Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[Beekissed]

True that! Ditto.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: It is my goal too. Just took me a while to figure out some birds were . . . just purdy.

I was referring to the details of getting there, lol. I sudenly felt like I was reading a foreign language trying to understand when a bird is laying well and looks ugly versus a prima donna that needs to go in the soup pot, or make cracklin's.

I moved my ameraucana rooster and his band of girls to a new coop. My half-woods coop. They were very happy tohave leaves to roll in. THe vent was examined to guess at laying and then a white leg band was attached if I thought she was. SOmetimes looking at the vent is a gamble-- yes or no. Most were obvious, but some questionable. ANd the combs are a pretty red as they are coming into lay. Been slacking for about 3 months-- good thing I love the blue eggs.

 

[gjensen]

It is my goal too. Just took me a while to figure out some birds were . . . just purdy.

I was referring to the details of getting there, lol. I sudenly felt like I was reading a foreign language trying to understand when a bird is laying well and looks ugly versus a prima donna that needs to go in the soup pot, or make cracklin's.

I moved my ameraucana rooster and his band of girls to a new coop. My half-woods coop. They were very happy tohave leaves to roll in. THe vent was examined to guess at laying and then a white leg band was attached if I thought she was. SOmetimes looking at the vent is a gamble-- yes or no. Most were obvious, but some questionable. ANd the combs are a pretty red as they are coming into lay. Been slacking for about 3 months-- good thing I love the blue eggs.

Google Call Of The Hen. It is free online. It is helpful to identify to who is doing what and when.

Otherwise it I a matter of getting to know your birds.

I do not think there is a substitution for handling the birds. Keep doing that and over time, and you will know them well. I have and till do learn a lot by handling them.

 

[Arielle]

I would like to comeback to understanding WINTER LAYER.

Many of my hens are just now coming into lay after many months off. Ideally I would like to have a good supply of eggs all year long, or at least a better balance between the flood of spring eggs and the dribble of late fall to end of FEbruary.

My understanding is there are 2 possibile solutions--- select for better production in the off season, or pick lines that do better in the "off" season.

I would really like a better egg production Sep to Feb-- that is a lot of feed for few/no eggs. Suggestions??

 

[Zanna]

I would like to comeback to understanding WINTER LAYER.

Many of my hens are just now coming into lay after many months off. Ideally I would like to have a good supply of eggs all year long, or at least a better balance between the flood of spring eggs and the dribble of late fall to end of FEbruary.

My understanding is there are 2 possibile solutions--- select for better production in the off season, or pick lines that do better in the "off" season.

I would really like a better egg production Sep to Feb-- that is a lot of feed for few/no eggs. Suggestions??

Hatch some chicks end of August, Early Sept. Usually those young layers carry me through when the others are taking their winter vacation. They just get started with the right timing. Problem is if you want the eggs for selling rather than personal use they are often fairly small.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:

I think those are likely solutions...breeds that still lay 3 days out of 7 during the winter slow down are a good thing to have around. But, with many breeds that's just not going to happen...from what I gather, most heritage breeders out there are settling for 3-4 eggs per week in peak season, let alone in the winter months.

I think a lot of folks have their breeder flocks they are developing and also have a utility line of birds that are bred solely for production, be it peak or winter laying.

For me, keeping breeds that are more likely to lay some in the winter months to keep eggs on the table is the only solution, then selecting the best laying birds from that particular breed.

Hatchery stock are just such birds...bred for utility and not for show. If a person could combine the hatchery stock utility and good laying with the heritage line broodiness, hardiness and form, they could go far on having the perfect bird.

 

[Zanna]

Adding to the above post....... If you have breeds that take a little longer to mature/lay, you may need to hatch earlier. A few will sometimes hold out till the days start getting longer but most of mine start laying at about the age they should no matter the time of year or daylight hours.

 

[gjensen]

I agree, you certainly need to get them laying before the older birds are molting. You can get stuck waiting until spring before they get going. That is expensive.

Winter laying is largely genetic, and partly management. Other than artificial lights, you can make sure the house gets plenty of sun in the winter. It does make a difference. A house sighted in winter shade gets less light than one with a clear southern exposure.

Identifying warmer parts of the yard helps moderate winter temperature's effects. In the south, the same location is a concern in the summer. Nothing comes without a cost.

Nutrition plays a part. Winter layers often do not have the access to the greens they might in longer day seasons.

A bird "feels" better when they have access to sunshine and fresh greens. Maximizing those two in the winter does help. A little cod liver oil does not hurt.

Some birds are better low light layers than others. For some reason my Catalanas are good winter layers. I still do not have a good feel for them. I had some odd winter molting and I hatched some too early, and they went into molt. I can give a more accurate picture in a couple years. I have seen enough to know that they are better winter layers than many I have had. Others have had this experience, so I am not alone.

Bee was right when she connected it to how good of layers they are anyways. A drop off in laying for some is as good as others are. That is a factor.

Mostly it goes back to the genetics of the line. It is not easy to improve upon either. The best you can do is identify the better winter layers (which often is the better layers overall), and test the males. That would be quite the process for a single trait. Alternately, you can avoid lights and hatch from late winter eggs. Over time, it seams that you would be inadvertently selecting for them.

That they molt out late and finish molting sooner can mean a few more out of season eggs, and identifying who comes into laying full steam early can mean teasing out a few more eggs. When it comes to winter laying without lights, small victories are big. You will not get full production, so teasing out an extra dozen from a single bird is an accomplishment.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: These young pullets would start laying at 16 week? Like jan 1st? Or are you thinking more like Feb 1st ish, more like 20 weeks?

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

I think those are likely solutions...breeds that still lay 3 days out of 7 during the winter slow down are a good thing to have around. But, with many breeds that's just not going to happen...from what I gather, most heritage breeders out there are settling for 3-4 eggs per week in peak season, let alone in the winter months.

I think a lot of folks have their breeder flocks they are developing and also have a utility line of birds that are bred solely for production, be it peak or winter laying.

For me, keeping breeds that are more likely to lay some in the winter months to keep eggs on the table is the only solution, then selecting the best laying birds from that particular breed.

Hatchery stock are just such birds...bred for utility and not for show. If a person could combine the hatchery stock utility and good laying with the heritage line broodiness, hardiness and form, they could go far on having the perfect bird.

DO you have the magic wand to combine the hatchery stock with heritage?