Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[NanaKat]

Quote:
Here is the smaller one (3.5 x 6.5 feet) that was put in this summer for the youngest hatch. The open front faces south. The roof is now covered with shingle sheeting and it is painted white. For winter I have a sheet of rubber matting that is 1/8 inch thick hanging from the front from three nails leaving 12 inches open on each end.

The second photo shows how the 2 x 4 roost bars are inserted. When I hang the feeder inside for inclement weather, I attach a piece of plywood to the top roost in front to protect the feeder from poop. For winter, I have added a thick layer of hay in the floor

Made from 4 x 8 sheets of 1/2 plywood and 2 x 4 lumber. The larger coop 3.5 x 7.5) will have a nest box on the east end with a lift lid for collecting eggs as soon as I get it finished.

Because coyotes have been traipsing outside the pens at night, I have a 2x4 welded wire cover that encloses the front of the coop at night.

Easy to clean out, and light weight enough that two people can move it about. it also goes thru a 4 foot gate easily. One person using PVC sections can roll it Egyptian style.

 

[BGMatt]

I have been lurking. I was trying to read through the thread but have put that off until my winter break.
I have promised myself to limit the number of breeds I keep so I only have Legbars and Marans for breeding. I have been thinking of adding a white egg layer as a 3rd breeder and have been thinking of trying something that has a bit of provenance and Heritage to it and has a history in the APA since the Legbars are a recent import and the Black Coppers only recently added to the APA. I'd like a nice large white egg to add to the breakfast basket. Something good for my northern region - I don't heat or insulate my coops. I don't use lights until late winter also so the girls can have a bit of a break if they need it. I like the look of the single comb and prefer not to have a white bird with the hawk highway I have here. And nothing gigantic. I have tried Orpingtons (Jubilees) but they were not my cup of tea ( a bit too large) but I like dual purpose like the Marans. What are some suggestions that folks would have that I should start researching? I've learnt my lessons about doing the legwork before investing in the breed. Thanks.

A dual purpose White Egg layer, you'd be looking at breeds like: Dorking, Crevecouer, La Fleche. All of which are in serious need of more breeders, of those the only one with a single comb is the Dorking (at least in Silver Grey, Colored or Red). You could look at breeds like Leghorn, Minorca, Campine, etc, but while they're amazing breeds they aren't really dual purpose fowl, being much smaller bodied than the others.

 

[NanaKat]

Blackbirds13, I was going to suggest Minorca. As Matt states, they are smaller than other birds. My Black and Buff hens lay a large white egg. They have good feed conversion. The largest hen weighed in at 4 pounds butchered. Their large comb does well in the Central states...might have to check that for your winter conditions. I've not had any frostbite. Hens are still laying at 5 years of age. Can't speak to cockerels since I don't breed them.

 

[Pozees]

Blackbirds13 wrote :
a white egg layer ....that has a bit of provenance and Heritage ... has a history in the APA... a nice large white egg...good for my northern region - I don't heat or insulate my coops.... I don't use lights until late winter .... I like the look of the single comb ....prefer not to have a white bird..... And nothing gigantic..... but I like dual purpose like the Marans. ....What are some suggestions that folks would have .... Thanks.
====
Ok, one suggestion given , Golden Campines . Anyone else got ideas?
Am a brown egg person myself, so no help here. Was thinking
Chantecler but they don't have a single comb.
Best,
Karen

As a Leghorn fan I'd go with one of the colored Leghorns, myself, but there are also the beautiful Blue Andalusians, which Lacy Blues has.

 

[TeaChick]

Gender seems to be a big deal in chicken circles, so I'll throw out an idea.

We "all" know that "male" sperm swims faster and dies sooner and "female" sperm swims slower and lives longer, right?
And chicken sperm lives in the hen for ??? a long time (I think it's something like up to 28 days or some huge, long amount of time like that; chicken experts please correct me if I'm wrong).

What about only letting the roos have access to the hens for a certain amount of time (IDK, a week) to make sure they've definitely had a good chance to mate, and then separate them to give the "female" sperm a chance to fertilize some eggs?
I imagine that would be unreasonable, logistially, for some ppl, but surely someone could try it (unless I'm way off base here).

Anyway, just my 2 cents.
And please, I mean it, please correct me if I'm wrong on any of that info. Thanks.

 

[ronott1]

Gender seems to be a big deal in chicken circles, so I'll throw out an idea.

We "all" know that "male" sperm swims faster and dies sooner and "female" sperm swims slower and lives longer, right?
And chicken sperm lives in the hen for ??? a long time (I think it's something like up to 28 days or some huge, long amount of time like that; chicken experts please correct me if I'm wrong).

What about only letting the roos have access to the hens for a certain amount of time (IDK, a week) to make sure they've definitely had a good chance to mate, and then separate them to give the "female" sperm a chance to fertilize some eggs?
I imagine that would be unreasonable, logistially, for some ppl, but surely someone could try it (unless I'm way off base here).

Anyway, just my 2 cents.
And please, I mean it, please correct me if I'm wrong on any of that info. Thanks.

Chickens are different from humans--All Cock Bird Sperm is the same. The Hen's embryo determines gender and it is set when the Pullet\Hen hatches as a chick. We cannot change the gender of the eggs laid.

 

[3riverschick]

Blackbirds13,
Hum,
Was digging around on Henderson's poultry chart. How about:

ancona

catalana

Holland or barred Holland ( A heritage breed [ created before 1952] this one is very rare and in need of champions to preserve it.)
Holland or American Holland FS AL White & Barred
Rare. 0%/16% (white/barred) Up since 2003
6.5 lb/2.9 kg APA (1949): Large: American Bantam: Single Comb Clean Legged PC: Not recognized
Dual Purpose Established in 1949, after about 15 years of breeding experiments, as an improved Lamona, in other words, a yellow skinned meat bird that laid white eggs. The main improvement was it was heavier than the Lamona. One breed used had been imported from Holland, but other American breeds, including the Lamona, were mixed in as well. The White and Barred varieties were developed simultaneously, but different combinations of breeds were used. Unknown in Holland & most of the rest of world. There is speculation that White Hollands have faded out of existence. white single
yellow skin & shanks
red can be broody
cold hardy
moderately slow maturing well adaptable to confinement or free range; calm, good tempered The calm white-egger. average
==============================
Lakenvelder

Lamona FS White
( A Heritage breed, hailed as the "superchicken" of its day. Created by Mr. Lamon, a poultry genius.
Once thought extinct, a single flock found. Then recreated by another breeder. Needs champions. )
Extinct or verging on extinction. 0%
5.5 lb/2.5 kg APA (1933): Large: American Bantam: Single Comb Clean Legged PC: Not recognized
Dual Purpose Developed by Harry Lamon from 1912 to 1923 specifically to be a breed that laid white eggs but could serve as a meat bird as well. For the American market, it had to be yellow skinned. It is not clear how important to him developing a white egg layer with red ear lobes was, but that fact was well noted when the breed was first released. white single
yellow skin & shanks
red

 

[TeaChick]

Chickens are different from humans--All Cock Bird Sperm is the same. The Hen's embryo determines gender and it is set when the Pullet\Hen hatches as a chick. We cannot change the gender of the eggs laid.

Wow!!! That's way different!!!
Thanks.

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
Just for the record, my birds have been getting unprocessed apple cider vinegar all along. I still got 5 cockerels and 2 pullets (lost one pullet chick to a broken leg). If apple cider vinegar works for you, great. But 40% and 60% cockerels are both within the realm of normal random 50/50 distribution. As someone else pointed out, you would need a lot more numbers - not to mention a number of controls - to demonstrate a real correlation.

Sarah

 

[3riverschick]

There has been discussion that temp In the incubator could be a factor. That the female embryo is more affected by high temp than the male.
Keeping the incubator at 99.5 would be good for the female embryos. But over 100.5 would cause the female embryo to die,thus resulting
in more male chicks hatched. I should, and do not, have a reference available for this.
Best,
Karen