Curious about colors and genders in New Hampshire Red Chicks

[imacowgirl2]

Not sure what your New Hampshire are but they don't sound like Henry Noll...Cockerels are VERY late to crow and have a deep gutteral crow sound. The hens are always 24+ weeks.

How late do you consider very late? I had at least one crowing at 15 weeks. Not sure when the second one started crowing asI didn’t make note of it. I do agree with you though that the hens are late egg layers — of my 3, only 1 or 2 are laying, and they are 28ish weeks now.

I’m working on selecting for meat in my birds as well…do you happen to have any resources you know of that would help me learn how to best select, other than weight at processing age?

I was VERY happy with my first batch of these birds, processed at 13.5 weeks and they were 7-9 lbs live weight, and that was with not being fed a meat bird feed, just regular all flock.

 

[imacowgirl2]

Our first meat chickens are here! We have 22 New Hampshire Reds from Freedom Ranger Hatchery (Henry Knoll line). Lost just a few to travel stress, it took them an extra day to get here, everyone is doing good now. Made it through our first frost last night too (inside with a heat lamp of course). Quite unusual and early for so far south.

I'm simply curious to know if we can determine the gender of these chicks by their colors or feathers. I've noticed three differences in their colors. Some are all light colored even their wing feathers. Others are a light to medium color with black markings on the wing feathers. And just a few are a darker red with a red stripe down their back and the black on the wing feathers - these are also a tad bit smaller. Tail feathers are just barely starting to come in. They're less than two weeks old still.

I'll see about getting some more current pictures.

I read information somewhere last fall when my first batch arrived that New Hampshires do actually sex-link to a degree…I will see if I can find the info back. I tried to keep my babies out of that batch banded, but they all lost their bands so I wasn’t able to figure out how accurate it was. The first batch this year arrived when life was too chaotic to even try, but my goal is with the next few batches to keep track and if it seems accurate, to select for those markings along with my meat bird traits.

 

[SE_Gardener]

How late do you consider very late? I had at least one crowing at 15 weeks. Not sure when the second one started crowing asI didn’t make note of it. I do agree with you though that the hens are late egg layers — of my 3, only 1 or 2 are laying, and they are 28ish weeks now.

I’m working on selecting for meat in my birds as well…do you happen to have any resources you know of that would help me learn how to best select, other than weight at processing age?

I was VERY happy with my first batch of these birds, processed at 13.5 weeks and they were 7-9 lbs live weight, and that was with not being fed a meat bird feed, just regular all flock.

Hi, my criteria for selection is rather straight forward and simple (in order of priority). I band chicks starting at 4 weeks and begin weighing and record keeping. That gives me objective criteria because my first priority is FAST development (feathering/weight gain). The record makes it easy. Over time you'll have enough records to know criteria for Groups I and II - (I are culls and II are candidates for finish). Each bird band has hashmarks I and II with a sharpie mark the the group. Group I are top fast developers and and best weight gain candidates for finish or breed stock. And I do cull females at 8-10 weeks - the small birds in Group II. Those are the recessive birds that are throw backs that likely are not good candidate layers and would likely be not as resistant to diseases. Typically they weigh 3-3.5LB live and make great "Cornish Game Hens". In Group I from 8-12 weeks I start evaluating meatbird criteria and make a decision to culling out birds that don't meet that criteria and maybe aren't gaining weight. At that age range a "light" cockerel is like the small female. With high feed costs I've learned to cull the smaller/average birds. At 13 weeks I still weigh and record - Group I is typically almost all males and a few large females. At 13 weeks I start evaluating for breeder stock and look for one female and one male that are outstanding - the best of the entire broiler hatch. I don't eat the best of the hatch. Some hatches I don't find exceptional birds for breeders. The criteria I use to evaluate broilers/breeders is #1 the width of the back looking down at the bird. You'll be able to clearly see broad backs and std backs on both cockerels and pullets. Broad backed birds especially females will reproduce that broad back. Then lift the bird to weigh and feel between the wing joints. A narrow bird will not be a good candidate to produce broilers even though they may be good candidates for processing. This is especially notable in cockerels. In pullets, a narrow hip also would indicate smaller eggs and show weakness to a heavy male climbing on top to mate. And that pullet still may be a good candidate for processing though. In the Cockerels I look for a wide head and thick neck coupled with a wide wing:wing indicates a strong robust bird and if a fast developer, heavy with a broad back you have a breeding rooster. I also pay attention to legs. It's not uncommon for heavy meat birds to develop so fast, one leg may be more robust than the other. You see this a lot in Cornish Rock but it does show up in New Hampshire. What makes this all so easy is there usually isn't a middle ground. These New Hampshire are either big and robust or large but with narrow structures. Others may use other criteria but I have found these 6 criteria work for me. Look at your flock and reply if you see these criteria and how distinctive they are. You'll never look at your flock the same again. You'll always notice the fast feathering/growers and will find yourself looking for wide heads, broad backs, two thick legs. I don't consider my New Hampshire anything other than meatbirds. And I don't consider my layer flock anything other than layers. I find that the heavier your birds become and the more desireable as broilers, egg product is simply not a part of the picture. I maintain a tight small number of birds my layers and broiler flocks and am strict in applying selection criteria. I maintain purebred New Hampshires and Delawares. Delaware Roo crossed on New Hampshire hens (Indian River broilers) produce hybrid vigor which is unique from many other crosses with exceptionally fast developing heavy birds finishing 12-13 wks 6-1/2 to 7lb consistent finish weight. And all the offspring are white making it easier to process. Ironically the New Hampshire Roo crossed on Delaware hens will produce a small number of broilers no where near the Delaware/New Hampshire cross. But I select small Delaware hens for the New Hampshire/Delaware cross to produce Golden Comets that are egg laying machines. So I have the best of both worlds reliable broiler production (2 batches of 30 broilers per year 60 total) with 4 maybe 5 eggs per week as well as prolific layers that produce 6-7 eggs per week. I cull layers at 2 years when they go into their first full molt. That way I have small hens that weigh around 4-1/2 to 5 lbs, don't consume much feed and lay like crazy. I've found over the years maintaining a small breeder flock separate from a small layer flock forces you to choose the best of the best to improve your lines. I maintain 6 hens for each roo - 12 birds total. Less work, less feed and big benefits.

 

[hayleaoryan]

Hi, my criteria for selection is rather straight forward and simple (in order of priority). I band chicks starting at 4 weeks and begin weighing and record keeping. That gives me objective criteria because my first priority is FAST development (feathering/weight gain). The record makes it easy. Over time you'll have enough records to know criteria for Groups I and II - (I are culls and II are candidates for finish). Each bird band has hashmarks I and II with a sharpie mark the the group. Group I are top fast developers and and best weight gain candidates for finish or breed stock. And I do cull females at 8-10 weeks - the small birds in Group II. Those are the recessive birds that are throw backs that likely are not good candidate layers and would likely be not as resistant to diseases. Typically they weigh 3-3.5LB live and make great "Cornish Game Hens". In Group I from 8-12 weeks I start evaluating meatbird criteria and make a decision to culling out birds that don't meet that criteria and maybe aren't gaining weight. At that age range a "light" cockerel is like the small female. With high feed costs I've learned to cull the smaller/average birds. At 13 weeks I still weigh and record - Group I is typically almost all males and a few large females. At 13 weeks I start evaluating for breeder stock and look for one female and one male that are outstanding - the best of the entire broiler hatch. I don't eat the best of the hatch. Some hatches I don't find exceptional birds for breeders. The criteria I use to evaluate broilers/breeders is #1 the width of the back looking down at the bird. You'll be able to clearly see broad backs and std backs on both cockerels and pullets. Broad backed birds especially females will reproduce that broad back. Then lift the bird to weigh and feel between the wing joints. A narrow bird will not be a good candidate to produce broilers even though they may be good candidates for processing. This is especially notable in cockerels. In pullets, a narrow hip also would indicate smaller eggs and show weakness to a heavy male climbing on top to mate. And that pullet still may be a good candidate for processing though. In the Cockerels I look for a wide head and thick neck coupled with a wide wing:wing indicates a strong robust bird and if a fast developer, heavy with a broad back you have a breeding rooster. I also pay attention to legs. It's not uncommon for heavy meat birds to develop so fast, one leg may be more robust than the other. You see this a lot in Cornish Rock but it does show up in New Hampshire. What makes this all so easy is there usually isn't a middle ground. These New Hampshire are either big and robust or large but with narrow structures. Others may use other criteria but I have found these 6 criteria work for me. Look at your flock and reply if you see these criteria and how distinctive they are. You'll never look at your flock the same again. You'll always notice the fast feathering/growers and will find yourself looking for wide heads, broad backs, two thick legs. I don't consider my New Hampshire anything other than meatbirds. And I don't consider my layer flock anything other than layers. I find that the heavier your birds become and the more desireable as broilers, egg product is simply not a part of the picture. I maintain a tight small number of birds my layers and broiler flocks and am strict in applying selection criteria. I maintain purebred New Hampshires and Delawares. Delaware Roo crossed on New Hampshire hens (Indian River broilers) produce hybrid vigor which is unique from many other crosses with exceptionally fast developing heavy birds finishing 12-13 wks 6-1/2 to 7lb consistent finish weight. And all the offspring are white making it easier to process. Ironically the New Hampshire Roo crossed on Delaware hens will produce a small number of broilers no where near the Delaware/New Hampshire cross. But I select small Delaware hens for the New Hampshire/Delaware cross to produce Golden Comets that are egg laying machines. So I have the best of both worlds reliable broiler production (2 batches of 30 broilers per year 60 total) with 4 maybe 5 eggs per week as well as prolific layers that produce 6-7 eggs per week. I cull layers at 2 years when they go into their first full molt. That way I have small hens that weigh around 4-1/2 to 5 lbs, don't consume much feed and lay like crazy. I've found over the years maintaining a small breeder flock separate from a small layer flock forces you to choose the best of the best to improve your lines. I maintain 6 hens for each roo - 12 birds total. Less work, less feed and big benefits.

I see this is an old post but I am just starting out and got this line of new Hampshire’s for meat, this is very helpful Information! I would love to know if this is still the breed you have stuck with for meat or if you have switched anything up since this post?

 

[SE_Gardener]

Hi, glad the info was valuable for you. Like all things in the universe, nothing stays the same. A couple years ago I was forced to completely depopulate both my NH and Del breed flocks due to Mycoplasma SV its an influenza that attacks a birds respiratory tract. You can treat with antibiotics which I did but they are expensive. It's not transmitted to humans and consumption of meat or eggs is not an issue. The issue is once a bird has contacted Mycoplasma and the bird survives, it is a carrier for life and hens pass it to their chicks. And while the flock passes the bacteria around, several birds do die and others that survive are poor layers and weak sickly roosters do not breed, at least not enough to produce hatching eggs of any quantity. I didn't want to deal with that in breeding stock. The NH were hit the hardest because I believe the Freedom Ranger NH have lost a lot of vigor. As I've noted many times commercial hatcheries, the source of nearly all backyard/small farm chicks, do not select their breeding stock for anything other than egg laying. A bunch of roosters are placed in a shed full of hens and let nature takes it course. Eggs are collected, incubated and we buy their chicks. It's not very easy to find a local flock owner who has bred and selected specific breeds of chickens for meat. Isolated flock owners like myself and many others go through the exercise of maintaining breeders, hatch out eggs and select for meatbird traits. I had been faithful to Henry Nolls New Hampshire line. However after he sold genetics to commercial poultry breeders and his last remaining stock to Freedom Ranger Hatchery, each successive year the lack of selection has resulted in my opinion, New Hampshires exhibiting many of the recessives Henry Noll had selected against. There are lot's of variability in the body size and type of the New Hampshires coming from there. I personally have experienced cross beaks, curled toes, angel wings and great variability of meat qualifies overall. I've found their New Hampshires to have lost their overall vigor against disease. They are now sickly birds that easily succumb to whatever bacteria is floating around. I've reached out and tried New Hampshires from other hatcheries and find they are not selected for broad backs, heavy breasts or balanced hind quarters. So I have a couple NH hens and one exceptional NH rooster and I'm trying to breed them to produce a few hens that exhibit the traits I select for in meat birds. The Delawares I use are source from McMurray. But are also not up to the same quality before they lost their entire breeding stock to Bird Flu several years ago and I see they sold out chicks by November 2024 when 2025 orders were opened up. Clearly they do not have their flock back to the same numbers to sustain availability. And given how hard it is to develop a strain, they may not recover. I had sourced Delaware from two other hatcheries and they were awful...maybe for egg laying but certainly not meat chickens. Long story short. As noted my NH Rooster is exceptional and I'm hoping he will improve the best NH hens that I've kept. So I do plan to breed NH with a Delaware or Delaware Cross mainly because Del offspring carry the Del feathering and color making them much easier to process than the heavy feathered NH that have lots of dark pin feathers and that cross produces great hybrid vigor. My Delaware roo is from McMurray Enhanced Del Broiler stock but he's not the best type I like to cross on the NH. So while I'm hatching out his eggs this year I'm thinking of crossing him with one of my Ply Whte Rock layers . I have two hens that are heavy bodies and lay huge eggs. It's worth a try for a Del/Rock roo. I've also placed a couple White Ranger hens with the NH roo in hopes to come up with a hybrid hen (NH X Sasso White Ranger) that would produce meat birds. I no longer raise Cornish Cross broilers I can't deal with their manure - after many years I now see them as disgusting birds that I hate to raise. So I switched to Freedom Ranger White Rangers for the past couple years as broilers until I can get my meatbird breeding back on track. I published a bunch of pics of these birds, my NH and Del stock this last summer. Look for them and you'll see the two White Rangers - two different types. The White Ranger is a cross of Sasso White roo (std for Sasso broilers) and Sasso heritage BANTAM hens. Their bantam hens are crossed with Rhode Island Red roo on a heritage white (I forget the breed but it's heritage). That's where you get the gold/tan splashes occassionally on the White Rangers. I notice on the White Rangers as I grow them out for processing, the pullets tend to be two different types. One type is like a mini Cornish hen - huge breasts but more bantam size. The other type is more heritage looking with long deep breasts. My logic is to cross them on the NH roo to come up with a breeding hen. Now I'm thinking I may have to take their daughters back on to the NH. But it's a project and I'll keep posting as things progress. Bottom line - I'm not thrilled with the NH pullets from commercial hatcherings. They don't seem to have the fast development trait, they are narrow breasted, narrow hips and not broad backed. You'll never get a meatbird out of that carcass. So while I will keep doing projects to improve my NH I'm looking for alternatives.