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

[HiddenChicken]

It's a real picture. Here's a story on them http://webecoist.momtastic.com/2008/08/19/the-incredible-tree-climbing-goats-of-morocco/

Very cool! Certainly not something you see every day... :/

 

[Miss Lydia]

My two favorite hens. The white girl on the left is in my avatar and an F3 result of back breeding ISA Browns. The pullet on the right is my favorite heritage, GS Barred Rock.

As always, I apologize for my crappy camera and photography skills.

Pretty girls.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Pretty girls.

Thanks. These two represent both ends of spectrum of birds we have here, I guess. Know what's kinda funny? They're both chickens.

 

[Pozees]

My two favorite hens. The white girl on the left is in my avatar and an F3 result of back breeding ISA Browns. The pullet on the right is my favorite heritage, GS Barred Rock.

As always, I apologize for my crappy camera and photography skills.

Fred, can you explain what you mean when you say back breeding? I think both your girls are very nice looking, although it's harder to see a BR ... almost anywhere, really, they come with built-in camouflage and I come with built-in bad eyes

 

[Fred's Hens]

Fred, can you explain what you mean when you say back breeding? I think both your girls are very nice looking, although it's harder to see a BR ... almost anywhere, really, they come with built-in camouflage and I come with built-in bad eyes

Yeah, I need to have a fashion day. Perhaps if the sun finally comes out, I'll bathe them, blow dry them and make them look their runway model best and hire a real photographer for a fashion shoot.

The ISA Brown is likely the quintessential "hatchery" stock bird, given the 35 years of specialized, selective breeding that went into them, whereas the Frank Reese GS Barred Rock represent around 100 years of pure line breeding, likely from Mr Thompson's line of Ringlets. So these two birds represent the polar extremes of chicken breeding.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Although the ISA is a 4 way cross, terminating in a sex link, and ongoing breeding them is a curious activity. Of course, they do not breed true. However, with patience and selection, why not breed them to produce more layers? After 3 or 4 generations, you can make a white bird that pretty clean in appearance, vigorous, and the genetics still produce a very prolific layer. Or, you can "fork" the project and put a Red cock over them and make production reds. Is there a market for production layers?

The ISA is still a chicken and can be used to make more chickens. We haven't done the Silkie cross yet, however.

 

[Kansas Prairie]

Yeah, I need to have a fashion day. Perhaps if the sun finally comes out, I'll bathe them, blow dry them and make them look their runway model best and hire a real photographer for a fashion shoot.

The ISA Brown is likely the quintessential "hatchery" stock bird, given the 35 years of specialized, selective breeding that went into them, whereas the Frank Reese GS Barred Rock represent around 100 years of pure line breeding, likely from Mr Thompson's line of Ringlets. So these two birds represent the polar extremes of chicken breeding.

Great looking ladies!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Although the ISA is a 4 way cross, terminating in a sex link, and ongoing breeding them is a curious activity. Of course, they do not breed true. However, with patience and selection, why not breed them to produce more layers? After 3 or 4 generations, you can make a white bird that pretty clean in appearance, vigorous, and the genetics still produce a very prolific layer. Or, you can "fork" the project and put a Red cock over them and make production reds. Is there a market for production layers?

The ISA is still a chicken and can be used to make more chickens. We haven't done the Silkie cross yet, however.

When you do don't forget to post those pics That would be interesting.

 

[Fred's Hens]

When you do don't forget to post those pics That would be interesting.

No offense to anyone, but around these parts, folks aren't even sure a Silkie IS a chicken, if you know what I mean. LOL

Ain't ever gonna happen.

 

[stonykill]

No offense to anyone, but around these parts, folks aren't even sure a Silkie IS a chicken, if you know what I mean. LOL

Ain't ever gonna happen.

silkies are aliens...not chickens