Crossing my Red Ranger Hens.

[Molpet]

I don’t imagine there is much known about meat bird molting. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

But I would assume that grandparent stock and parent stock of the broiler breeds is kept through a full molt into a second laying cycle... so they have probably been selected for fast molt long ago. Whether or not that would continue or not I have zero idea.

they get rid of breeders earlier than we would...

Great Grandparent hens start producing eggs from about 22 – 24 weeks of age and produce around 100 fertile eggs in their 52-week lifetime. The fertile eggs they lay are hatched out in hatcheries to produce the next generation – the Grandparents of commercial meat chicken
Grandparent flocks start producing eggs at about 22-24 weeks of age and in their lifetime (to about 60 weeks of age) produce between 100 – 120 fertile eggs. These fertile eggs from Grandparent flocks are collected and hatched out to produce the next generation of birds, called the Parent breeders.
Parent birds are kept until approximately 64 weeks, and produce about 160 fertile eggs. It is this generation of breeders that produces the fertile eggs that are hatched to produce the meat chicken flocks whose meat is processed for human consumption (the commercial meat chicken). That’s why they are referred to as the “Parent” breeders.
https://www.chicken.org.au/chicken-meat-production/

 

[Parront]

they get rid of breeders earlier than we would...

Great Grandparent hens start producing eggs from about 22 – 24 weeks of age and produce around 100 fertile eggs in their 52-week lifetime. The fertile eggs they lay are hatched out in hatcheries to produce the next generation – the Grandparents of commercial meat chicken
Grandparent flocks start producing eggs at about 22-24 weeks of age and in their lifetime (to about 60 weeks of age) produce between 100 – 120 fertile eggs. These fertile eggs from Grandparent flocks are collected and hatched out to produce the next generation of birds, called the Parent breeders.
Parent birds are kept until approximately 64 weeks, and produce about 160 fertile eggs. It is this generation of breeders that produces the fertile eggs that are hatched to produce the meat chicken flocks whose meat is processed for human consumption (the commercial meat chicken). That’s why they are referred to as the “Parent” breeders.
https://www.chicken.org.au/chicken-meat-production/

Very interesting link!

 

[Compost King]

I noticed that at least one of my runts in the 3/4 dorking broods is half the size of the rest of them. I only noticed one being this small and there could be more. I just check feed and water and look for dead birds when I check on them about 3 times a day. If I end up with enough of them and they stay bantam sized I might try to turn them into Bantam Dorking's for the whole novelty of it. I have no idea if anyone has ever made Bantam Dorking's if not I will be the one who creates them... or attempt to. Anyways thats just the thoughts I was having about my current Dorking project that morphed off of the Red Ranger project. Now I am going to do a search for Dorking Bantams to see if anyone has already made them.

 

[BlueBaby]

I noticed that at least one of my runts in the 3/4 dorking broods is half the size of the rest of them. I only noticed one being this small and there could be more. I just check feed and water and look for dead birds when I check on them about 3 times a day. If I end up with enough of them and they stay bantam sized I might try to turn them into Bantam Dorking's for the whole novelty of it. I have no idea if anyone has ever made Bantam Dorking's if not I will be the one who creates them... or attempt to. Anyways thats just the thoughts I was having about my current Dorking project that morphed off of the Red Ranger project. Now I am going to do a search for Dorking Bantams to see if anyone has already made them.

Could that happen if you hatched the egg's before they got all the way up to full sized? I think that I read somewhere before that if you hatch the younger pullet eggs that are still small that the chick's will hatch out small also?

 

[Compost King]

Could that happen if you hatched the egg's before they got all the way up to full sized? I think that I read somewhere before that if you hatch the younger pullet eggs that are still small that the chick's will hatch out small also?

Thats a good question. I do not recall them being runts on hatch day but its not something I look for. I only look for lethargy and deformities. The the birds that laid the hatching eggs are under a year old but they also matured rapidly and have been laying for quite some time and their eggs are significantly larger than their early eggs. But I have no idea how large their eggs should be when fully mature.

 

[BlueBaby]

Thats a good question. I do not recall them being runts on hatch day but its not something I look for. I only look for lethargy and deformities. The the birds that laid the hatching eggs are under a year old but they also matured rapidly and have been laying for quite some time and their eggs are significantly larger than their early eggs. But I have no idea how large their eggs should be when fully mature.

That might be something to observe and take note's on in the future?

 

[aliciaplus3]

I have some of my necked necks that seem to be almost bantam size.... none of the parents just the juvies, come to think of it they tend to not make it to adults??? Curious

 

[Ridgerunner]

https://www.chicken.org.au/chicken-meat-production/

Very nice link, great for visual learners. Thanks.

 

[igorsMistress]

@Compost King @BlueBaby I candled the Dorking/RR eggs this morning and both have movement I was a little worried one of them might have quit a couple days ago.

 

[BlueBaby]

@Compost King @BlueBaby I candled the Dorking/RR eggs this morning and both have movement I was a little worried one of them might have quit a couple days ago.

That's good!