Cubalaya Thread For Sharing Pics and Discussing Our Birds

[Oldhound]

I ordered straight run. I actually ordered 50 chicks from Sandhill (25 Cubalayas and 25 Ameraucanas). They cashed my check in June when they were supposed to ship me my chicks. They never shipped a single chick and I finally got my money back last week after many unanswered emails. But they did include a letter of apology, saying they had experienced a death in the family over the summer that set them back. I have tried to contact them to see if we could work a deal for next year but they have not answered my email. I did not want to start with so few birds, but unless I can find some somewhere else, I guess my three little hens will have to work overtime. I don't know anything about what Cubalayas are supposed to look like at three months, but I think I got some good chicks from Ideal. Here are some pics I just took.

Your young blue golds or blue wheatons look very promising. Shame about your experience with Sandhill. I found that when I called them during the hours they stated I was able to get through and was courtesly recieved . They simply don't have the staff to answer e-mails or all day phone calls , it is strictly a family operation, not a large corporation . That said it is very frustrating when you are anxiously looking forward to your chicks that you have been planning for. On the plus side you have a start and can go from here. it will not be long before you will be overrun with Cubalayas. Best of Luck Bill

 

[bruceha2000]

Ideal birds ... the main issue I have seen with them is just being very small. Practically bantams in some cases.

What size would you expect a 'typical' Cubalaya to be at 14 weeks? I have NO reference for any of my 6 breeds as to them being "proper" size. They all came in the same box as 2 day olds from Ideal. I'm not sure you can tell relative size from these 2 pictures, but here is Peep next to an Ancona:



And next to a Partridge Chantecler:



The Anconas and Chanteclers are about the same size. Smaller than the EEs and one Black Astralorp - Zorra. The other BA (Echo) is a bit smaller than Zorra but is still bigger than the Anconas. Hard to tell with the Faverolles. They seem to be about the same size as the Anconas and Chanteclers but are blocky and somewhat "fluffier" so who knows what size body they are hiding under their "skirts". In any case, the Cubalayas are clearly smaller than all the others, perhaps not much more than half the size of the biggest birds. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of them close together. And in case you are going to ask - no I don't have any way to weigh them

This picture shows several of the birds, everything but an EE. Echo on the left, Zorra on the right.



I can tell you that Zorra is a lot heavier than the Cubalayas. My wife was failing the "find twelve chickens on the roosts" task Sunday night to make sure they were all in the coop before I locked the door. She couldn't get more than 11 so I went in because it was very low light. She got to 12 when I picked Zorra up and the poor Chantecler that was under her could be counted! Only the Cubalayas will allow themselves to be picked up if they are on the ground and Zorra made a HUGE fuss when I took her off the roost, so I don't know the relative weight of the other birds, just Zorra, Peep and Fay - biggest and smallest, no middle ground!

You mentioned red eyes in your response to Jungleexplorer. Mine definitely do not have red eyes. I take it that is a 'flaw'?

Bruce

 

[gallorojo]

Correct weight for adult Cubalayas, 6 lb cock, 4 lb hen. Slightly smaller for cockerels and pullets. Not sure without checking the Standard, which is a necessity for chicken breeding/showing, etc. Grab a used one on EBay, very worth it, even if you never intend to show. Trust me. Cubalayas should be about the same weight as a leghorn or Ancona, but very seldom are. You are allowed 20 percent under or over weight however. Which gives you 4.8 to 7.2 for a cock. My original birds were all way too small. The correct eye color is red. Yellow:greenearl whatever you want to call it shows up a lot though. I get it all the time. Not that a deal just breed to a red eyed bird and don't show the ones withou red eyes.

 

[Jungleexplorer]

Correct weight for adult Cubalayas, 6 lb cock, 4 lb hen. Slightly smaller for cockerels and pullets. Not sure without checking the Standard, which is a necessity for chicken breeding/showing, etc. Grab a used one on EBay, very worth it, even if you never intend to show. Trust me. Cubalayas should be about the same weight as a leghorn or Ancona, but very seldom are. You are allowed 20 percent under or over weight however. Which gives you 4.8 to 7.2 for a cock. My original birds were all way too small. The correct eye color is red. Yellow:greenearl whatever you want to call it shows up a lot though. I get it all the time. Not that a deal just breed to a red eyed bird and don't show the ones withou red eyes.

Gallorojo, I started breeding American Games last year to raise a hardy, smart, self maintained free range flock. You seem to know a lot about birds and I see you post a lot about Oriental gamefowl. Are you knowledgeable about American Gamefowl and do you participate in a thread where I we could talk about them?

 

[gallorojo]

I may know more than the average person on this website, but I am far from an expert about them. There is a thread just titled show off your gamefowl , try posting there. As for more knowledgeable people on this website, try DT Chickens, CUDA, Centrarchid, those guys know Anericans a lot better than I do.

 

[RachaelS]

Thanks for the advice. Where do you find out about local shows?

Have you ever heard of John & Suzanne Hayes, at Xtreme Game Birds and Poultry in Elgin, Texas? I just found their site and they have Cubalayas and are close enough for me to drive to (250 miles). Thanks again

I am interested in this also, they are about a 45 min drive from me. I was checking out their website and what they have matches Ideal Hatchery pretty close, wondering if they get theirs from them.

 

[gallorojo]

Until told otherwise I would guess they have birds drop shipped from Ideal or they get eggs or got starter birds from Ideal. Other "hatcheries" do the drop shipping thing.

 

[troyer]

2 top pictures are the same cockerel. Top picture is closest to actual color. He is six months old.


This cockerel is a full brother and hatch mate to the above cockerel. They are both out of a black cock and a dirty white hen. He is also 6 months old.

 

[troyer]

This is a 7/8th cubalaya cockerel. Weight is 5 lbs. 6 ozs. At 6 months old he's an inch higher at the shoulders than his daddy. His daddy is black and his mother is blue.

 

[Jungleexplorer]

One of my cockerels was taken ill all of the sudden a few days ago. He was perfectly healthy one day and the next morning I found laying him motionless on the ground. I thought he was dead until I saw him still breathing. I have no idea what happened. My first guess was that he might have been bitten by a rattlesnake (I have seen more snakes in the last week on my farm then in the last year). I thought he was a goner, but I put him in my brooder with a heat lamp just in case. The next morning, he was still alive, but barely. I put some water on his beak and he started drinking. I opened his beak and put some grower crumble down his throat and he eat it. I have been doing this for the last two days and he is alive, but not getting any better. He seems to be paralyzed. His eyes were glued shut so I washed them to open them and when I did I got these huge globs of puss out of them (very gross). I have never seen anything like this. I have had birds bitten by rattlesnake before and they die pretty quick. I have had a plague of black widows this year and I am wondering he might have been bitten and this is the cause. The other six that were in the pen with him seem just fine.

If this were one of my other breeds, I would have just put him down, but with all the trouble I have had getting these cubalayas, I don't want to lose one. I don't know what he has so I don't know how to treat him. He is a fighter though. He has lost a lot of weight because I can't get enough crumble down him. I am think about trying something like a protein shake that I can feed to him with a dropper. Any advice is greatly appreciated.