Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[hellbender]

You got your plastic up just before the snow storms hit, right? You don't think the fertile eggs are because of the warmer temps inside their "greenhouses?" Still, not challenging, just thinking out loud.

May I suggest this. She got the clear tarps up just before the storm hit. Neither Nature, the cocks nor hens know she was going to put the tarps up so they would not have had time to affect fertility, IMHO s0 the premise put forth by TheDragonLady seems to carry.

 

[LindaB220]

I noticed odd, non breeding behavior in October. Normally, I breed in Dec. to have babies off Jan, 1st. Not this year. After talking to all my southern friends, I found out that my birds were not the exception. Birds were shedding feathers after Christmas, and very few, to no, fertile eggs were being produced. We had 65 degree days , and then 20 degree days. I'm a firm believer that Mother Nature sends a message to her critters, and most listen, except the very young and the stupid, who need weeding out anyway, if the species is to survive.

So... I listened to my birds. Wrapped up my covered runs in clear tarps, which I had never done before. Made a few more water heaters, and got in a load of straw, and feed.I'm very glad I did. The bottom dropped out in the South, as you all know. My birds were snug, as the tarps turned their covered runs into almost greenhouses during the day.

What do you know...The eggs collected DURING the snow/sleet are all fertile.Those eggs are due the 5th of March.NONE the week before were fertile, so I'm guessing that the last week in Feb will not be nice here.

This weather has not seemed to affect the Northern birds to this degree. This weather has been the exception for us in the South, thank heavens.Birds can get used to cold, but extremes of up and down temps sound a warning to them that their chicks would not survive. Yet all my girls laid like crazy through the extreme cold.

If anyone has a better explanation , I would love to hear it.

Truly amazing, dragonlady. A LOT of people would not have picked up on that. You know your birds well.

 

[Lacy Blues]

ok, that makes sense. I wonder then, how long does it take to get fertility up?

 

[thedragonlady]

You got your plastic up just before the snow storms hit, right? You don't think the fertile eggs are because of the warmer temps inside their "greenhouses?" Still, not challenging, just thinking out loud.

Nope. I started putting up tarps in Dec. before the extreme cold, on the North and West sides. Plenty toasty then, but no fertile eggs.It did not affect temps so much, but it cut out wind chill. I live on the north side of the only hill in this town, and we have strong north, and north west winds , year round. When the temps went into the basement ... 6 degrees... I put up the tarps on my baby run, as I had 10 babies who needed to go out .6 week old Orps made it just fine with the tarps, and a light 24/7, in their sleeping box as always, even in the bitter cold.

The interesting thing is that I'm getting reports from people who did NOT put up tarps. Their eggs are suddenly fertile too, in the last few days.If it were just my birds acting this way, it would be one thing, but since others with very different management are reporting the same thing, I'm waiting for the last blast.

Hey, George....Are your birds saying anything ?

 

[3riverschick]

I noticed odd, non breeding behavior in October. Normally, I breed in Dec. to have babies off Jan, 1st. Not this year. After talking to all my southern friends, I found out that my birds were not the exception. Birds were shedding feathers after Christmas, and very few, to no, fertile eggs were being produced. We had 65 degree days , and then 20 degree days. I'm a firm believer that Mother Nature sends a message to her critters, and most listen, except the very young and the stupid, who need weeding out anyway, if the species is to survive.

So... I listened to my birds. Wrapped up my covered runs in clear tarps, which I had never done before. Made a few more water heaters, and got in a load of straw, and feed.I'm very glad I did. The bottom dropped out in the South, as you all know. My birds were snug, as the tarps turned their covered runs into almost greenhouses during the day.

What do you know...The eggs collected DURING the snow/sleet are all fertile.Those eggs are due the 5th of March.NONE the week before were fertile, so I'm guessing that the last week in Feb will not be nice here.

This weather has not seemed to affect the Northern birds to this degree. This weather has been the exception for us in the South, thank heavens.Birds can get used to cold, but extremes of up and down temps sound a warning to them that their chicks would not survive. Yet all my girls laid like crazy through the extreme cold.

If anyone has a better explanation , I would love to hear it.

Makes sense to me. All the same things , except the moulting, happened here in western PA. I covered 2 sides of one run. The birds in that run are doing great. But all my birds have been inside for a long time due to the repeated polar vortexes and snow storms. I wish I had covered the other runs. Maybe those birds could have spent more time outside. Right now we are just surviving this lousy weather and waiting for warm weather so the birds can recuperate and get ready for a late hatching season. The other pullets finally started to lay yesterday ay 9 months. After what you wrote. Dragonlady, I continue to be inclined to believe their delay in starting to lay was weather related.
Another snow storm just arrived, getting another 4-5 inches by noon tomorrow. Ooops, my mistake, our snowstorm is starting out with an ice storm.
Sigh,
Karen in Ligonier 15658
This last 12 months has been one long learning curve. Thinking I was doing things right,
only to find out it was just another mistake in disguise. Hopefully this year will have more
plusses in it as regards the poultry.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Thank you dragonlady. I had never thought of linking these things together. Guess I haven't lived long enough yet, either that or I've got a little oxygen on my brain.

 

[Beekissed]

My birds laid better during the coldest temps this winter too, which is a tad abnormal, to say the least. The weather is warming here and the egg count has dropped by half. Which is also abnormal...they should be ramping up for peak laying season. I think these poor birds have just been royally confused all winter.

 

[hellbender]

Makes sense to me. All the same things , except the moulting, happened here in western PA. I covered 2 sides of one run. The birds in that run are doing great. But all my birds have been inside for a long time due to the repeated polar vortexes and snow storms. I wish I had covered the other runs. Maybe those birds could have spent more time outside. Right now we are just surviving this lousy weather and waiting for warm weather so the birds can recuperate and get ready for a late hatching season. The other pullets finally started to lay yesterday ay 9 months. After what you wrote. Dragonlady, I continue to be inclined to believe their delay in starting to lay was weather related.
Another snow storm just arrived, getting another 4-5 inches by noon tomorrow. Ooops, my mistake, our snowstorm is starting out with an ice storm.
Sigh,
Karen in Ligonier 15658

You keep that Ice Storm there, Karen.

It's supposed to be 45* here tomorrow and near 60* on Thursday. I think ice is coming to WV but might stay East of our little mountain range.

 

[gjensen]

Nope. I started putting up tarps in Dec. before the extreme cold, on the North and West sides. Plenty toasty then, but no fertile eggs.It did not affect temps so much, but it cut out wind chill. I live on the north side of the only hill in this town, and we have strong north, and north west winds , year round. When the temps went into the basement ... 6 degrees... I put up the tarps on my baby run, as I had 10 babies who needed to go out .6 week old Orps made it just fine with the tarps, and a light 24/7, in their sleeping box as always, even in the bitter cold.

The interesting thing is that I'm getting reports from people who did NOT put up tarps. Their eggs are suddenly fertile too, in the last few days.If it were just my birds acting this way, it would be one thing, but since others with very different management are reporting the same thing, I'm waiting for the last blast.

Hey, George....Are your birds saying anything ?

They are saying that they are sick of the ice and snow. And that their owner picked a supposed heat tolerant breed, only to freeze them through the winter.

And I am saying that I started thinking about Yellow House's rose combed Anconas. LOL.

 

[hcammack]

Fertility has been a bit of an issue up here in Vermont. In the last few days the older male I have has started to show more interest. He is in his 5 or 6th breeding season. Getting a cockerel soon who will hopefully spring into action no pun intended haha. On another note I have been reading some old American Poultry Journal articles about Salmon Faverolles particularly enjoyed this one. http://books.google.com/books?id=bq...age&q=American Salmon Faverolles Club&f=false

Great information about Faverolles past use as a table fowl and layer. Posted in 1918 4 years after the Faverolles acceptance by the APA in 1914. My favorite quote "If you are a fancier of ornamental, the Faverolles are that: and if its a broiler you want, they cannot be beat, and if you are catering to the egg market they will not disappoint you." Hope that one day I can begin to get some of the Faverolles table qualities back. The birds I have eaten are delicious and tender. But they need to be fleshier and grow more quickly.