Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[BGMatt]

Back 100 years ago, how quickly did Dorkings grow?

If you want a fast producing meat bird to eat, cross a Dorking with a Barred Rock. The eggs will be large and they are fairly good layers too.

Back then you couldn't afford to let your food production fowl take 10-12 months to reach weight, it made no economic sense, but since we have the luxury of not having to rely on producing our own food people tolerate it these days. It affects other breeds too and shouldn't. There is no reason to put up with slow growth rates on any fowl. People might have to raise some and actually *gasp* cull birds, but it's definitely doable.

Edit: And for the record I would never cross breeds. That just doesn't make sense, especially two breeds who serve the same purpose.

 

[ronott1]

Back then you couldn't afford to let your food production fowl take 10-12 months to reach weight, it made no economic sense, but since we have the luxury of not having to rely on producing our own food people tolerate it these days. It affects other breeds too and shouldn't. There is no reason to put up with slow growth rates on any fowl. People might have to raise some and actually *gasp* cull birds, but it's definitely doable.

I have seen a pre 1940s chicken meat guide and Back Then they did not grow them that big. We are all messed up with what is in the store.

A 2.5 pound 16 week old cockerel was perfect for them.



My fear is that we may be damaging the gene pool by trying to do something that was not done before.

 

[catdaddyfro]

I have seen a pre 1940s chicken meat guide and Back Then they did not grow them that big. We are all messed up with what is in the store.

A 2.5 pound 16 week old cockerel was perfect for them.



My fear is that we may be damaging the gene pool by trying to do something that was not done before.

LOL yeah XXXL wasn't a regular sized shirt item one walked in and got at any given store then too, it was a special order item and cost a bunch more too not the same price as a small shirt LOL "only in America" huh

Jeff

 

[uphilljill]

“If you grew as fast as a (hybrid industrial) chicken, you’d weigh 349 pounds at age 2.” -The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/01/poultry-transparency/

 

[Math]

Math 
The details were at the link thread;
[COLOR=B42000]https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/777172/delawares-from-kathyinmo/570[/COLOR]

Beautiful birds. Thank you.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Are these not a hybrid? Two breeds crosses and then selected.

Hybrid vigor works. But it depends on parent stock that is homozygous and compatable. To make a great hybrid requries great parent stock. Working with only one bird on a farm is far easier than multiple breeds.

 

[ronott1]

Are these not a hybrid? Two breeds crosses and then selected.

Hybrid vigor works. But it depends on parent stock that is homozygous and compatable. To make a great hybrid requries great parent stock. Working with only one bird on a farm is far easier than multiple breeds.

Kathyinmo did not release them until they were breeding true.

They are not a hybrid now.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: SHe has been working hard on those birds-- wonderful job. Ron, this might come down to definitions . . .

Her birds are far less inbred than the 2 lines she started with. ANd likely to still have the hybrid vigor that is a benefit of cross breeding.

I'll leave it to the math gurus to calculate the inbreeding coefficients. . . . I expect there is a set point that defines one vs the other. For comparison, Kathyinmo's birds are still less inbred than many ( most?) of the old lines.

 

[ronott1]

SHe has been working hard on those birds-- wonderful job. Ron, this might come down to definitions . . .

Her birds are far less inbred than the 2 lines she started with. ANd likely to still have the hybrid vigor that is a benefit of cross breeding.

I'll leave it to the math gurus to calculate the inbreeding coefficients. . . . I expect there is a set point that defines one vs the other. For comparison, Kathyinmo's birds are still less inbred than many ( most?) of the old lines.

Yes, that would be it. I wondered if you meant inbred. I hatched an older line several times last year and hope to hatch some of Kathy's new heritage line this year. I am excited to see the difference.

 

[gjensen]

Are these not a hybrid? Two breeds crosses and then selected.

Hybrid vigor works. But it depends on parent stock that is homozygous and compatable. To make a great hybrid requries great parent stock. Working with only one bird on a farm is far easier than multiple breeds.

Arielle. what you see in those carcasses is the size and fleshing from both sides of the project. You cannot see vigor in a carcass.