I want meat and egg birds. Period. That is why, not to offend. If I wanted to offend I would not have been so pleasant

so you are saying you have no opinion on where you would breed this rooster ?

I can live with that.

Why re-invent the wheel? Your work has already been done for you years ago as Walt has pointed out. There are specific breeds to suit anyone, for any purpose. Why mess with success?

 

[stonykill]

Why re-invent the wheel? Your work has already been done for you years ago as Walt has pointed out. There are specific breeds to suit anyone, for any purpose. Why mess with success?

I'm NOT buying any more chickens. I'm NOT introducing new birds. I know some here breed mutts and are happy with the results. Now do they just let it happen and get what they get. That I don't know.
I know my flock. Well. Really well. I know what I have. I know how they behave. I know how they produce. So " Why mess with success" and buy new birds when I can breed the best of what I have?

I hesitate to say this, as it offends as I often seem to do, only on this thread. But I will anyway. I prefer mutts over purebred chickens most every time. It is my OPINION , not stating a fact.

But that is why. I have read this thread, practice most all of it, much of it before I read the thread. I am only breeding MY chickens, no more buying.

 

[thedragonlady]

I'm NOT buying any more chickens. I'm NOT introducing new birds. I know some here breed mutts and are happy with the results. Now do they just let it happen and get what they get. That I don't know.
I know my flock. Well. Really well. I know what I have. I know how they behave. I know how they produce. So " Why mess with success" and buy new birds when I can breed the best of what I have?

I hesitate to say this, as it offends as I often seem to do, only on this thread. But I will anyway. I prefer mutts over purebred chickens most every time. It is my OPINION , not stating a fact.

But that is why. I have read this thread, practice most all of it, much of it before I read the thread. I am only breeding MY chickens, no more buying.

This question begs to be answered: Have you ever had purebred breeder chickens of a breed bred to suit your purpose according to the standard?

 

[stonykill]

This question begs to be answered: Have you ever had purebred breeder chickens of a breed bred to suit your purpose according to the standard?

I am not BUYING anymore chickens. So the obvious answer is no. BECAUSE it is irrellevent . I'm NOT buying more chickens, I wanted advice. I get some, but mainly unrelated flack. So I withdraw my question. I'll figure it out.

Thanks to those who have helped. Once the hens start laying well I'll report how they lay.

 

[fowlman01]

haven't actually weighed them, but the largest is possibly 5 lbs. He is smaller than my RIR's and Austrolops.

What I didn't clarify for meat is I don't expect more meat than a heritage bird would have. Enough meat for 2 or 3 with side dishes. As an example one of our Sumatra roo's is enough for 3 of us with plenty of sides

Meat is secondary to eggs. Meat is for our freezer.

Take the largest Sumatra male you have and breed it to the Austrolorp and you should have the maximum you are going to get from your flock in meat and eggs. If your Austolorps don't lay well use the RIR's.

I would be interested in knowing how it works out.

Walt

 

[al6517]

LOL you gotta love this I mean seriously gotta love this.....................

3 full pages about breeding to accomplish something the owner has no clue of what they have, or what to expect, nor knows how to get there. but will reject the advice of those who know and are trying to help get the owner of this misguided project to a direction that even resembles ???? something. Starting with mutts for breeding because you like them ??? and hate real better bred birds because ???? no real desernable answer. I see this is really going nowhere and perhaps should be brought to another thread where the newbys can be more supportive of whatever it is you think your trying to acheive. Shoot I am confussing myself typing this LOL.

Anyway your asking for advice from those who you think know, so don't fight with them, take what they said and continue on, or perhaps there is another thread where folks are trying similary impossible breeding combinations, and see if you can argue with them. I am sorry I just see this going nowhere after 3 pages of advice and arguing. I think folks have been more than patient with the direction.

 

[stonykill]

Take the largest Sumatra male you have and breed it to the Austrolorp and you should have the maximum you are going to get from your flock in meat and eggs. If your Austolorps don't lay well use the RIR's.

I would be interested in knowing how it works out.

Walt

5 of my RIR's are old farm raised girls. They make the austrolop look small.
I have been breeding just that for 2 years now. Unfortunately last years got killed by a weasel before I got to eat the roosters. Well I ate them, because the weasel just killed them and ate the neck of 1, killed the other 9. But the hens laid a nice cream colored egg, and the roosters were a good size even though I was going to let them grow out a little more.
The Reds lay well, and like I said, a few are huge birds, not from a hatchery. The eggs don't hatch well though. Not sure if it is that they are the size of my Pekin eggs or something else. So I don't use them often for hatching.
Thanks, what I instinctively was the best match you just confirmed.

 

[stonykill]

LOL you gotta love this I mean seriously gotta love this.....................

3 full pages about breeding to accomplish something the owner has no clue of what they have, or what to expect, nor knows how to get there. but will reject the advice of those who know and are trying to help get the owner of this misguided project to a direction that even resembles ???? something. Starting with mutts for breeding because you like them ??? and hate real better bred birds because ???? no real desernable answer. I see this is really going nowhere and perhaps should be brought to another thread where the newbys can be more supportive of whatever it is you think your trying to acheive. Shoot I am confussing myself typing this LOL.

Anyway your asking for advice from those who you think know, so don't fight with them, take what they said and continue on, or perhaps there is another thread where folks are trying similary impossible breeding combinations, and see if you can argue with them. I am sorry I just see this going nowhere after 3 pages of advice and arguing. I think folks have been more than patient with the direction.

If you re read what I had a problem with, it always had nothing to do with the question I asked.

I know my birds, well.

They are chickens. Never paid more than $5 for a laying hen. Why? Because they are chickens.

I never said ANYWHERE I "hate" "better" bred birds.Nowhere, ever, I went back and looked. Why are they better? Do they lay eggs? If so, I'm happy. I don't require or want fancy pure bred show birds. I wanted help, and a few were kind enough to help. I thanked those people.
See here is what I don't understand. How is it that I follow the advice on raising chickens on this thread, to maintain a healthy flock, and because I won't buy some rare SOP bird, i'm ALL WRONG?
Walt, thank you. The others who helped thank you.

Geez, they are chickens. They sell for what $1.99 a lb at the grocery store? They are JUST CHICKENS. I
don't care if they are show perfect award winners or my mutts. They are chickens, just chickens. Geez.