Cubalaya Thread For Sharing Pics and Discussing Our Birds

[cubakid]

Cubalayas are easily tamed. They tend to not be aggressive towards people, but there are exceptions, but on a whole their aggression comes out with each other. Cubalayas are great showbirds because they are show offs. Never seen another bird show off as much as the Cubas. Males should get up to 6lbs but in general usually weigh between 5 and 6. Mine are the cleanest birds I own. I haven't washed my whites that live on dirt in two months and she's still white. People commend me for the condition and cleanliness of the tails of my males, and I tell them it's all on the birds to keep clean, I don't usually have special conditioning cages, just my breeding cages with dirt floors. I describe them as spunky elegant birds that are fun to raise.

If I remember, Vaughn is from either OK or TX. He is here in the thread with the avatar with a pair of Cubalayas painted.

Numbers of breeders is growing, but not many continue or really start to raise them. Just to hear you say that you looked thru your standard makes me happier already. Do consider!

 

[wood&feathers]

The beginning pages of of this thread has a great summation. They make awesome free range birds, are intelligent, agile, active foragers, and curious.

The drawbacks are that it is a relatively rare breed that has apparently come through a genetic bottleneck. Some lines have fertility and vigor issues. Top notch show specimens are scarce compared to more widely available breeds. The Sandhill descended birds of my flock have been very good layers, and excellent parents. My 3 year old white cock actually raised up a brood of 2 week old chicks this summer. The hen "persuaded" him to take over and she started laying shortly thereafter. The ill tempered birds should be culled promptly.

This thread makes a good read, and I find myself reviewing certain portions periodically.

 

[troyer]

This is one reason I like them, they are very tame and likeable. Some lines that have had Yokohama or Phoenix added

(don't ever do it)

years ago don't seem to be as tame but tend to be more flighty. I am selecting for the likeable ones, the ones that are tame without being handled a lot. This is a picture from last spring.

 

[Ray C]

I really want to get some Cubalaya. I might look into getting some eggs shipped to Ireland next year from the States. They are stunning birds.

 

[Oldhound]

I really want to get some Cubalaya. I might look into getting some eggs shipped to Ireland next year from the States. They are stunning birds.

There are some outstanding Cubalaya in Germany. They have a FB page, but I haven't visited it yet so I don't have a link ..I think it's called the Cubalaya Club.
You will not be sorry if you manage to acquire this breed. Just one thing and I'm not sure if it applies to all of the bloodlines, but do not crowd them. The line I have can be testy with each other when they are young and establishing a pecking order. If you try to raise them in small pens you may well end up with dead birds. The Cubalayas are not Game in the true sense of the word but they can have attitude with each other. I have been keeping chickens for about 60 years and only 3 years for the Cubalayas and they are far and away my favorites.

 

[cubalaya]

i just posted this stag on the cubalaya facebook club, he is red pyle cubalaya;

 

[wood&feathers]

Have any of you had cubalaya pullets "serial brood"? The one who hatched 3 weeks ago has been a good mother, teaching them the ropes all day and keeping them beneath her in the cold.

But in the last few days I worried about her commitment to motherhood. Late afternoons she would demand out of the pen to forage,poop and act the brazen hussy for 10-15 minutes. She left the coop like a rocket, with only a few cursory clucks to the chicks. She speed courts a couple dominant roosters, then comes back to her run. She squawks and I let her in with her chicks, and she acts like she never left. Tonight when I did my sunset nest check she had two eggs under her with the chicks.

She doesn't LOOK like a Silkie but??? Is it safe to leave her with the chicks?

 

[wood&feathers]

I took her eggs tonight. I've had strep and haven't kept up with things, so I am thankful things went as smoothly as they did. Still worried she'll give up on chick rearing, with a cold front imminent.

 

[Felix1]

I weighed my Sandhill Cubas today out of curiosity. They turned three months old today so I thought I would get a benchmark for future reference.

Three of the cockerels were between 2.2 and 2.5 lbs. and another (the one with light spangling) was an even 3 pounds. That seemed like a good weight but I'm still pretty ignorant. Most of the pullets were all right at 1.5 lbs. with a few less.

Curious as to the thoughts as those in the know. Thanks.

 

[cubalaya]

cubalayas mature slowly. some hens don't get to the 3-4 lbs range until 3 years old.