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

[NanaKat]

Fred, wanted to show you pics of that wry tailed hen that I culled....just look at that pelvic torsion! It's no wonder she waddled!

Give new meaning to the phrase "Spread 'em" Was this really hatchery stock or could the hen have been injured as a chick. I had a roo that was hit by a falling board knocked over by a strong wind. His back bone was crooked like your hen's when he was butchered. Fortunately, he was a nice sop SLW roo and I was able to use him for AI successfully.

Quote:

So given the study that declares a large red comb as a sign of fertility in hens, do I hatch eggs from my extra-large floppy combed leghorn hen? What Would Bee Do? Lol. I know it's ultimately my decision, but if there is a good reason NOT to breed her, I'd love to hear it.

Other news: my flock is now silkie-free. Jerk roo left tonight to go to his new home on 80 acres. I'm curious to see whether he survives the winter, but I didn't want to feed him just to see

Just read a nice article on egg-laying and hens about the color of the comb and other color indicators in selecting which hens to cull as non-layers:
Backyard Poultry Magazine, Aug/Sept 2012, "Don't Save the Pretty Hens: Pinpointing Deadweight Hens Involves Science, Ingenuity", Pg 40 - 44. Although the article was written by Gail Damerow, there were some interesting tidbits. The gist: Some of your better layers don't actually have a dark red comb or the best feathering or best colored shanks and feet because their energy is going into egg production rather than their own good looks.
Best advice from BYC: Know your flock which comes from good observation and spending time with them.

Quote: Thank you both for the information I have been making copies for my files.

Quote: Assuming you use a breeding pen and or have two coop pens: you could mark your eggs under the broody X for FF and O for regular feed.. Then which ever hatched best would give you an indication....
I have set fertile pullet eggs and have found that the chick is smaller but catches up. Those yolks were smaller than the yolks in an older hen's egg.
Just thinking along with you

 

[galefrances]

Quote: More nutrients doesn't necessarily mean healthier? I'm thinking vitamins and minerals here. More isn't better. But, FF allows for better absorption of nutrients, not an increase. Am I correct about that? So based on that, the yolk doesn't have more nutrients, just more volume. More volume isn't better for your health either. (That's what I was getting at with the LGA babies.) Am I way off here Bee? I'm wondering....we have Cornell University here in NY. They have a division of Veterinary Medicine and a vet who specializes in poultry species and game birds. Maybe she might be interested in this. I'll pm you her contact info.

 

[Beekissed]

Nah...don't bother...it's just idle curiosity on my part.

I like to contemplate things and throw them out for thought and consideration but I'm not real intent on the answer for this one. I'm pretty content with waiting until I can put theory into practice and draw my own conclusions. I'm a "show me" kind of gal..... I like to see visual results.

 

[Gargoyle]

Fred, wanted to show you pics of that wry tailed hen that I culled....just look at that pelvic torsion! It's no wonder she waddled!

Thanks, I'm going to look closely at that. We have a wry tailed girl, 6 months old, hasn't started laying yet. We only eat the eggs, we don't brood them, so I'm not concerned about her genetics. However, we are concerned she'll have trouble laying or get egg bound, and if so will probably have to cull. Don't want to, she has the sweetest mellowest personality of any of ours, but if she has trouble laying I don't see how she could survive.

When my wife has done a gyne exam she has felt the bone on the left side and lots of space on the right. Do you know a good chicken chiropractor?

 

[Beekissed]

All the info I found stated these birds do not have problems when laying. My hen had two problems...she had poor conformation to begin with, was collecting too much fat around her vent that could obstruct eggs as well, and put the twisted pelvis on top of that and there becomes more of a problem. Another thing to consider is one genetic deformity can indicate there may be others...upon exploring this hen's ovaries I found that she had a very underdeveloped ovary, even for a slow down time. She might have eventually laid eggs but she is over 2 yrs old...I'd say she was ready for culling.

Here's the other pics I didn't show...too much fat (she was a big eater, not a good forager) and underdeveloped ovary:

 

[thedragonlady]

Ok now you're giving away your secrets! hehe.
Would Lester have been what is considered "pre-potent?" I.E. able to throw great offspring no matter the hen? Or do I have even the definition of that all wrong? I don't think it was luck at all. You knew what you needed and you found it. Well finding it was the lucky part.
Oh and I see now that you didn't do brother to sister matings on the side like I thought. You waited till you had some decent buff cocks and bred to the 5th generation hens.
And PS - Thank you for not going into DD/ee+ qq/OMG+ and SH/it+ genotypes.

A geneticist I'm not, but I can look at critters and flowers and sort of tell which way to go.Short pea, tall pea, is as far as I get with all that mumbo jumbo. I just breed what I see, and cull what I don't want to see.

Yes. I think that Lester was a prepotent cockbird, as he was heavily inbred for good type.

 

[Beekissed]

It doesn't look like you're doing too badly....

Just look at that buxom blonde!

 

[thedragonlady]

It doesn't look like you're doing too badly....

Just look at that buxom blonde!

Thanks Bee ! What I'm very proud of is that these girls are not dumb blondes. Since I hatched them, I had to play Ma Hen and teach them about Hawks and eagles. I'd give the warning cry, and run into the coop. I've just taught the latest batch who are outside tone out of the 12 was retarded, and went to a nice safe home. Investigating little chicken minds is fun. Get into Mother's daylilies, and it WILL rain. It takes about twice, and they learn. They have 3 minutes after I say, "get in house !", or it will rain too. Very obedient kids!

 

[galanie]

Thanks Bee ! What I'm very proud of is that these girls are not dumb blondes. Since I hatched them, I had to play Ma Hen and teach them about Hawks and eagles. I'd give the warning cry, and run into the coop. I've just taught the latest batch who are outside tone out of the 12 was retarded, and went to a nice safe home. Investigating little chicken minds is fun. Get into Mother's daylilies, and it WILL rain. It takes about twice, and they learn. They have 3 minutes after I say, "get in house !", or it will rain too. Very obedient kids!

OMG now I feel so smart! I thought I was the only one that did crazy things like that!

 

[Beekissed]

I do it too!

Just to see if they will react....