Consolidated Kansas

[chicken danz]

Mine are just babies as well. It will be some time before I have offspring. I'll be studying the standard of perfection so I can retain the best birds. Also plan in the long run to try to breed the largest within the standard. I opted to buy these to satisfy myself more so than anything. I won't be raising a lot of them but will have some.

 

[Trish44]

I think my neighbor has some of those but I'm sure he is using them for fighting because I only saw roosters.

 

[chicken danz]

Trish most of the people, Hispanics particularly, that fight birds use gamefowl cocks.
They reproduce plentifully and they are usually smaller birds than the malays and shamo. The aseel is often included in these cause they aren't as large as most of the malays and shamos. But most game cocks are cross bred to get the best fighting ability. Most of the gamecocks aren't as upright standing as these. Just a little bit about something I know very little about. I've seen many places around Emporia that raise the fighting roosters and have them toggled to barrels for living quarters. Personally it makes me ill to think about what they do. They often put steel spurs on the birds to inflict extra injury.
If I ever sell any of my Shamos and Malays I will be sure they don't get sold to a bird fighter.
Had a very busy day again yesterday but made some money and moved some birds. I got the La Fleche adults sprayed down and moved to the building yesterday. I have them on a far end pen since it's not been a long time since I got them. They have shown no signs of any sickness and I've wormed and treated them for lice and mites. I think they are going to be a new favorite. Very docile birds. I may however have to clip some wings because the rooster was trying to fly out of the run last night. They don't have outside access yet so maybe I can get that remedied as well.
The other bird these people raised was Bresse. I had seen them on line and was not at all impressed with them. But when I saw them in person it was a whole different thing. Those birds are huge and meaty looking. The owners said they are the best chicken they have ever eaten. They only have a trio of adults so they had none to sell. Well some more danzising. I ended up ordering 10 juveniles from a farm that specializes in them. I figure after seeing them that they are docile and will be a good source of meat, even if I don't sell a lot. They also lay nice sized eggs as well.
That means I need to choose yet another breed to stop raising. I've got to make some decisions about what to keep and what to sell. I'm watching sales right now and trying to determine what isn't selling.

 

[Trish44]

Well I just glanced at the birds when I was next door but they definitely were a game type bird of some sort. He does have them in a pen though.

The Bresse are known in France for being the best meat birds, they raise them predominately for that. I had thought at one time of getting some but I got something else instead. I think you're drawn to the bigger birds it seems like. I don't like bigger birds because they eat so much & take up more pen space.

Well Danz it never fails that you sell something & then somebody wants them after they're gone. I had Rhodebars for over a year & nobody wanted any, until I sold them & then just a few days later someone wanted some. Oh well they probably were the only one that would have bought any. It's a shame because they lay like machines. I have 6 of them now in my laying flock for that reason. I think people just don't know anything about them so they don't bother to research about them. I also am in the process of getting rid of some breeds of birds. I have two more groups I will be selling after hatching season.

 

[chicken danz]

Yeah that is the way it always goes. I've done that so many times. I've really kind of changed some direction with the new breeds I'm getting in to cross with the Bredas. They are smaller birds. The La Fleche are just a tiny bit bigger than the Isbars but still small by my standards. The crevacour and sultans are little birds. I don't know that I'll keep the sultans but the crevacour are on the endangered list. If they aren't real flighty I'll probably keep them and pick out the ones closest to standard. At any rate I didn't intend to keep any of them until I realized how rare they are.
I sorted out juvenile birds and kept a handful to add to my breeders for this year. They all went in one pen for the time being until they grow some more. The other girls and boys are separated in the older juveniles. I sold 10 of the pullets yesterday plus my spare Tom turkey and a hen. It was a profitable weekend between Saturday and Sunday. Dani and Heather came Saturday and went home with more birds than they planned as well. I'm still trying to fill some orders but it's going slow. I of course have gobs that haven't sold. As soon as I sell them on the cheap someone will want them.
Weather permitting I'm going to start culling some of the cockerels a few at a time. I've found some of these younger birds have excellent flavor. Sometimes you just need to cook two of them instead of one. If nothing else they make great dog food.
It rained last night and is still raining. Needless to say I'm putting off going out to do chores.

 

[Trish44]

Yeah it pretty much rained very light all day yesterday here & is raining again this morning. We do need the moisture, I'm worried about the grass for my sheep & goats.

 

[chicken danz]

It's rained since night before last and still coming down. Now they are also predicting snow both morning and evening here. Enough already! I am just sick of this crappye weather.
I did go out in the rain yesterday and plant a few potatoes. This year I got some little white potatoes and they had the best flavor for a potato ever. I never liked the Yukon gold cause they spoiled fast, but these are similar to them but white and they lasted very well. I hadn't planted potatoes in at least 15 years or more. I only did so cause it's hard to find these little gems.
I forgot to mark the hatch date on my first tray of goose eggs and have been scanning posts and texts to see when it was. I think they are probably due around the 4th of April or so just guessing. Why in the world I didn't do that I will never know. I have to be on top of that cause geese are difficult enough to hatch even when you have the date.
I have a try of chicks hatching today and have to wait for them to hatch to set more. Three full incubators and I'm short on room!

 

[Trish44]

My incubator is full too & I only have one.

 

[MaidenWolf]

My turkey eggs are developing nicely in the incubator. I will be looking for a new breed to start soon so I will have to come out and pick some you have for sale Verna

 

[Prairie Fleur]

I gotta say I'm wishing we were getting some of the rain you all are getting. It is SO DRY here. We've had maybe .25 so far. I'm thankful for that but we could sure use an inch or 2!