Crossbreeding dual purpose breeds for sustainable flock

[U_Stormcrow]

I've hit on a management system that works for me, but when the time comes to scale up again, I'll likely add two more 12 egg incubators, and start one each week. I've already built the grow out pen and run to handle the additional quantity of birds, so that won't be an issue. And it will allos me to take an incubator "off line" periodically to hatch a few pekin ducks for myself an my family without really messing up the rotation as I did this spring.

and double ?triple? thumbs up on the importance of a scale. My hatchery Dark Brahma never got to decent size, but at five months they *looked* huge compared to all but my CX. Put them on the scale however? All that bulk was feathers. They had a mere 1/2# on birds that appeared to be just 2/3 their size.

 

[HomesteadNowhere]

Almost done with the cockerels...
The 5 FR cockerels and three others are all in the separate pen. The three others should have been done today but I couldn't find the headlamp last night... and I didn't want to make three trips with a cockerel under my arm and flashlight in the other... and thought, like you do, oh it's fine I'll just catch them tomorrow when I feed... Yanno, because that always works out so well...

I did not get weights or anything we just worked on through them. It was overcast and about 55*F which was perfectly fine weather for me. But it did threaten to start raining once, luckily we were right on the outer edge of a system and didn't get it. But the water did cool much quicker with the cooler temperature outside. Which was more work since I had to have pots of water on the stove inside and carrry them to the big pot outside to keep hot water. That is alot of work and is definitely worth the investment of having a heating source where you're working. If the porch was available I'd happily turn it into a butcher area!

I also messed up my count somehow. I'm not even going to say how many we did today because it seemed like we had too many, plus the three I knew I missed, plus the 5 FR! So tomorrow I'll get the actual count of carcasses and weights.

They are all scrawny. Things have been real busy and just couldn't do it sooner but I don't think they gained much at all since the date the others were butchered. We did do one barred rock that day so I can pull it out for size comparison. I'm thinking they are longer carcass but not much heavier. This time we scrubbed out the big cooler and got some ice so I can leave them in it and deal with them tomorrow. Last time I was up til nearer the next sunrise than not in quartering and packaging.

The last 8 birds will be done next week sometime. I ordered some of those poultry bags and didn't realize they'd take so long to ship. But those are going to my mom, which also helps with the feed bill.

 

[CNJ]

I find it harder to process scrawny birds, than Cornish cross. I also found out that I could use a one inch spaced scoop net to catch my wild heritage chickens in the holding coop during the day, sure beats trying to catch one with my hands.

 

[HomesteadNowhere]

The one barred rock that was butchered on the first go was 1# 11.5oz carcass. Weights from the second go were: 2# 4oz to 2# 11.6oz, with the highest at 3# 1.5oz, 3# 2.5oz and 3# 10.4oz. Plus two that I forgot and put right in the oven, but they were of the smallest so probably about the same. Total 11 butchered.

 

[Molpet]

How old?

 

[HomesteadNowhere]

How old?

25 wks

 

[HomesteadNowhere]

Freedom rangers-
26wk butcher live weights:
8, three at 8.5, and one at 9.3#.

Carcass weights (no organs, no neck, in shrink bag) :
5# 8.9oz, 6# 7.2oz, 6# 3oz, 6# 3.7oz, 7# 1.5oz.

For comparison, same age, butchered at the same time, raised the same, same pen... One each Barred rock, buff orp, Delaware. Carcass weights 3# 8.2oz, 2# 12oz, 2# 8.5oz. They were significantly smaller and less meat to them.

 

[HomesteadNowhere]

First move in the Chickshaw.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVLfnFRJX7D/?utm_medium=copy_link

They are quite happy in the new area. I hope to be able to move them frequently now.

 

[HomesteadNowhere]

Ok got some pictures finally.
Brahmas, buff, 2 are penciled (?) like they're supposed to be (?) And then 6 are Columbian patterned.
You can see the range in the FR pullets color. Some are dark deep red. One is almost buff, but more of like a reddish buff. Most are in between. All have some level of black in the tail feathers. Some have just a tiny bit of dark in the neck feathers, some have a bit more. So I'm assuming they are lightly marked Columbian patterned. Does that seem accurate? So offspring will likely be lightly marked and full Columbian marked?

Big Red is the dominant cockerel. NH red. He looks good and I think he is heavier.
Pretty Boy wouldn't let me get a good picture of him. Bielefelder.

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[NatJ]

Brahmas, buff, 2 are penciled (?) like they're supposed to be (?) And then 6 are Columbian patterned.

Buff Brahmas are supposed to be Buff Columbian, just like Light Brahmas except with buff instead of white. They are not supposed to have penciling on the body feathers.

Dark Brahmas are supposed to have penciling on the body feathers, and the gold version of that pattern is called "Partridge" (but the American Poultry Association doesn't recognize Partridge, so at least in the US it's not seen as often.)

Ok got some pictures finally.

Lots of pretty chickens! Thanks for sharing!