crosses, mutts and `whats'

[ivan3]

We're more interested in the ethology (behavior) than we are in the eating or the exhibition of our turks. I've posted up the growth rate shots of this one before: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=386328

Oddball by a Royal Tom out of a Slate hen (6 months) - finally got a shot that shows some detail of this one particular rolling of the dice:

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Did you keep any weights?

Steve

 

[ivan3]

No Wt.s. The Royal hen (same hatch as tom) was 8.2lb. at time of death (but she had been brooding when hit by the raccoon). I weighed her after we put her down. This one appears to be on the same track to being an outstanding recruit for the Flying Circus instead of a casserole (seems to be nothing but feathers and flight). It should stop raining tomorrow and I'll take out the scale and weigh them all and post in this thread. All three Slates were also from the same hatch. The big one was 28.8lb. at time of necroscopy.

I'll be interested to see if she develops any chondrosarcomas (the tom had a huge one surgically removed). Our vet., who has her undergrad degree in Poultry Science, and the Pathologist at the University Turkey Farm had never seen anything like it.

follow links if you want to see the surgery: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=14217

Hypothesis as to cause? Breeding in and in as they used to say.

 

[ivan3]

O.K. wts. today:

Royal tom 5.5yr 17.5lb.
Slate hen 5.5yr 16lb
Slate tom 5.5yr 31lb. (found this rather surprising - poor eyesight but guess that hanging feeder is pretty much in focus)
RP/S Jennie 6.5 months: 9 lb.

Posted this before but thread seems to be missing: