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

[stonykill]

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.

 

[bruceh]

i think what walt is saying. you started with a bird that is not true (.true meaning not proven ) therefor the lineage of the bird is unknown.
by breeding such a bird there is no true way to know what you have as a building block. there may genes in that breeding bird that will show up later on. therefor any offspring of those birds will never give you a base to build. f1 generations are the first offspring of the parent stock. now that we have f1 what are you going to breed to. yes you can breed to your stock and hope you get what you are looking for. however the gene pool is to mixed up. so you never know what you are going to get except more birds .

 

[stonykill]

i think what walt is saying. you started with a bird that is not true (.true meaning not proven ) therefor the lineage of the bird is unknown.
by breeding such a bird there is no true way to know what you have as a building block. there may genes in that breeding bird that will show up later on. therefor any offspring of those birds will never give you a base to build. f1 generations are the first offspring of the parent stock. now that we have f1 what are you going to breed to. yes you can breed to your stock and hope you get what you are looking for. however the gene pool is to mixed up. so you never know what you are going to get except more birds .

thank you. Yes I'm going to breed to my stock. I do have a plan. Good egg producers. Looks aren't as important. But I did find them interesting.

 

[caj1985]

Is that a genetic issue? If you hatched in an incubator it could have been caused by that.

I did hatch in the incubator. This was the last one to hatch but the only one of its color. It also is just generally not thriving, very lethargic (I've given it water with honey & ACV which perked it up some) and doesn't seem interested in food.

What conditions cause this?

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

that Sumatra's face has darkened as the year went on. older pic of him. Also not the actual bird used for mating. Do I care if they are purebred. No I don't. I like their instincts, smarts and dispositions. Plus at this point we are so far from the Sumatra that was brought over form Asia, that it doesn't matter. but I don't show chickens. I don't understand the interest in it, and think it is a horrible life living in a cage at a show. But I digress.
Yes I have a goal. Good egg layers that are hearty and healthy. With the males having a decent amount of meat on them. My hodgepodge , well maybe so, but I wasn't asking about the other breeds bred. They do well. I found the sex link of the White leghorn/Sumatra cross interesting and frankly helpful. The eggs may not be as big as I hope for. but I'll know that in a few months.

The White leghorn looking roo has the floppy "80's style Flock of Seagulls" comb. Just what you would expect a white leghorn to have. This is one of the reasons I thought perhaps I should breed him back to white leghorns 1st.

I am asking these questions to firm up a plan.

I once would have agreed with you, but now I know the truth and completely disagree. You can think what you want but in my opinion...Show birds have excellent lives. They get the best feed and treatment to get them looking their tops and in turn they only have to be in a cage for a few days. They are prepared and trained ahead of time to feel comfortable in it. Often shows are only a day or two. I can personally say that my sq mottled bantam cochin rooster does not mind being shown and loves to show off for any people who walk by. He also loves to fall asleep under a blow dryer after having a bath. I can not advise you on your birds. Do whatever pleases you and makes you happy. Personally, I would try to get those pretty splash hens to breed true and stick with them as I really love the look of them. You seem to really like the sumatra. If you breed the white leghorn looking rooster to the leghorn hens, very little of a sumatra will remain.

 

[stonykill]

I once would have agreed with you, but now I know the truth and completely disagree. You can think what you want but in my opinion...Show birds have excellent lives. They get the best feed and treatment to get them looking their tops and in turn they only have to be in a cage for a few days. They are prepared and trained ahead of time to feel comfortable in it. Often shows are only a day or two. I can personally say that my sq mottled bantam cochin rooster does not mind being shown and loves to show off for any people who walk by. He also loves to fall asleep under a blow dryer after having a bath. I can not advise you on your birds. Do whatever pleases you and makes you happy. Personally, I would try to get those pretty splash hens to breed true and stick with them as I really love the look of them. You seem to really like the sumatra. If you breed the white leghorn looking rooster to the leghorn hens, very little of a sumatra will remain.

I have Sumatra's to breed with Sumatra's in a seperate pen and free ranging. Like I said, this is for my own egg laying flock. And again, my opinion on shows isn't why I posted. I simply said they won't be shown or sold and were for my own flock only.

I'm honestly not sure that only a little of the Sumatra will show. Looks wise, not sure. But look at the splash hens. They look like splash Sumatra's, not anything like white leghorns. once I either incubate more or have a broody do the work, I'll find out. As long as they lay well, are healthy , and the roosters have enough meat to eat, I'm happy. THAT is why I mentioned they would not be shown. Showing is not even a consideration, even at a county fair. I want eggs and meat, and an opinion as to what might help the process. I'm seeing now it is up to me to figure out, as I offend those who show.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

I have Sumatra's to breed with Sumatra's in a seperate pen and free ranging. Like I said, this is for my own egg laying flock. And again, my opinion on shows isn't why I posted. I simply said they won't be shown or sold and were for my own flock only.

I'm honestly not sure that only a little of the Sumatra will show. Looks wise, not sure. But look at the splash hens. They look like splash Sumatra's, not anything like white leghorns. once I either incubate more or have a broody do the work, I'll find out. As long as they lay well, are healthy , and the roosters have enough meat to eat, I'm happy. THAT is why I mentioned they would not be shown. Showing is not even a consideration, even at a county fair. I want eggs and meat, and an opinion as to what might help the process. I'm seeing now it is up to me to figure out, as I offend those who show.

You keep saying that "...that is why I mentioned they would not be shown" and I respect that. It makes perfect sense. You want birds for meat and eggs and I understand that. However, you also said you thought that "it is a horrible life living at a show" which is why I said what I did and why you are offending those who show. Anyways, since you want eggs and meat, why not bring in a dual purpose breed of chicken that is already designed that way? You could breed them to the birds you have if you wished. I'm not trying to offend you here, it would just be a lot easier and quicker to get what you want that way. That is my opinion on "what might help the process". There are tons of dual purpose breeds out there and I'm sure you could find a bird that would be a good layer, have enough meat to eat, and have a nice temperament as well as a fare amount of brains. But, it's up to you. I won't advise you anymore.

 

[stonykill]

so the question got lost I think except for 1 person. They suggested breeding to a splash Sumatra. Here is the original question.

Who should I breed the white leghorn/Sumatra roo with? Being he looks so much like a leghorn I thought I might move him back in the pen his egg came from and move that rooster elsewhere. Or should I mate him with a splash Sumatra hen I have 1st, then back to leghorns?


Now I'm leaning towards breeding him right back to the 2 white leghorns because I know the egg size a white leghorn lays. A good selling size. Although I may split up the leghorns and breed one to the black Sumatra roo to make more splash pullets, if that does indeed happen again. And then breed the mutt leghorn roo to the other white leghorn. I only have 2 of them. The EE hybrids I won't even breed to make them again until I see the egg production of them.

 

[stonykill]

You keep saying that "...that is why I mentioned they would not be shown" and I respect that. It makes perfect sense. You want birds for meat and eggs and I understand that. However, you also said you thought that "it is a horrible life living at a show" which is why I said what I did and why you are offending those who show. Anyways, since you want eggs and meat, why not bring in a dual purpose breed of chicken that is already designed that way? You could breed them to the birds you have if you wished. I'm not trying to offend you here, it would just be a lot easier and quicker to get what you want that way. That is my opinion on "what might help the process". There are tons of dual purpose breeds out there and I'm sure you could find a bird that would be a good layer, have enough meat to eat, and have a nice temperament as well as a fare amount of brains. But, it's up to you. I won't advise you anymore.

because I have 15 sumatra Roo's. And I like the behavior from them. If I keep this leghorn/Sumatra mix, he will be my ONLY non Sumatra roo, and will stay penned. I said " I think it is a horrible life living at a show" . Think being the key word that got missed. I stated my opinion. I did not state it as fact. Please don't misquote to make a point. I won't.

 

[stonykill]

IMO: you have too many things going on with your flock and there is no way to predict what the disposition or egg laying capabilities are at this point. You have a hodgepodge of at least three breeds here. Sumatra's are supposed to have black or gypsy faces and black legs, so it's background may not be pure either. Enjoy watching them grow out and hope for the best. What kind of comb does that leghorn looking male have? In the flock pic it appears that you have the makings of some blue hybrids if you put that splash birds with the Sumatra male. You seem to have a goal, but you also need a plan before you mate the birds or you are just propagating chickens.

Walt

the blue hybrids are black Austrolop/ Blue Sumatra mutts. They produce a big rooster worthy of eating, and pullets lay nice sized cream colored eggs. I never even considered breeding them to the splash leghorn/sumatra pullets, until now. Thanks. This is the kind of info I'm after