Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[catdaddyfro]

Cornish Cross Disaster...
http://www.sustainablepoultrynetwork.com/the-cornish-cross-disaster/

Yeah Dupree don't tell you all this on their vegan only diet, chicken commercial do they. always always more than none there are things hidden in the closets and behind the sheds and if one gets to snooping around enough things are found out huh?


amazing huh?
I'll stick to eating my own homegrown here.
Jeff

 

[Arielle]

It's been a couple of days since I flooded this thread with questions, but I have more.

I really appreciated all the explanations and suggestions. One thing I am curious about is do you all let your breeder birds run with the flock? For instance, lets say I only want to get hatching eggs for a month, could I allow the birds to be together for 11 months out of the year (with egg collection only for eating) and then separate for breeding purposes? Or are the breeder birds always separated from the rest?

Im also trying to decide between 8 breeds for my next flock. With the time and effort needed for breeding, I will limit that to one specific breed, possibly two.

Black Jersey Giant
Light Brahma
Orpington
Non-Industrial Leghorns
Dorking
Ancona
Australorp
Non-Industrial RIR

I will have the space needed, actually plenty of space. Any suggestions from the experienced breeders on a specific breed with respects to central Missouri heat and winters. I'm really looking for dual purpose but considering I have a "thing" for the Leghorns I threw them on the list as well.

Having a passion for what you are raising is a key element to succedding. We traditionaly think of leghorns as small and scrawny, or at least I do and I've gooten this impresion for other posts ( outside this thread) but to look at a leghorn at a show it's a whole 'nother bird. WOrth looking at IMO.

THe other peice of the puzle is can you get good stock in that breed?

 

[BGMatt]

Having a passion for what you are raising is a key element to succedding.  We traditionaly think of leghorns as small and scrawny, or at least I do and I've gooten this impresion for other posts ( outside this thread) but to look at a leghorn at a show it's a whole 'nother bird. WOrth looking at IMO.

THe other peice of the puzle is can you get good stock in that breed?

This is a very important point. You have to really enjoy what you raise. I see so many newbies want rare this or rare that and they don't have experience with them and know if its what they want. Few of those people stay in it. I also see people get into a breed because its in demand (I'm guilty of this one myself) but its not a recipe for sticking with and doing well with them. It's just like a dog or a horse, different people are drawn to and fit better with certain breeds. You'll do better with something you really like and are passionate about and you get more enjoyment out of it, and that's what's really important.

 

[Arielle]

Cornish Cross Disaster...
http://www.sustainablepoultrynetwork.com/the-cornish-cross-disaster/

This is my opinon of the article, not you Extra Java.


IMO this article is very biased. ANd doesnot acknowledge the science behind the development of the cornish x. Very careful selection and record keeping went into selecting the birds that are the cornish cross of today. Ultimately they are made by crossing two lines that are compatable by design. THese are economical to grow out for the large commercial facilites and put the food on the table for most AMericans. We need these birds to provide the protein to feed our families.

Having said that, there is plenty of room to use heritage type birds on the homestead and backyards. That is what THEY were designed for. I have tried my hand at BBW turkeys and cornish X chickens. I won't do the cornish x chickens again. A well bred heritage bird that has been selected for good meat characteristics would do better for my farm than these commercial lines of chickens.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I wonder how you choose a line of birds for meat quality and taste without actually having tasted them? Not trying to get in your face but your post brought the question up. I've wondered it before and never said anything. Somebody breeds their birds for flavor. How do you know? Is there a way to tell whether a bird will taste good without eating him cuz after you do, you've shot yourself in the foot if he's the best you've ever had.

 

[bnjrob]

Azure Standard delivers to Texas but I'm not sure if it would be close to your location. You would have to call.
http://www.azurestandard.com/shop/product/842//

You sign up and order online then a truck delivers to a drop point near you for pick up.

I get all my organic grains here. No problems sprouting any of them.

Cool, I'll have to check it out. Never heard of them before.

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote: I also use Azure Standard and would recommend them.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Im also trying to decide between 8 breeds for my next flock. With the time and effort needed for breeding, I will limit that to one specific breed, possibly two.


Dorking
Ancona


I will have the space needed, actually plenty of space. Any suggestions from the experienced breeders on a specific breed with respects to central Missouri heat and winters. I'm really looking for dual purpose but considering I have a "thing" for the Leghorns I threw them on the list as well.

I can speak to these. They're both quite nice. Well-bred Anconas like their cousins the Leghorn have tasty meat and more than one might expect, as BGMatt pointed out. We eat the all the time. Indeed, I believe that Ancona, Leghorns, Minorcas, etc...are severely underutilized in the home flock. They're awesome birds, and I think lots of folk would find them sufficient to their needs.

 

[AletaG]

Karen,

How long do you soak your oats for? I got some of those from TSC and had very poor results. Tried soaking anywhere from overnight up to 48 hours and still only had maybe 10% of the oats actually sprout. I had much better results sprouting some stuff that was meant for human consumption - but I can't afford to buy that stuff for as many chickens as we have now on a routine basis. Had tried getting some other stuff from the feedstore but I guess it had been treated because it wouldn't sprout at all. Was hoping that the forage oats from TSC would do the trick but now....am wondering if I got a bad bag or didn't soak long enough. Or maybe it's just my Murphy's Law curse coming out.

I have this problem as well. Similar, anyway. Spak 15min in .1 percent bleach, soak overnight, then drain and spread out. Takes 3 days to germinate, then over a week to get greens. Not fun. So working with lentils, black beans, quinoa (for fun), the wild bird seed that I'm not using for wild birds anymore after the MG outbreak, and those all seem to germinate just fine... Will check into Azure.

Do you know, the CX requires 4 lines to hatch as well. It's a closely kept secret what breeds are for real in there but all 4 of those lines are not standard bred, they are bred in order to supply the lines needed for the end result, the CX.
So that means this new bird is really similar in many ways to CX. They just don't grow as fast.

Yep, was aware... but it's that whole secret thing. Ick. Like coca cola (also ick, BTW). Anyway. From what I've seen on Canadian posts, mileage varies, and enough people butcher M. Gris at 8-9wks with 5lb birds... no sneezing from ME, anyway. So, working on it. Just 'cause. I'm a pain in the keister. I'm REALLY good at being a pain in the keister.

 

[bnjrob]

I have this problem as well. Similar, anyway. Spak 15min in .1 percent bleach, soak overnight, then drain and spread out. Takes 3 days to germinate, then over a week to get greens. Not fun. So working with lentils, black beans, quinoa (for fun), the wild bird seed that I'm not using for wild birds anymore after the MG outbreak, and those all seem to germinate just fine... Will check into Azure.

Hmm, haven't heard of the bleach soak but could try it. Sad that it takes so long to sprout though. I didn't have any problems with the expensive stuff. Of course.