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

[smyers32]

Except my stupid chickens. They hardly go out at all and only half of them forage, the rest just stand there looking clueless. And they lay no eggs. Somehow I managed to get non-chickeny chickens. Can you tell I'm frustrated?

 

[Fred's Hens]

So backbreeding means breeding offspring back to parent, is that correct? And because multiple breeds comprise the genetics they will not produce offspring that look like the parents, at least not 100%, for the first generation and probably the second, but if you select from each generation birds who look alike (and presumably produce well if the goal is clean, vigorous, and prolific) and breed to one another and/or to the look-alike parent, you can ultimately produce your white hen and also a white roo which, when bred together, can produce entire clutches of white chicks. If I did not understand your meaning PLEASE correct me.

On the topic of selective breeding, what characteristics are the most difficult to stamp?

First, what I know about genetics wouldn't fill a thimble. Just about everything is hard to breed out. Pinched tails, narrow set legs, ridge back, etc. But culling solves most of our issues. We only select improved features or features we want on those few, those very few who are selected for the breeding pens. Level backs, wide rear ends, nice rounded front breast, straight backs, etc. These are not show birds, but one breeds for barnyard birds in much the same way a fancier breeds, quite honestly. We do include temperament as a very valued criteria. I'm not sure show breeders care very much about that, I dunno.

A hundred pages or so back or perhaps on another thread altogether, Walt (fowlman01) was discussing why these traits are important to over health and productivity. I found Walt's tutorials to be very valuable, even when just applied to utility stock breeding.

 

[Beekissed]

Except my stupid chickens. They hardly go out at all and only half of them forage, the rest just stand there looking clueless. And they lay no eggs. Somehow I managed to get non-chickeny chickens. Can you tell I'm frustrated?

What breeds do you have and how often and what time of the day do you feed?

 

[smyers32]

I have 6 BOs that I was told are 2yo. and 4 Ameraucanas that are about 4months old. There are 4 BO hens and the young Roo(~5-6mo) that go out significantly more the rest. The young girls just hang around the coop all day. And none of them venture more than 15-20ft from the barn. I've had them for about a month, so I'm trying to be patient and see if they will get braver as they grow more accustomed to their environment. I was leaving the feeder in the coop at all times (so I don't blame the lazy slags for hanging around the easy meal all day) But have been removing the feeder around 9am and putting it back in around 6-7pm that way they get a little breakfast and can fill their crops before bed. There is one specific BO that I have caught out actively foraging all by herself on multiple occasions and she has the best feathering and by far the reddest comb. I told the others they better follow her lead or I'm going to start eating a lot more chicken.

I was wondering about molting, three of the BOs look awful and there's feathers all over, but 2 of them look perfect. Do they not molt every year? And how long does a molt typically last? I know a month is not very long to get to know a flock, so I'm trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, but I'm not very patient!!

I'm reading this thread from both ends and learning a ton, wish I had started reading it sooner. I believe I was duped by the girl I bought the orps from. I don't think they were healthy when I got them, but I do see some positive changes. (darker combs, healthier poo, etc.) But they seem to be of varying quality, 2 are huge and a paler buff, the other 3 are significantly smaller and a darker, more reddish buff. She also sold me a "lavender orpington" that was completely barebacked and kinda ratty looking (why did I buyher, you ask? because I really wanted some lavenders and totally made a rookie mistake, kicking myself now) Anyway, her feathers are growing back in very nicely....and all the way down her legs!!! Orpington? I think not. She is easily half the size of the biggest BO hen. And little lavender has made herself an honorary ameraucana. She stays with those 4 pullets and the two groups sorta self segregate.

Sorry for the novel, I've just been needing to vent about this huge mistake of a flock I think I newbied myself into. I've seriously considered just scrapping them all and starting over with a new flock. But I think a couple of the BOs may have potential and the ameraucanas aren't even to POL yet. The Roo is very handsome and just starting to show serious interest in the ladies and he's usually happy to go outside, so he may get to stick around. I keep telling myself to just sit back and watch for another month or two and see what happens. (but i want some dang eggs!)

 

[Beekissed]

The BOs are past their prime and they aren't great layers to begin with...average or mediocre at best. They eat a lot and aren't the best foragers. The EEs or Ameracaunas are average layers as well but should be able to forage decently if not presented with food in the morning and only fed towards evening. They molt yearly after their first year and can even molt a little in the first year, each bird is individual in their molt and it depends on their level of hormones, age, nutritional status, etc., as to how much they molt and for how long they molt. Molt and the recovery time can last all winter or not long at all, depends on the bird/flock.

They usually slow down on laying during this time of year and during molt.

Yes, you got suckered and I wouldn't buy off of a casual breeder anymore. You'll have better luck with hatcheries or with someone who is an honest, dependable breeder(good luck finding one of those). You got culls...unwanted birds.

No worries...you'll learn and as time goes on you won't be so easy to fool.

 

[smyers32]

Thanks for confirming my suspicions. I knew they were past prime and wasn't expecting daily layers, but I was hoping that between 5-6 hens, I could get a dozen or so eggs a week. (I was told they were laying consistently about every other day.....not happening at my house)

I got the ameraucanas for the novelty of colored eggs. I'm thinking it's wonderland time for all the BOs except maybe the one good forager and the roo (don't know why, but i'm really partial to that guy). Off with their heads!!

I've been looking into Buckeye's (i'm in the area), but I'm really leaning towards New Hampshires and BAs. I'll have to admit, I'd like a couple barred rocks just for 'looks'. I know, I know...so impractical to buy based on looks for what I really want to be a utility flock. But I also want to see a pretty 'rainbow' of chickens out in my pasture. I guess I can't have that if I don't get breeds that will actually GO OUT TO PASTURE!!

 

[Beekissed]

You really can't go wrong with those breeds...the BAs are exceptional birds, IMO, as are the New Hamps, with the BRs also being great layers and a good utility breed. They are all a good part of a utility layer flock, so not bad choices at all. I have one New Hamp that is 6 yrs old, molting and still laying 5 days out of 7.

 

[Fred's Hens]

All kinds of birds will go foraging and forage well, if allowed to develop the skills when they are young and also if they tag along with experienced foragers who really show them how. People would be amazed to watch even birds bred to be commercial layers, if allowed to grow up foraging, bolt out to the trees and scratch virtually all day long.

Some breeds may indeed be more inclined to forage than others, but I lean heavily to the side of what they experience as well. You can allow their instincts for foraging to be sharpened or you can dull them into a sedentary, just watching for the next feed bucket type birds. Just my experience.

 

[smyers32]

I suspect that's why the BOs I have are far more willing to range than the ameraucanas. They came from a huge pen and daily foraging in the woods, while the amaucanas were in a tiny pen and I don't think they were ever allowed out, hopefully hunger will encourage them to venture out, but at the same time I don't want them actually going hungry especially since they are still growing.

On another note, I fashioned an awesome redneck portable "cover" area. One round bale feeder with an old trampoline cloth tied on the top with hay twine! Good thing I live out in the sticks and my neighbors don't care much for "pretty yards".

The chickens haven't discovered it yet, or aren't utilizing it to my knowledge anyway. Put a waterer in there to try to make it more welcoming, but they're still being home-bodies. Now that I think about it they are just fair weather foragers, We had a couple beautiful warm sunny days last week and they were out A LOT and roaming much farther than I had seen them go thus far. But now we've been back to cool and cloudy for a few days and they are staying in. They are just spoiled I reckon, need to move to FL.

 

[NikkiMiChickie]

While this is my first flock, I agree with Fred's post about what the birds experience. I wanted to "try out" different breeds, so I have one each of BO, BR, RIR, BSL, RSL, SLW, a white leghorn hen that lays an egg a day like clockwork, a Cochin hen, Cochin roo, and yes, even a silkie roo. I knew I wanted to free range/pasture my chickens, so started taking them outside in a little tractor from about 5 days old, increasing the amount of time I left them out each time. They moved into their big girl coop from the brooder at about 4-5 weeks, and after a few days of lockdown, they've been free ever since. Those birds bolt outside as soon as they're awake, and don't return to the coop until dusk unless it's to lay an egg. They forage all over about 7 acres of land, even the silkie. They're beautiful, healthy birds, and I wouldn't keep them any other way
Again, I'm a total newbie! But I haven't noticed a bit of difference in my birds' foraging ability, even the fluffy butt Cochins & the silkie. Now we'll see how they fare in the cold winter months - I've already warned my husband that Silkie roo is likely to freeze to death.