Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[ronott1]

Yes, "technically" they are still large fowl. However, a lot of the Andalusians in the country are undersized. I don't have that issue in my flock... in new birds picked up? Definitely. I'll be crossing them with mine because they have what mine don't... fantastic lacing. Mine have size and in some cases, much better type. There are a couple of birds that had a late hatch but managed to still tower over their hatchmates. I'll be hanging on to them. I don't really want to use undersized birds in my large fowl pens unless I have to and I don't have to.

In fact, I have one procured cock that I cannot stand to look at him. The only reason he is still alive is for his lacing. As soon as I have a couple of hens to put in with him (likely in the fall) that will improve his type and size tremendously and he has some lovely chicks on the ground, he is history! I got three new lines in the last 6 months so I will use him one time with my birds. I've used him with the females he came with but now have one of my nice males in with his girls. I'll be doing a test hatch from them here shortly... last large fowl hatch for the year... except some in the fall.

You are working with a breed that needs a lot of work and you are doing a great job!

 

[RIR-YELLOWLEGS]

Co

Greetings!  Using Standard-bred heritage poultry as a basis  for traditional food production is a passion of ours.  With heritage fowl, there is an entire cycle of food production that fills the calendar with seasonality and surprise, which differs in outstanding fashion from the current hum-drum of same-old same-old that has replaced our traditional food supply since the rise of the chicken nugget.


It would be a pleasure to start a dialogue, in conjuction with the other fine threads in this section dedicated to heritage poultry, about the ins and outs of using Standard-bred poultry on the homestead.


This can be a place to share experience, ask questions, and work out solutions with regards to egg production, meat production, feather harvest, etc., all in relating back to the breeding efforts of an ever evolving homestead flock of heritage fowl and even waterfowl.

uld you explain to me standard heritage fowl means as i have RIRs and i am told that thete is a difference between average RIRs and heritage breeds of RIRs i have 20chicks that came from ifeal poutry fram in Texas and then i have thtee that i purchased from a local high line breeder here in ga .

 

[Beekissed]

I just wanted to say Bee that I hatch earlier than my hens go broody because of mainly one thing...the heat.

Last year I got a valuable lesson in timing.

As you know, I raise Andalusians but perhaps you didn't know I'm also working on making bantam Andalusians. My last two or three large fowl hatches last year taught me something... not to hatch large fowl in June/July. Many of my large fowl birds that hatched in June/July are only about 1/3 the size of their full brothers/sisters that were hatched in February/March. As it is, I'm using them in my bantam pens but it really set me back for progress in the large fowl pens.

Is it because the parent birds are eating less in the heat and so the eggs have less nutrition? I'm not letting any of mine set a clutch past June, though I doubt any will go broody then anyway....I have three here in May.

Another question...do you free range or do they eat grain based feeds primarily? Wondering if the source of nutrition during hot months has a bearing on it?

 

[Lacy Blues]

I ferment my pelleted feed. The parents were not the problem. As I said, the brothers/sisters of the smaller birds are all full sized. It was the heat. It makes the birds themselves eat less.

I don't have free range. I live in the desert. Whatever green stuff they get is whatever I take the time to grow for them.

 

[gjensen]

I, for one, don't believe that chickens evolved or were all originally descendants of jungle fowl. I believe God designed certain animals as domesticated animals, specifically. Yes, we humans took a hand in selecting certain traits and mixing different breeds to develop certain traits but I've never believed that all chicken genetics can be traced to jungle fowl, no more than I think that all dogs were descendants of wild dogs or wolves.

As such, I don't think that all chickens are supposed to be on "jungle time" and we just force them to live in temperate climates and perform at our convenience. I've not seen anything yet in my lifetime to convince me of that. There are distinct breeds that are designed for~not by man....you could work on a tropical breed for hundreds of generations and still not have a bird that lays well and thrives in the northern climates~different areas of the world, just like most other animal and bird species.

No one was being critical at all of those who hatch in incubators, I was merely stating why I don't like to do so and giving those reasons....I question the need for it and also the timing of some hatches and the problems that arise from all of that. For me, it's a personal choice and if that means I'm just going in circles or not getting anywhere with my breeding, that's okay with me too. I've found that life is much easier and productive all the way around if I just don't fight God's design in this world. You folks are free to do whatever you please with your chickens and I reserve the right to do the same with mine.

You say things that you say you are not saying.

By you saying that you do not like to fight God's design is implying that others do. To imply that someone that hatches early and in an incubator is fighting against God's design has no basis or merit. I would even call it irresponsible to say it. Why would you want to do that? For me hatching early and beating the heat is using my God given brain, and operating within the limitations He has set.

They are breeds because we bred them to be as they are, and "improved" them a long the way. That is not an opinion, but an established fact. The history of poultry can be traced to a large degree. Keeping poultry began in SE Asia, the place of their beginnings. Poultry came late to the Middle East, and later still to Europe. The only debate is whether or not there was another wild contributor that is extinct now.

I guess it is ok to believe that, but there is nothing to support it, anywhere. Our imaginations are not a good source of information.

I like the way you manage your birds. You seam to do well managing your flock. You are only critical of how others manage theirs. No one has criticized your style here.

 

[gjensen]

I just wanted to say Bee that I hatch earlier than my hens go broody because of mainly one thing...the heat.

Last year I got a valuable lesson in timing.

As you know, I raise Andalusians but perhaps you didn't know I'm also working on making bantam Andalusians. My last two or three large fowl hatches last year taught me something... not to hatch large fowl in June/July. Many of my large fowl birds that hatched in June/July are only about 1/3 the size of their full brothers/sisters that were hatched in February/March. As it is, I'm using them in my bantam pens but it really set me back for progress in the large fowl pens.

It is smart to beat the heat. The growers do not grow out as well in excessive heat.

 

[RIR-YELLOWLEGS]

Anyone know much about the Duchess Durham line of RIRs?

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Yes, in my opinion, when I take an egg out of a nest and put it into a plastic machine and heat it up, I'm not following God's design in how that animal procreates. I'm not implying anything...I'm making a statement. Obviously it has some merit or we would see each hen packing a plastic machine around so she can reproduce her own kind. Now, if you feel like that is a criticism of others, that's because you choose to personalize a generalized statement about incubating artificially. It's not directed at you or any one person but at the act of artificially incubating an egg. My opinion is mine alone, just as your opinions are yours and you seem to think they are valid and mine are all "faulty" and "irresponsible". Well, that's your opinion as well and you are entitled to it.

Just because fighting God's design holds no merit for ME, personally, doesn't mean I automatically expect others to feel that way or even to adhere to my opinion on the matter.....many don't even believe in God, so that statement means nothing to them at all. I have many methods regarding my chickens that I feel go along with God's design as well and, if I express that, that doesn't mean other methods are fighting God's design and are wrong. It merely means I feel my methods are right for me.

I do, however, reserve the right to express my opinions without anyone making a mountain out of a molehill and personalizing every opinion I hold as if it's a disparagement against other methods. I never once stated that YOU are fighting God's design, I said I feel like I, me personally, would be fighting God's design by doing so. I do not like to fight God's design. There. I said a true statement about ME. Take that as you will but it's not for one moment meant to say that everyone else is doing so by not following my methods. That's your words, not mine.

Quote:
Why, thank you for allowing me to believe what I wish to believe! How gracious! You can choose to think I'm imagining these things and that's your opinion and I'll allow you to have that as well. It's the least I can do as you've been so kind.

Edited to add: My posts seem to antagonize you lately and I don't come here to argue, so feel free to block my posts and I will be doing the same for you.

 

[RIR-YELLOWLEGS]

Th

 It is smart to beat the heat. The growers do not grow out as well in excessive heat.

is is so true as the heat takes a toll on everything.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I am a lot happier with my incubator today.

Apparently I put some eggs in my incubator and didn't write the date down. I was thinking that I had a whole boatload of eggs that were seriously behind because of my incubator. Today they are hatching like clockwork...not quite like popcorn but close!