Dixie Chicks

[vehve]

Jem, they come from a flock of wheaten and cuckoo Marans mixes. Probably some sort of F2 or F3 hybrids of those breeds.

 

[Amberjem]

exciting @minihorse927 I think next time violet goes broody if she does I am going to let her sit on them..........was going to process one of the roosters for dinner this week looks like he has a reprieve with @Sharps Big 50 having class all week

 

[vehve]

Oh I also had to take my broody and put her onto her own cage. The other chocolate orps were deciding going broody was looking mighty good. Seperated them from her and they lose interest. I think they hear the chicks getting ready to hatch and they plan on robbing them from her. Stopped that scheme! She seems much happier now that she's being left alone. She should hatch tomorrow and friday!

We had two broodies hatching out 5 eggs together, the rest of the birds continuing laying right there with them. Always left the eggs under the two broodies, we had to pick them out from there. Luckily we separated them when we did, by the time the separation was finished and we moved the eggs, one was already pipping externally. They hatched a day early.

 

[Amberjem]

Jem, they come from a flock of wheaten and cuckoo Marans mixes. Probably some sort of F2 or F3 hybrids of those breeds.

ahh ok ya I can see the cuckoo in em... Are they fairly fast growers? I was reading something about the different strains of the maran developing at different rates and how some grew rapidly because they were from lines meant for more traditionally meat line marans

 

[vehve]

Jem, they seem to be putting on weight pretty well. I had to lift one a few days ago, I'd say it weighed a bit over a kilo. The breeder said they start laying pretty late though, around 6 months. The boys will be interesting to taste, as you said, they look like a more traditional dual purpose bird.

 

[Amberjem]

hahah killing me felix lol kilo? ugh six months thats a wait for an egg layer...although with waiting so long to lay do they then tend to lay with better longevity?

 

[minihorse927]

so I am running out of hardware cloth........... I have some old rabbit hutch wire I thought I would use to finish off the tractor........think that will be a problem? it's fairly small spacing...dont really want to buy another roll of hardware cloth for like 4 feet of wire...it's alot stronger then chicken wire...and not to worried about predators eagles wont get em in the tractor...... haha or thru the metal roof

is it 1x2?

 

[vehve]

A kilo is about 2.2lbs. I'm trying to bring you over to the side of SI units.

I'm guessing it will make for a less burned out bird yeah. They might start a bit earlier though, they're basically born in the darkest time of the year, and by the time they should start laying, we'll be having about 19 hours of sunlight.

 

[minihorse927]

We had two broodies hatching out 5 eggs together, the rest of the birds continuing laying right there with them. Always left the eggs under the two broodies, we had to pick them out from there. Luckily we separated them when we did, by the time the separation was finished and we moved the eggs, one was already pipping externally. They hatched a day early.

Normally I'd just let them go ahead and brood but the problem is that I have chicks sold from these guys and I have egg orders to fill so they need to keep popping out the eggs until at least May before they're allowed to brood! The only reason I let the first one is cause the eggs were a few days along when I discovered her and I couldn't stand to kill started eggs for no reason.

 

[Amberjem]

so far I am really liking the wyandotte violet is such a dependable layer least so far....ya she went broody there but once she went back to laying it's been a even steady egg a day with maybe a day off once or every week or so with a day off.....sure wish the others would get to laying........think dotty is at 21 weeks now....with the others about 5 weeks behind her... the wyandotte/amercana crosses are developing faster....



ok I know several of y'all have polish........ so spike is the most polish looking of all the polish cross and has a odd sound doesnt seem to cluck but squeaks..what is up with that?