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

[Cynthia12]

My silly girls have learned a trick from my stinker leghorn, she is the white one of course, with
the most full crop. Miss Piggy. And, a picture of my sweet Sizzle Silkie, that has to go..I can't have roosters. We have someone here in Utah doing some decrowing. She just had a Marans done, and so far so good! I really think, if I could have that done, I would have a Wesummer for the LF, and a Silkie or Showgirl for the bantam. Only got 31 dollars. Not sure that will be the kept price, once this takes off.

 

[delisha]

Quote: That would not work for various reasons. Metal being the first one, and your own observation about it also. I made mine from old parts and wood. However I dump mine right on the ground. It is not like dry feed and you loose it. The birds do not leave anything behind. I feed once a day, at about 4:00. They are all out on the range all day. I have show stock too and I feed them twice a day. They unfortunately do not get to go in the woods. I use a huge bucket with a handle for transport. It is actually a cake taker I purchased at a rummage sale for .50. I have 6 Muscoveys, a trio of EBBLO's a trio of RIR, and 5 laying hens (Cornish over RIR-BO-WR-GB). I also have 25 Cornish that is going tomorrow. I feed probably about 10 lbs of feed for everyone. More than half goes to the Cornish chicks. They eat a lot.

 

[Beekissed]

My silly girls have learned a trick from my stinker leghorn, she is the white one of course, with
the most full crop. Miss Piggy. And, a picture of my sweet Sizzle Silkie, that has to go..I can't have roosters. We have someone here in Utah doing some decrowing. She just had a Marans done, and so far so good! I really think, if I could have that done, I would have a Wesummer for the LF, and a Silkie or Showgirl for the bantam. Only got 31 dollars. Not sure that will be the kept price, once this takes off.

You might want to ask Al about taking that rooster off your hands...he's in the market for new breeding stock.

My opinion on decrowing roosters? Inhumane and the same as cropping ears and tail on a dog or declawing a cat...entirely not necessary and done purely for selfish reasons on the part of the human.

 

[IvyMaeWilliams]

Those are beautiful, Fred!

 

[Sally8]

I live in WI too and mine is in the kitchen. It no longer ferments outdoors.

Haha, mine has already froze outside. Had to bring it in. Silly dog in my avatar will eat it if I don't keep it covered and then he leaves it all over my carpet. Must not agree with him. What works for me so far is fermenting in smaller quantities. When the temps go back up in April or May. I'll put it back out.

 

[Beekissed]

I was wondering about the heritage breed breeders and if they are breeding for physical traits(SOP) or are they also breeding for the original traits of the breeds? I mean the ability to thrive on foraged feeds, broodiness, hardiness without the aid of meds or deworming, etc.

We are having a discussion on the Road about how to take a land race breed and try to preserve its original traits in a backyard setting. The breed in question is from another country and having trouble becoming established in America~Swedish Flower~due to certain nutritional deficiencies that keep popping up though the birds are receiving regular nutrition.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Bee, my experience is limited, so I'll answer your question, as best I can, but it will only be my own mindset. Sure as heck cannot speak for everyone. There are far too many goals in breeding. For some, it is the show. For others, it is the preservation of the breed, and for others, such as myself, it is a a sincere desire to be faithful to those who bred the breeds. For utility breeding, little of this applies, but when keeping and breeding heritage birds, I consume as much information about the life, times and writings of the breeders who made these breeds 100 years ago or more. These pioneers actually did some fascinating writing. The SOP reflects much of that history, in my mind.

With that long and boring preamble, these birds are precious not only because of their "looks", but precisely because they also incarnate the personality of the original breeders intent. Forage? Well, duh!! What kind of heritage dual purpose fowl, such as the Barred Rock, doesn't forage? Gentle, self confident, regal? Yup, all that stuff in spades?
How about broody? How often does a hatchery or utility Barred Rock go broody? Rare as hen's teeth. These ringlet BRs are broody as all get out.

That Red cockerel I pictured above? He's a profoundly capable flock tender and he's just a pup. I've not seen those skills in a utility/production red. How many posts are here on BYC that say "My RIR roo is aggressive and attacking me!" blah blah blah. Then, you realize that they have a hatchery production red, of course. All over BYC there is the prevailing opinion that RIR roos (I use that term intentionally) are mean and aggressive. Truth is, they aren't Rhode Island Reds at all. They are mean red mutts.

NYREDS was asked about his heritage, heirloom Reds. "How do you get calm and friendly Red cockerels?" Know what his answer was?

"Just hatch them". LOL

 

[Beekissed]

Love that dry humor! I've always wondered about that and my thinking goes along with yours. What would be the purpose of trying to preserve a breed's looks without preserving the breed's original traits that made it a breed that lasted from that time to this? Who wants a show pony with no guts?

Someone had asked me if I ever had broodies in the winter and I told them I hadn't...ever. It's unnatural to the bird to reproduce in seasons with low nutritional opportunities and this is one reason why I cut optimal nutrition down in the winter months. I don't know that people understand how animals thrive in the wild..fatten up in the summer and early fall, live on that fat in the winter, come into spring lean and ready to produce, then get fat on spring nutrition in order to produce healthy offspring and feed them when they are born. The hormonal levels are regulated by that in chickens~and other animals~ and this is why they slow down in the winter and go on survival mode instead of production mode.

I'm thinking that those providing supplemental lighting to manipulate those hormones and supplementing with rich feeds to "keep them warmer" in the winter are those most likely to have broodies in the fall and winter. It really messes with their natural rhythms and I think it affects their overall health and production.

 

[galanie]

Bee, my experience is limited, so I'll answer your question, as best I can, but it will only be my own mindset.  Sure as heck cannot speak for everyone.  There are far too many goals in breeding.  For some, it is the show.  For others, it is the preservation of the breed, and for others, such as myself, it is a a sincere desire to be faithful to those who bred the breeds.  For utility breeding, little of this applies, but when keeping and breeding heritage birds, I consume as much information about the life, times and writings of the breeders who made these breeds 100 years ago or more. These pioneers actually did some fascinating writing. The SOP reflects much of that history, in my mind.  

With that long and boring preamble, these birds are precious not only because of their "looks", but precisely because they also incarnate the personality of the original breeders intent.   Forage?  Well, duh!!  What kind of heritage dual purpose fowl, such as the Barred Rock, doesn't forage?  Gentle, self confident, regal?  Yup, all that stuff in spades?
How about broody?   How often does a hatchery or utility Barred Rock go broody?   Rare as hen's teeth.  These ringlet BRs are broody as all get out.

That Red cockerel I pictured above?  He's a profoundly capable flock tender and he's just a pup.  I've not seen those skills in a utility/production red.  How many posts are here on BYC that say "My RIR roo is aggressive and attacking me!"   blah blah blah.  Then, you realize that they have a hatchery production red, of course.  All over BYC there is the prevailing opinion that RIR roos (I use that term intentionally) are mean and aggressive.  Truth is, they aren't Rhode Island Reds at all.  They are mean red mutts.

NYREDS was asked about his heritage, heirloom Reds.  "How do you get calm and friendly Red cockerels?"   Know what his answer was?  

"Just hatch them".  LOL   

Wow. My own goals in keeping a dual purpose breed are very similar. I don't plan to keep a breed known for great foraging but still plan to have them to SOP yet doing what they were originally intended to do. Lay and be good table birds. But, type first. Without type, they can't be table birds. Without at least decent laying, they can't be "dual purpose." Maybe my goals aren't practical by another person's standards but they are to me. I want it all! hehe. (yes, an impossible goal, I know)

ETA: And with proper coloring! Can't be SOP otherwise, right? A solid color though. Not starting out with a spangled such and such or a Jubilee whatever (wink).

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've always wondered about that and my thinking goes along with yours. What would be the purpose of trying to preserve a breed's looks without preserving the breed's original traits that made it a breed that lasted from that time to this? Who wants a show pony with no guts? 

The sad thing is that I don't think they have lasted. That's why I really respect the very few people like Walt.

I'm thinking that those providing supplemental lighting to manipulate those hormones and supplementing with rich feeds to "keep them warmer" in the winter are those most likely to have broodies in the fall and winter. It really messes with their natural rhythms and I think it affects their overall health and production.

I think you said something quite profound. I've never seen a broody in anything other than the right season. Dad never played with the lights and I don't either. He never overfed his and I don't either.