Quote: Thank you! I select for a lot of things that are not the norm. I've gotten A LOT of strange looks over the decades...
For instance, on top of the usual requirements...I select replacement rams that the flies don't bother as opposed to the rams who are covered with flies. Eventually I get a flock that's naturally resistant to flies because the flies don't like them...lol. I've even shortened the tails on my sheep (with breeding) so I can see the udders easier.
I kept the offspring from my 2016 Jan/Feb hatch, who are first eggs from the first pullets who were chicks last year. These offspring were laying by June1 at 5 weeks, 2 weeks earlier than their mothers' point of lay at 5.5 months.
I'm the one who does the genetic sourcing for our cattle, our sheep and now my chickens. We have a closed herd and closed flocks and bring in only males. All of our female replacements come from out own stock so we've seen what impact this can have years down the road. I've already seen some really positive results in my chickens and their eggs in the one year I've had them and been hatching. I'm a huge proponent of survival-of-the-fittest genetics.
Wild animals are so hardy and resistant; only the toughest survive and reproduce. Our selections are based on the same principles; animals that thrive with less work in our climate. Plus, we're getting older...
I am really hard to please (yes, I'll admit that
) and I cull ruthlessly, which doesn't mean I don't care for the ones who aren't the best...it just means we don't use them for replacement breeding stock. (They can still produce offspring for slaughter/eggs or be shipped themselves)
I have a lot of pets too.
How cool!!! Now we know who to bug with questions IF I ever get more land!! muwahhahahaaaaa
