Crossing my Red Ranger Hens.

[BlueBaby]

If they hatch (fingers crossed) they will be 3/4 Dorkings so you have enough to recreate Dorkings. The ones I hatched look like dorkings as far as features go. Same body style, 5 toes (half should carry 4 toe recessive gene) same awkward buzzard like posture. Other than some being quite large they do not resemble the Red Rangers at all. I had some runts too but more large than runts.

What one's, the Dork-X or the Dork-O?

 

[Compost King]

What one's, the Dork-X or the Dork-O?

I believe both fit the description. The only difference between the 2 is that the Dork O shoots more colors because the Dorking x Red Ranger rooster is "yellow". The Mothers birds of those eggs are the pure silver grey dorkings.

 

[BlueBaby]

I believe both fit the description. The only difference between the 2 is that the Dork O shoots more colors because the Dorking x Red Ranger rooster is "yellow". The Mothers birds of those eggs are the pure silver grey dorkings.

Ok, I'll just see what I can get later on with breeding them to my NN's if they hatch and grow up. I already have a NN/CCLB hen that lay's light green egg's.

 

[Compost King]

Update on the Red Rangers. They Are molting. First time and I have not been very observant with molting hens so I have no idea how long it takes. I discovered this when I noticed feather sprouts on the back of the Red Ranger who had her feathers worn away by the Naked Neck that tore her up. Its so nice to see her get new feathers because she was getting pretty ratty looking with all those missing feathers.
I have been too busy to process any of my many Naked Neck Cockerels and I am certain that I have half a dozen at 5 pounds or heavier and I may not get to it until September. Possibly I will process one because I do not buy meat and I kinda miss eating meat after having so many of my own chickens in the meals I make.

 

[BlueBaby]

Some molt longer than other's. Sometime's it depend's on the breed or age, I think. When they are molting and not laying egg's, they don't need extra calcium, and all protein goes toward's growing back the new feather's.

 

[Compost King]

Some molt longer than other's. Sometime's it depend's on the breed or age, I think. When they are molting and not laying egg's, they don't need extra calcium, and all protein goes toward's growing back the new feather's.

I might need to give them Broiler feed. They have been getting all my egg Yolks from when I cook with Egg whites. I know the Yolks make the eggs healthier but I prefer Egg whites with cheese instead. The Yolks are great for the chickens when they need extra fat and protein in their diet. Every day I pick out the chickens I believe might need the nutrition boost and drop off the yolks (plus shells mixed in) in that pen. I should get Black Oil Sunflower seeds too if some place has them on sale. I usually mix them in with scratch grains but thats a fall/winter/spring treat when temps stay below 80.

 

[BlueBaby]

I might need to give them Broiler feed. They have been getting all my egg Yolks from when I cook with Egg whites. I know the Yolks make the eggs healthier but I prefer Egg whites with cheese instead. The Yolks are great for the chickens when they need extra fat and protein in their diet. Every day I pick out the chickens I believe might need the nutrition boost and drop off the yolks (plus shells mixed in) in that pen. I should get Black Oil Sunflower seeds too if some place has them on sale. I usually mix them in with scratch grains but thats a fall/winter/spring treat when temps stay below 80.

I don't feed mine scratch neither once the season's temp's get too hot. When I have too many egg's on hand (when I'm not incubating them), I boil some up and then crash them egg shell and all into a bowl, and then add a bit of the feed to it and some of the vitamin and electrolytes water to it. They wolf it all down excitedly.

 

[Compost King]

I don't feed mine scratch neither once the season's temp's get too hot. When I have too many egg's on hand (when I'm not incubating them), I boil some up and then crash them egg shell and all into a bowl, and then add a bit of the feed to it and some of the vitamin and electrolytes water to it. They wolf it all down excitedly.

When I am rotating out my emergency food storage I make Oatmeal and drop egg yolks in the Oatmeal give it to chickens in winter. When one of them finds a yellow ball they all go nuts fighting over it. Eventually the catch on that there are many more of those yellow balls in the Oatmeal and stop chasing each other. I also mix egg shells in the oatmeal and other foods that are about to expire.

 

[Ridgerunner]

They Are molting. First time and I have not been very observant with molting hens so I have no idea how long it takes.

Here is a link that talks about molting. The answer to your question is that some chickens finish a molt in less than 2 months but some can drag on for over five months.

Kansas State feather loss

https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF2308.pdf

The article doesn't talk about it but it is genetic. As with anything genetic there are qualifications, but the basics are that there is a fast-feathering gene and a slow-feathering gene, the same ones that allows you to create feather-sexed chicks. If your initial chicks were set up to be feather sexed those pullets should be fast-feathering and the cockerels should be split between fast and slow genetically. The next generation though will be all mixed up.

 

[jolenesdad]

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.