Freedom Ranger breeding first year results

[Ridgerunner]

I'm not sure it is genetic quite the way you are thinking. When hens get excess protein, they can release an extra yolk. This can lead to double yolked eggs or sometimes two eggs in one day. Sometimes, that second egg can be soft shelled because the shell gland does not have time to make enough material for the second egg. Do these hens also lay more soft shelled eggs than normal?

Instead of it being a straight genetic propensity to lay double yolked eggs, maybe it is more because genetically they process food more efficiently?

 

[krcote]

Thanks so much for sharing!

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

How many birds were in this "experiment"?

 

[johnsons-r-us]

Interesting.....for me as I'm going with WR to try and get some meat going this spring. I'm looking forward to the answers to the others' questions.

Thank you for sharing! This kind of thing helps those of us trying to decide on the "perfect" direction.

I know, no such thing.....

I had been looking at the FR as an option but didn't know if they would make good layers and could be self sustaining. And is the meat any better than a nice WR?

 

[kfacres]

sounds like you have it all figured out then.

 

[eggscetera]

Farmer Grammy - thanks so much for this info. This is just what i needed to know. I saved out a rooster and 4 hens from my 25 Freedom Rangers I raised this summer. One hen has already kicked the bucket so there are just 3 left. I thought I'd lost another last week - her comb turned purple and her breath was labored for three days. She's back running around now so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Winter is here and I won't start incubating until February. A lot could go wrong between now and then. But I'm looking forward to hatching out some chicks from this bunch if they make it.

 

[Bucky182]

Ms Mucket, I am no scientist or gene specialist for sure. LOL But you might try using a different meat bird for your rooster. Say one from Nolls, or the one down in Alabama which are both totaly different stains. This cross might put some hybrid vigor back into the birds and you would get growth as good or possibly better than the parents. In cattle it is called hetorosis (SP) and according to MARK (Meat Animal Research Center) in Neb. the best possible cross is a 4 way cross with one being 50% each of two breeds and the other being 50% of two different breeds. The resulting calf grows faster, and has more imunities than either of its parents. Heck its worth a shot.

 

[jessicayarno]

Quote:
Bucky that is a great idea, and depending on how fast these guys grow, I think I am gonna give that a try.. I have a batch of freedom rangers that are 2nd generation..

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

Bucky-- I missed your post till now but that is a good idea. I'm just learning about selective breeding. I was thinking of trying a smaller rooster too, not for size genes but for comfort of the hens. Both my FR roos have been 15# and a FR/RIR roo was 13#.

I have not gotten responses from Nolls'--is phone the only way to reach them? Do you have any info on the Alabama hatchery?

Johnsons-r-us, do you think a WR would be a good roo to try?

 

[tracylhl]

This is great info for me! I'm going to be slaughtering some FR's and DP roo's in the next week. I had planned to keep some FR's back from the brings of the freezer but then decided to put them all up. Now I'm re-thinking that!