***Crevecoeur Thread***

[exop]

Quote:
Not just any hatchery stock - McMurray in particular, look iffy.

Something that people new to chickens often don't get - and something that exhibition poultry folk are just as likely to be clueless about because it is beneath them - is that not all hatchery stock is the same.

Each hatchery with a Crevecoeur flock, or any flock of a traditional chicken breed, has its own group of birds; it may have had them for 10 years, or for 25, or much longer; in the case of Duane Urch's Creves, it is more like 40 years. There is not some generic "chicken central" where all these birds come from. Hatcheries may start with exhibition stock from private breeders, sometimes from private breeders who are retiring from poultry and need to sell all their birds quickly; or they may buy starting stock from other hatcheries; or from hatchery-like private breeders who sell chicks on a commercial scale (eg. Urch Turnland). Over the years they may acquire additional birds as the need or opportunity arises. You wind up with definite differences between the hatcheries. When I made disparaging observations about McMurray's Creve offering, the last thing I wanted was for someone to see "McMurray Creves are mostly Polish and appear to have problems with vigor" (YES) but read "any or all hatchery birds in general have likely been mixed with Polish for vigor" (NOO!!! the opposite!).

BTW pictures people have posted recently of Creves from Ideal look pretty good. Thumbs up!! Really, no joke.

 

[Sylvester017]

Quote:
Thank you for the clarification as I am all over the BYC threads and can never remember which out of 100 posts I read said what exactly and only remember snippets! I knew someone would come on to clarify -

Thank you!

I was considering a gentle tempered Crevie to add to my flock and couldn't find one so went with a Breda for a gentle smaller bird with white eggs. I'm not disappointed in the Breda since it turned out to be an incredibly curious outgoing unafraid bird that takes a shine even to human strangers (like our neighbors) where I think Crevies might be a bit more shy toward humans?

We have Silkies and build our flock additions around them - if a breed plays nice with the Silkies they stay! We've re-homed 4 assertive/aggressive LF that weren't nice to the Silkies - they were all production layers and dual purpose breeds. Now we only add gentle temperament non-combative breeds at around 5-lbs or under -- what a peaceful difference!! We get less eggs with the gentler breeds but we don't miss the LF dual-purpose drama queens! One breed we are very impressed with is our 2 y/o Blue Wheaten Ameraucana (my avatar at 5 mo) who is both kind to her flockmates and is a wonderful layer - a pleasant surprise.

 

[seminolewind]

My silkies and my Polish have always gotten along for some reason. I think Creves would be like that too.

 

[Miss Ashly]

Here's one of my Ideal crevie pullets this morning. I'm very happy with the quality of the surviving birds thus far. I say surviving because I have lost some due to what seems like failure to thrive issues. The birds I have now get extra vitamins and treats to keep them healthy. So far, so good. They're very active and the first to greet me.

 

[ChickenPox]

Neeeeeeed some Crevie eggs or I need to get rid of my boy. I need to get recent pics of him. Hes finally filling out and GOOD LOOKIN! (I really want to keep him, so someone sell me some hatching eggs! LOL!)

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

I'm so sorry about losing your little one...it's always a heartbreak...

I've had good success with the three basics: cleanliness, high-quality feed and good supplementation. Try to keep all your pens as clean as possible and your bedding dry. Depending on the stage mine are in, that can mean cleaning things up to daily. Also keep your bedding dry. When I help friends here locally with mortality problems, cleanliness is the first thing I look at.

Give a feed with at least 18% protein (more if possible.) I raise my Crevies with show Langshans and my mutt broiler/layer birds, so they get the same special feed as the big guys and seem to do very well on that diet. I never feed less than 18% protein. (They don't seem to do well on feed for layer hens or scratch.)

I also supplement chick water with an electrolyte/probiotic blend for chicks, then transition them to an adult version at 3 months. By 2 1/2 months all my Crevies are quite "fat" and I can't feel their breast bone. They look very appropriate for their size. My line is the heavier Crevecoeur, so they mature to around 7-8 lbs.

Yours should be fine with other breeds. I introduced my shy mama hen (was not hand-raised) to a group of Langshans, LF Cochins and other Crevecoeur and she actually came out of her shell and got friendlier. Just try to keep her away from anyone who's too aggressive (hen or rooster.) That helps them open up.

In reading everyone's posts I'm beginning to wonder if my Crevies are the outliers...They are more vigorous and outgoing than any of my other breeds. They are always the first to greet me and the boys are "the bosses" of everyone...even a Langshan 3 times their size! They've also been tested by extremely cold and hot temperatures and I haven't lost any of these babies. I think mine are a combination of birds from Rare Feathers and Urch, because those are the birds they look most similar to. In any case...I adore them!!! I'm still new to them as a breed, so I'll try to share what I observe as they grow.

Hang in there and I hope your little Crevie does great!

-Steph (sitting with my Langshan "helper" on my shoulder...)

hey, i wanted to answer even though its been awhile...my parents have both had surgery recently and i have not been on BYC in a long time.

Anyway, thanks for the tips!! I have noticed cleaning the pen daily is very helpful in keeping her a good weight. I recently switch to using poultry nipples instead of buckets and chicken waters, and i must say, it has done a TON in keeping the coops/pens dry and clean. It has literaly cut my work load almost in half, which is helpful when i have over 100 animals to care for every day, lol
She is doing good right now, and has been moved outside, though she is still with some other weaker birds. (2 cockerels and a young unknown chick)...they do good together thankfully. Right now she is on a 25% feed mixed with a 18% feed (its starter and grower/finisher that some babies are using).

Yours sound like good birds! You should breed them and get some stronger birds into the mix. From what i've been reading on this thread, crevies that fail to thrive are not uncommon...they sadly seem to be common. if i decide to go into breeding crevies (the two i got were just like a intro into the breed...didn't do much research into where i should get them from) i will look into finding a good breeder.
lol, i have some rescued roosters that love to sit on my shoulder...its so fun!
Thanks again, and sorry i didn't answer sooner!!

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

I'm looking to get involved with Crevecoeurs. I live in AZ so it's too hot to ship now. Maybe this fall I'll get some. Is there a good place to get a first batch¿

 

[Miss Ashly]

[/IMG]

Couple of my girls.

 

[Miss Ashly]

Young creveceur cockerel.

 

[Sylvester017]

Here's one of my Ideal crevie pullets this morning. I'm very happy with the quality of the surviving birds thus far. I say surviving because I have lost some due to what seems like failure to thrive issues. The birds I have now get extra vitamins and treats to keep them healthy. So far, so good. They're very active and the first to greet me.

Rare birds seem to have health issues as youngsters. Breda are difficult to get to the juvenile stage also and still go through several issues before you can stamp them "healthy adults" but that is true of any low gene pool breed. As the pool of breeders expands and stock expands the health issues should decline. I'm so glad to see that people are breeding the rare Crevies.