Cubalaya Thread For Sharing Pics and Discussing Our Birds

[cubakid]

Anyone have lots of stubs show up? (The little feathers on toes and shanks) I get quite a few. Usually a line of them down the side of the shank, or they wil have big feather follicles on the outer toes... Lots of culling done for this.

 

[cubakid]

Another odd bird. Solid grey, plus black flecks. There is a blue behind him, and a corresponding oddball pullet in front of him.
Zach

 

[troyer]

Oddity. He has white feathers except the hackle. I checked what feathers he had on his saddle and there were none. This was a very smoky chick. I'll keep him long enough to see what's going to happen.

Does he seem to have good type?

 

[4hmom]

Oddity. He has white feathers except the hackle. I checked what feathers he had on his saddle and there were none. This was a very smoky chick. I'll keep him long enough to see what's going to happen.

i think your bird looks like a coranation not sure on spelling but i have a friend with that variety in sussex and breeds them could you post more pics?

 

[4hmom]

Anyone have lots of stubs show up? (The little feathers on toes and shanks) I get quite a few. Usually a line of them down the side of the shank, or they wil have big feather follicles on the outer toes... Lots of culling done for this.

i dont but if you do i probably will in the future because i got some chicks from a hatch between your birds a nd a zook cock

 

[troyer]

better pic of pullet

She is looking nice.

 

[Jungleexplorer]

i feel like progress is being made by several people.

In a strange way this sentence is was very encouraging to me. It tells me that I am not the only one struggling. Thanks

 

[troyer]

Pretty all my information and everything I think I know on Cubas came from this thread. You know what they say, 'Garbage in, garbage out". I don't have the knowledge or experience to argue with anyone about what is what. All know is, breeding cubalayas is a lot more difficult then I ever imagined and the fact that their is not a clearly defined road makes it all that much more difficult.

Out of the 400+ chicks that I hatched and raised last year I only kept 18 as possible long term breeders. I bred from some of them this spring (several were used as broodies only) to see if they would throw me any good chicks not hesitating to throw them and all the chicks out if they don't produce the quality I'm looking for, some of that could vary with what they were bred too. I'll probably cull 7 possibly more of those 18 because they just simply don't meet the standard in type or temperament as they have matured.
This year I have 300+ chicks hatched and have half a dozen or so that look promising at this point but we'll see as they mature.
There is just as much satisfaction in enjoying my fowl as it is to raise one that is exceptional in almost every way. When I get all stressed out with the responsibilities of life, I go and sit where I can observe my chickens and slowly those stresses are replaced by more of a relaxed state of mind. I really do enjoy my fowl! Another thing that can become stressful is when I raise more than I have space for and that's no fun. I hate to crowd a lot of chickens into a small space. Personally I think chickens do a lot better if they are not crowded and will actually mature more quickly when they have the space they need.
It's been difficult for me too and I've been discouraged more than once, but usually it helps to share your discouragement with others because most long term breeders know what you mean and are able to encourage us where we are lacking in courage.
Sometimes I've had high hopes and/or expectations for certain pairings but when that certain pair was bred together they did not produce 1 chick that was worth keeping, well that can be discouraging, then when either of those was bred to something else one or both of them produced good chicks. For some of us breeding can be hit or miss especially if we're breeding for show stock because then they need to match a standard.
So if you are still interested in breeding cubalayas just hang in there, eventually you will produce good birds.
When grading in another breed to add size etc. it can become discouraging fairly easily because I have a mental picture of how I want my cubalaya to look and I tend to want them to look like that right now, not several years later, and that can be good in a lot of ways, it'll help to get the line back to cubalaya type sooner than if we were just breeding fowl because we want pretty looking chickens. Just because a chicken looks pretty doesn't mean it get's to stay here and I've raised a lot of pretty chickens!
Keep marching my friend and don't be afraid to share some of your struggles. We all need encouragement periodically.

 

[cubalaya]

you nailed it troyer! and i only hatch around 60. from all the blacks, whites, and brown reds from hatching last year i only kept 3 birds. they do relieve stress, cubalayas more so than others. they are so tame and actually jump up to be petted. the cocks, i can turn my back on and don't have to worry about being flogged or spurred.

 

[gallorojo]

These 2 are my favorites so far from this year. January hatch. They are full siblings, 1/2 Zook, 1/4 Everett, 1/4 Troyer. The tail is not grown in yet on the cockerel, but, both have fully correct tails at this point, good wing carriage, white skin, fully red lobes, and red eyes. Both have decent heads as well. Both only single spurred, and male shows some wattle. Pullet is cushion combed. Overall, though, nice birds. These are all I kept from the January through March hatch.