Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[gjensen]

I don't know....seems pretty much like how my marriage went, though I didn't get the pleasure of chopping off his head for real....

LOL.

 

[TeaChick]

I am not convinced the marriage covenant makes is a good analogy for keeping poultry. I always reserve the right to chop their heads off. The chickens that is. LOL.

For now, the breed I've chosen makes practical sense for the situation in which I am. I "always reserve the right" to switch gears and keep a different breed in a different chapter of my life, if a different breed makes more sense in a different chapter. For this chapter, my focus is NH.

 

[Beekissed]

Currently have one broody sitting on 15 WR eggs and she is due to hatch them on the 23rd. Went fishing for a week and came back to another broody in the coop, sitting on a large number of "farmer's mix" eggs, but mostly WR so not too disappointed in that. Will move her tomorrow night and see just how many she's hiding. Don't know when they will hatch but will guestimate it and hope they all hatch within a day or so of each other.

Am only incubating under broodies this year...they get the best hatch rates and I don't have to bother with raising little chicks. They also get the most healthy upbringing out there on the range with their mama, so I can't even compete. Don't want to even try...it's too perfect.

 

[Beekissed]

And another broody, as of this evening. Split the 21 egg clutch under the broody I got last week and gave the new broody 7 of them and relocated both broodies to the nursery pen tonight. If I get a good hatch from these birds I'll have my quota for the spring breeding/hatching and will not have messed with an incubator once, nor will I be caring for chicks.

What really excites me is that two of my broodies are the young pullets from my fall breeding of the WR heirloom male. I had wanted broodiness to be a trait in my line and it is. I also had wanted good lay and early maturity and they have also shown that as well. Good feathering, good temperaments, good foraging and survival skills, and feed thrift are all showing up in these three pullets that I favor.

 

[Fentress]

Punched my first chicks tonight. I guess that makes me a breeder? Well, might be more to it than just that. Ha ha. The broody was in a chicken tractor that I built, 2 by 8, with a lid over the nest area that lifts up. Easy access, worked pretty good. However, the broody was not in the trance state I had hoped for. She was a real live wire. Isolated her in a large pot, that I scald in and then punched the chicks, who stayed put and cooperated nicely. Put them all back together and they settled quickly. It worked, but dealing with the hen is no picnic.

 

[Beekissed]

Dragon broodies!!! I have three of those right now...will take your hand off if you put it in the nest, faster than a rattlesnake can strike.

You are officially a breeder!!!!

Is that how it works? Can't wait to see your new babies and see what you've done with your breeding efforts. I think that's why this is so fun...one never knows what will come of putting 1 and 1 together to produce several. Hopefully it's all good results.

 

[LindaB220]

And another broody, as of this evening.  Split the 21 egg clutch under the broody I got last week and gave the new broody 7 of them and relocated both broodies to the nursery pen tonight.  If I get a good hatch from these birds I'll have my quota for the spring breeding/hatching and will not have messed with an incubator once, nor will I be caring for chicks. 

What really excites me is that two of my broodies are the young pullets from my fall breeding of the WR heirloom male.  I had wanted broodiness to be a trait in my line and it is.  I also had wanted good lay and early maturity and they have also shown that as well.  Good feathering, good temperaments, good foraging and survival skills, and feed thrift are all showing up in these three pullets that I favor. 

Bee, I have my fi,rst broody. My one and only Coronation Sussex. She's been on the eggs for five days. Very determined.. Ha!!

 

[Fentress]

Dragon broodies!!! I have three of those right now...will take your hand off if you put it in the nest, faster than a rattlesnake can strike.

You are officially a breeder!!!!

Is that how it works? Can't wait to see your new babies and see what you've done with your breeding efforts. I think that's why this is so fun...one never knows what will come of putting 1 and 1 together to produce several. Hopefully it's all good results.

Thanks. It works for me! Off to a slow start this spring for a variety reasons, most of which were out of my control, but that is OK. It's fun and that's the best part. If the only thing I achieve is making sure that next years mattings are not between siblings, then that's a start.

 

[gjensen]

Punched my first chicks tonight. I guess that makes me a breeder? Well, might be more to it than just that. Ha ha. The broody was in a chicken tractor that I built, 2 by 8, with a lid over the nest area that lifts up. Easy access, worked pretty good. However, the broody was not in the trance state I had hoped for. She was a real live wire. Isolated her in a large pot, that I scald in and then punched the chicks, who stayed put and cooperated nicely. Put them all back together and they settled quickly. It worked, but dealing with the hen is no picnic.

I see the term breeder as I do the word gardener. If you plant a garden every year then you are one who gardens. A gardener. Some get good at it, and some become master gardeners. Some just like to plant a few tomato plants. I breed birds, so that would make me a breeder, or one who breeds birds. I will let others that are familiar with what I am doing, and time, decide whether or not I am any good at it. Or if I am working towards producing anything that has any value.

 

[LindaB220]

Woops! I waited too long and my Blosl White Rock has appropriated the Sussex's eggs. Now I have to get another nest going and move them both to the 12' X 12' coop that I'm readying for the 12 day olds in the storeroom. It's going to be my broody house. Maybe I can slip some of the 'bator chicks in after they hatch.