German New Hampshire

[catdaddyfro]

Scott and Jeff,

From my late Feb hatch of XW eggs, there's some pullets with tents and decent hackle markings...overall size is nice with a few slightly smaller...most laying and some have not started yet...interesting...when I speak of these those though they are amongst 3 owners in a few hour radius...so some variability could be possible from different husbandry methods etc. These birds have wonderful temperaments on the whole. What size of eggs have you guys gotten with these despite being pullets?

Right now in the hotness an all I'm getting 4 eggs a day from the seven I don't know if all are laying every other day or the randomness of their production right now. I think this is good, as my egg layer types aren't in full on mode now either and I don't push them by overloading them with the efforts/methods to go all out right now. I have a heart, and let them just do their thing this time of the year I do step up their intake in the cold weather for all that business. The egg sizes are increasing gradually about on cue for the weeks they have been in production med./largish probly in about 2 months when the weather cools down a bit and I'm ready to try my go at hatching from them and my chosen GNH male they will be of good reg/normal size by then. I'm hoping with them starting up at this time they will carry on for a bit this winter without putting the lights on them I don't like that either I'd rather have the girls resting than pushing and making them older than they are because of such (but that's me and everyone else can do as the please) LOL I will up the protein levels for cold weather though not necessarily for peak production but energy for heat. these girls are all big Cindy a good bit more so than the German types I have here. I thought I had a pretty good sized male picked out till I put him in the pen with the girls for the getting acquainted reasons(

/

) an such LOL these girls downsize him a bit when standing side by each, LOL

The 2 half&half boys are really turning it on right now they are few months behind the girls in maturity but they are now crowing and making passes at the older hens now too(they don't get much attention/equal participation yet the poor fellers)LOL

Jeff

 

[catdaddyfro]

Thank you. The dad is German, mom is American. Do you have any guess on if they are pullets? I am working on better pictures of them but they are nervous!

All in those two photos are cockerels. you'll have to look around and get them some mates but hey surely out of three you got greater odds of getting a nice keeper male,

Jeff

 

[cbnovick]

6 month old pullet

Nice, nice pullet

 

[ashncarson]

All in those two photos are cockerels. you'll have to look around and get them some mates but hey surely out of three you got greater odds of getting a nice keeper male, Jeff

Well that's not cool. May I ask what makes them look like cockerels? I just rehomed 3 cockerels I had that where mixed breed chicks

 

[7961]

Very nice NH's Walt! They are progressing beautifully! Nice hackling color on the pullets. This is a trait that I will need to improve with my females. I am going to keep my eyes open for some nice marked American/cross females at the upcoming shows.

 

[catdaddyfro]

Well that's not cool. May I ask what makes them look like cockerels? I just rehomed 3 cockerels I had that where mixed breed chicks

At that age pictured, the red/pink prominent combs and wattles. pullets wouldn't show this so much now and would not be so bright or showy at this age. They look to be around 8 weekish by looking at their feather they are in juvenile plumage?

Jeff

I see the post now LOL
They are probably about 8-9 weeks old now.

 

[Zanna]

A couple of young breeders I have picked out for next season, critiques welcome. The girls are as beautifully coloured as the boys but I could not get good pics outside with the beautiful sun this morning.

 

[catdaddyfro]

Zanna I'm liking the hackle markings on those girls watch for their tails though, on getting too high

The boys are alright and at the age where it is hard to say too much +/- but see the tails on them pictured is low. It is 45* on males and 40* on the females per the SOP. Putting that low straight backed RIR trendy tail on these NH ruins their look too me. They are to look nothing like RIRs they are to look like NHs the main thing that separates the breeds is type. I think breeders are putting these low tails on these NH for esthetic reasons and it gives them the broom tail/fan tailed look, sure its trendy and they are winning with them but you know what happens if everyone does it there we'll be in the crapper with nothing to breed correct NH by/too to carry forward and in no time as these are rare to start with. We got to breed them right first then if the show folks want to dude them up and mess with their frills and bells and whistles then hey go ahead on. Just remember like +like ='s like.

Jeff

 

[Zanna]

Zanna I'm liking the hackle markings on those girls watch for their tails though, on getting too high

The boys are alright and at the age where it is hard to say too much +/- but see the tails on them pictured is low. It is 45* on males and 40* on the females per the SOP. Putting that low straight backed RIR trendy tail on these NH ruins their look too me. They are to look nothing like RIRs they are to look like NHs the main thing that separates the breeds is type. I think breeders are putting these low tails on these NH for esthetic reasons and it gives them the broom tail/fan tailed look, sure its trendy and they are winning with them but you know what happens if everyone does it there we'll be in the crapper with nothing to breed correct NH by/too to carry forward and in no time as these are rare to start with. We got to breed them right first then if the show folks want to dude them up and mess with their frills and bells and whistles then hey go ahead on. Just remember like +like ='s like.

Jeff

Thanks for the input Jeff, much appreciated. The boys are only 5-6 mos. old and I dont' know much of their background, they were a purchase off of Craigslist after my only kept chosen cockeral of 14 (big mistake!) came in with two white tail feathers just before breeding season this year........... If I decide (with all of your guys help) that neither of these boys are worthy or a good match for my girls ( 5 from Luanne/CP artist, also 4 from the Craigslist buy), I've been talking with Walt about getting a boy or two from him and will make the drive to pick them up. Need to let him know by October so I will post more pics in a couple of weeks and try to get better ones. Hi Walt

 

[fowlman01]

Zanna I'm liking the hackle markings on those girls watch for their tails though, on getting too high

The boys are alright and at the age where it is hard to say too much +/- but see the tails on them pictured is low. It is 45* on males and 40* on the females per the SOP. Putting that low straight backed RIR trendy tail on these NH ruins their look too me. They are to look nothing like RIRs they are to look like NHs the main thing that separates the breeds is type. I think breeders are putting these low tails on these NH for esthetic reasons and it gives them the broom tail/fan tailed look, sure its trendy and they are winning with them but you know what happens if everyone does it there we'll be in the crapper with nothing to breed correct NH by/too to carry forward and in no time as these are rare to start with. We got to breed them right first then if the show folks want to dude them up and mess with their frills and bells and whistles then hey go ahead on. Just remember like +like ='s like.

Jeff

The tails in her pics look a bit overdone, but don't look like RIR tails to me at all. There is a tendency for the NH females to show a fan type tail and that is not correct....however.....many times that is only shown when they are excited and not that way all the time. anything that looks overdone in any section ruins the overall look though.

That being said...Zanna....I think your birds look very good overall. there is one of the pullets that needs more chest on the lower end, but they are still young. I would pay attention to the over fanned out tails though as Jeff suggests.

w.