Colorado

[Euarto Gullible]

Just to throw it in for the previous conversation, I don't use supplemental lighting either. I hatch late summer chicks though, that come into laying late in late fall and seem to lay better through the winter than the older hens that usually stop. I also note which individual hens lay well through the winter for breeding. Winter laying is definitely a desirable trait.

 

[suncatcher]

Well I thought the family would enjoy garlic fest, but found the listing for it, and it's $10 per person...meaning for my family it would be $40. Darn
http://www.meetup.com/Colorado-Springs-Local-Foods/events/202089592/

Have you looked at Territorial Seeds? They sell elepahant garlic and about 25 other types too!

 

[suncatcher]

Just to throw it in for the previous conversation, I don't use supplemental lighting either. I hatch late summer chicks though, that come into laying late in late fall and seem to lay better through the winter than the older hens that usually stop. I also note which individual hens lay well through the winter for breeding. Winter laying is definitely a desirable trait.

I am breeding a Landrace for high altitude and winter laying too. I have used mainly northern European breeds like Barnevelder and Lakenvelder, have crossed them with Australorp and White Rocks. Will see how they do once they start laying. So far they are very sturdy chickens.

 

[maggiemo]

very cool suncatcher. keep us posted on those birds for sure.

 

[Euarto Gullible]

I am breeding a Landrace for high altitude and winter laying too. I have used mainly northern European breeds like Barnevelder and Lakenvelder, have crossed them with Australorp and White Rocks. Will see how they do once they start laying. So far they are very sturdy chickens.

What I find with my Olive Eggers is that winter laying is highly individualistic. I am curious for people who keep large homogeneous laying flocks of pure breeds how much variation in winter laying they see between individuals. When I kept Buff Orpingtons, they all shut down over a two week window. My Olive Eggers, Easter Eggers and Ameraucanas it varied by individual. Some still laid 5 days a week through the entire winter, without supplemental light, others stopped in December, some slowed way down and I'd get maybe an egg or two a week but they never stopped completely.

 

[suncatcher]

Best breeds I have had for over winter laying was Lakenvelders, Buff Orpingtons, BR, and RR, all hatchery girls, and laid like crazy during the winter! So I will incorporate all these into my high altitude Landrace. I want size too, so they can be a dual purpose chicken here on the homestead, so plan on adding JG's into the mix.


Yep, will keep you posted on how fast they grow and lay.

 

[Double Kindness]

That black/gray/blue? Chicken looks awesome suncatcher! Which kind is it?

I heard bresse is very winter hardy, a good dp breed & looking forward to adding a dozen or so to my flock for a better slow growing meatie & read over in the meatie board about crossing a fibromelanistic roo onto non fm pullets to create auto-sexing progeny with the pullets all displaying fm tendencies, so it's getting wheels turning in my head on picking my biggest ayam cemani or haffie roo to put over my bresse for a black sustainable meat/ autosexing project? Is anyone else interested in something like this in co besides me?

Another thing is I ordered a double caponizing kit ftom another byc member and don't have any experience, but was wondering if anyone has experience wants to maybe get together to do a caponizing clinic where I can bring new chinese equipment and lights and cockrels and have help first hand? It doesn't have to be at my place near Denver, but in CO? I know some of us are doing meat chickens etc, so just putting that out there as a possibility this fall.

It's warming up a bit today yay! All this garlic talk has got me itching to plant a bunch of it. I use a ton of garlic as I'm half Korean and it's a part of my dna, my bf is a fan of garlic, but cos is a far way to go to check out garlic. Would softneck or hardneck be best out here? We're starting to plan out our spring planting since the raised big garden bed out back now gets plenty of sunlight now the maple tree is gone, I'm so excited! The raised bed is 18-24" deep, next gotta get my compost pit back to fully functional the goal is to be able to grow and raise enough food for my family and NOT dump all our cash at the grocery store for meh food.

A deyhydrator and vacuum sealer are on my short want list along with a gazillion canning jars and thinking of brewing up some ginger beer and watermelon wine.

Off to the store to get fancy yeast to make ginger beer.

 

[suncatcher]

These are from Barnevelder/Lakenvelder or Barnevelder/Austrawhite crossing. They came out either white or greyish blue.

Yep, what a difference a day makes! Warm and sunny here, most my plants survived being covered with sheets and plastic.

I would be interested in adding a Breese or two this coming year. Where are you getting your Breese from?

 

[Double Kindness]

My bresse are from gff lines through dcchicken's sister. Corancher also has bresse from gff and they're in co, but I can't get away for that long of a round trip to pick them up in Calhan.

 

[Latestarter]

First eggs!

One of the younger birds (New Hampshire, born ~May 27th), in the adjacent pen, was doing the egg song the past couple of days, but still too young to lay, so thought nothing of it. So just a bit ago she started again, so I decided I better check in the nest boxes where the 2 older girls (Delawares from @maggiemo born late March?) are and son of a gun, there they were! I have my first 2 eggs They're a little smaller than a store bought large, but I guess that's normal and they'll get bigger over time.

I'm thinking a couple more, then scrambled w/bacon and toast

Maybe dinner later this week!