Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[gjensen]

nor for me -- but the question asked was, how far back do directly-measured global temperature records go, and the answer is, 1850. that is NOT the sum total of data on climate change, but this does not seem like the right forum to flood with this topic. but there are lots and lots of other forms of data (tree ring measurements, analysis of ice cores, paleogeologic data, etc) that all show a strikingly rapid climate shift going on, more or less since the Industrial Revolution began and wildly accelerating since the 1950s or so. if interested, feel free to PM me (I'm an environmental studies professor).

back to chickens, please!

Relax. The chicken thread will remain so. It is just easy to do, when the weather effects raising our birds. Pretty broad topic really.

The way I see it, it will not really matter. Human behavior will not change unless it absolutely has to. Just human nature. Unfortunately. I do not think anyone will convince Southeast Asia to slow down, or South America. And I do not think we will quit driving our vehicles 600 miles a week.

And I realize that was not the total sum of data. I just still do not think there is enough quite yet, but I was just illustrating a point. I think it was understood.

 

[RedRidge]

Hey RedRidge,

I was just looking at your rose combed reds!  Beautiful birds!  You ought to show them on here so everybody can see their flat backs!  Very well bred.

Thank you but the original breeder of my line and my friend and mentor Gary Underwood gets all the credit. Now... When my Rhodebars look like that, then I'll have something to crow about. ;-)

 

[3riverschick]

Quote:

 

[thedragonlady]

I know nothing of sheep, except what my neighbor tells me (while I roll my eyes). He insists they are to be treated just like goats, which shows me that he knows nothing about goats...We are both ignorant of each other's animals....The difference is, I'm aware of it and he is not. He thinks he knows all there is about everything...But I still like him and we are good friends.

Anyhow...I raise Saanen dairy goats, Pure, American and Experimental. Some of my doe kids (when I sell one) will fetch 12 to 15 hundred dollars and I'm sure some 'sheeps' sell for high prices too but not his...

My goats kid in a barn; no heat lamps or any other kind of heat source because that truly can be the kiss of death to a kid...in my opinion. I do dry them off and will help pull a kid, especially for a first freshener.

My point being....with goats, cattle (at least mine) and chickens...heat can cause far more problems than it cures.

I have a drafty goat barn and very solid chicken houses (well ventilated). I do frequently rub a kid dry and make certain it gets colostrum but that's it.

This works well for me...

Saanens, Toggs, Alpines, LaManchas are a bit more cold hardy than Nubians, with their long ears, but none of them have the lanolin in their coats that a sheep does.Once lambs are dry, they are pretty waterproof, but goats never are. Goats will grow a teddy bear coat, but it is not waterproof. Horses have some oil in their winter coats, which will insulate them to a degree , but once the weather warms, they are susceptible to "rain rot", a fungus. Donkeys can't stand rain, as they have no oil in their coats.They are desert dwellers.

The point of all this is that there are certain animals that are suitable for specific conditions , just as there are poultry breeds.It all boils down to that old English phrase, "Suitability for use intended". When we change the natural habitat of an animal, we must make provisions for it's survival.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Thank you but the original breeder of my line and my friend and mentor Gary Underwood gets all the credit. Now... When my Rhodebars look like that, then I'll have something to crow about. ;-)

Is that what those young barred birds were? (I was admiring your pictures)

I have a few rose combed red bantams. Wish I had some large fowl.

 

[tnspursfan09]

I seem to worry more about the cold than my chickens do. The big coop is three-sided and I have plastic sheeting over most of the open side. With the little coop the plastic is around the run. All are dealing with the cold better than I am. The LH does have a bit of frostbite on his comb. I brought him in this morning to clean it and give him a check-up, which he tolerated - though he complained about the whole time until I put him back outside and he could walk away, still grumbling at me. It had bled some during the night and the hens were pecking at it.

 

[RedRidge]

Thank you but the original breeder of my line and my friend and mentor Gary Underwood gets all the credit. Now... When my Rhodebars look like that, then I'll have something to crow about. ;-)

Is that what those young barred birds were?  (I was admiring your pictures)

Yes, those two cockerels you asked about are Rhodebars - which should look like a barred, autosexed, HRIR.

One of those roos is now grown and in an extra large breeding pen with 4 of the rose comb Reds... The first F1s are in the bator. If the project goes as planned in several more generations the Rhodebars will have much better type - while maintaining is autosexing capability of course.

The other roo is with purebred Rhodebar hens for crossing back... The first hatch of those produced an 80% hatch a few weeks ago.

I have 2 breeding pens of HRIR also which were chosen (with Gary's help) as my breeders for perpetuating the HRIR line.

 

[brahmabreeder]

I had a cracked egg today so I busted it open to see if it's fertile and I found a bull's-eye!!!!!!!!!!!!! This was from the boy who had taken almost a year to find his manhood!

 

[bnjrob]

I know nothing of sheep, except what my neighbor tells me (while I roll my eyes). He insists they are to be treated just like goats, which shows me that he knows nothing about goats...We are both ignorant of each other's animals....The difference is, I'm aware of it and he is not. He thinks he knows all there is about everything...But I still like him and we are good friends.

Anyhow...I raise Saanen dairy goats, Pure, American and Experimental. Some of my doe kids (when I sell one) will fetch 12 to 15 hundred dollars and I'm sure some 'sheeps' sell for high prices too but not his...

My goats kid in a barn; no heat lamps or any other kind of heat source because that truly can be the kiss of death to a kid...in my opinion. I do dry them off and will help pull a kid, especially for a first freshener.

My point being....with goats, cattle (at least mine) and chickens...heat can cause far more problems than it cures.

I have a drafty goat barn and very solid chicken houses (well ventilated). I do frequently rub a kid dry and make certain it gets colostrum but that's it.

This works well for me...

I think people forget that electricity is a relatively new invention when compared to the age of this earth and raising animals. Animals have survived here all along without the use of all of our new fangled stuff like heat lamps, water buckets that warm themselves, manufactured feed, etc.

 

[Beekissed]

Actually, I will have to respectfully disagree on this point. Raising lambs is just like raising chickens. Breed the hardy ones, cull twice as deep as you think you should, and then you are only perpetuating the best genetics. Some people breed everything they started the season with. Most people do this actually. And then they have no clue they are perpetuating problems. My healthiest lambs are born in deep snow and cold temps. I will not lamb past Feb. Hypothermia is not a problem if you have health and vigor. Having more than 400 lambs a year i can tell you that most people pamper and baby their lambs... use heat lamps... Or heaven forbid put them in an enclosed barn. This is a health nightmare waiting to happen and your survival will either be very low or it will be high only because you have lost sleep and a lot of time and money saving those who should not have been bred to begin with. If your average survival rate isn't over 96% unassisted, then your business plan and genetic knowledge needs assistance.

Breeding and livestock genetics are my business. If I were to treat it like a hobby it would stand no chance of providing a living. I run the entire farm alone and have no choice but to work smarter and not harder if it is to be profitable.