Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[Arielle]

Hum,
Well, no one wants these extra Sussex pullets I have for 19. each.
I wish I hadn't been so rushed going to Columbus. I could have sold
them there. Oh well. I posted them on the PA unite thread for 15. each.
Maybe someone will be interested. Some of them started laying this
month. But there are only two of us here and I don't need 11 hens here.
I don't see how ya'll get buyers for your birds, no one around here
wants to buy mine. Been advertising them for over a month. Well, if I
can't get buyers, I will just cull them. They are good pet quality, not
breeders because of their cushions. . That's what happens when a novice
holds on to the birds too long. I won't make that mistake next year. I
will cull at 18 weeks and cull all the boys except the outcross ones at hatch.
Nice thing about being able to feather sex this strain. Good thing is, I have
been able to watch this strain develop and learned more about them. So I
guess that's worth while.
Best,
Karen
No, I won't give them away. I learned in the flea market trade that kind of
kindness gets one a reputation where everyone expects a discount, even
when the merchandise doesn't require one. Takes time to fix one's rep back
to "don't expect a discount every time" status. Just not worth it.

Karen, I often find the s pring is a good time to sell POL girls, less traffic now. Seems like those getting into breeding quality heritage stock are getting their started birds now, but that is a small market as you know. Question-- if you cull at that age, how do you select for meat qualities that develop in the later months??

 

[Pathfinders]

Hum,
Well, no one wants these extra Sussex pullets I have for 19. each.
I wish I hadn't been so rushed going to Columbus. I could have sold
them there. Oh well. I posted them on the PA unite thread for 15. each.
Maybe someone will be interested. Some of them started laying this
month. But there are only two of us here and I don't need 11 hens here.
I don't see how ya'll get buyers for your birds, no one around here
wants to buy mine. Been advertising them for over a month. Well, if I
can't get buyers, I will just cull them. They are good pet quality, not
breeders because of their cushions. . That's what happens when a novice
holds on to the birds too long. I won't make that mistake next year. I
will cull at 18 weeks and cull all the boys except the outcross ones at hatch.
Nice thing about being able to feather sex this strain. Good thing is, I have
been able to watch this strain develop and learned more about them. So I
guess that's worth while.
Best,
Karen
No, I won't give them away. I learned in the flea market trade that kind of
kindness gets one a reputation where everyone expects a discount, even
when the merchandise doesn't require one. Takes time to fix one's rep back
to "don't expect a discount every time" status. Just not worth it.

I feel your pain. Most people around here balk at paying more than $8 for a good POL pullet. I mean, I have more than that in feed in them by that time! Never mind the rest of the associated costs.

Happily, I do have a guy locally who will buy my culls for $10 each and then he takes them to auction. I would rather have him do it than me. I don't care for swaps or auctions.

 

[3riverschick]

Question-- if you cull at that age, how do you select for meat qualities that develop in the later months??
=================
At this point, don't know, don't care.

Guess that is something Walt. B. will
have to teach me. I don't think he keeps his birds this long. My coop is too crowded
for my taste, esp. if the girls need to stay inside for weeks due to weather.
Thanks for the nice words everyone.
Best,
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

I feel your pain. Most people around here balk at paying more than $8 for a good POL pullet.
I mean, I have more than that in feed in them by that time! Never mind the rest of the associated costs.
Happily, I do have a guy locally who will buy my culls for $10 each and then he takes them to auction.
I would rather have him do it than me. I don't care for swaps or auctions.

Yeah, that's how it is around here. The only auction around here is 15. in gas away. I don't think I could
afford to attend it with what I think the birds would fetch there. The good news is the eggs the pullets
are laying are getting bigger than the pullet size "beginner" eggs and their color is darker than their dam's.
Color I was hoping for. Folk say the Sussex egg should be tinted brown with maybe a kind of faint
pink blush to it. But the English are brown egg folk. The Standard and historical lit says the color can
vary from tinted brown to deep brown. So I was hoping I would see a darker egg in these girls, and I am.
They are laying light brown, not tinted brown. Yeah!

Karen

 

[feathers4fun]

Here is Don Monke's RCH American White Wyandotte, courtesy of Shawna Lowry-Smith.

She really was gorgeous!! Glad to see the photo shared!

 

[brahmabreeder]

Just out of curiosity how do you LF breeders feed your birds? Like protein % wise. I was told to let them eat 24/7 until they are 14 months old( for Brahmas ) and then cut back. What do you all feed birds during breeding time versus show time?

 

[BGMatt]

Just out of curiosity how do you LF breeders feed your birds? Like protein % wise. I was told to let them eat 24/7 until they are 14 months old( for Brahmas ) and then cut back. What do you all feed birds during breeding time versus show time?

I typically always have feed available for them. It's a custom ration made for us at a local mill and formulated in cooperation with professional nutritionists and university studies. The protein percentage fluctuates slightly throughout year with the local ingredients, but minimum of 17%, max of 19%. They go on this ration at around 4-6 months of age (calcium is 2.5% enough for layers but not too high as to cause complications with younger birds or males). Prior to that we have a custom starter that runs between 20-22% protein.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Just out of curiosity how do you LF breeders feed your birds? Like protein % wise. I was told to let them eat 24/7 until they are 14 months old( for Brahmas ) and then cut back. What do you all feed birds during breeding time versus show time?

The underlying question appears to ask if we feed a higher protein feed. I guess I do. I like a Gamebird crumble as a starter/grower. It is 22% protein and has animal protein in it which I feel is necessary. It is a local, regional mill.

My experience with both the Reds and the Rocks is that they are much bigger and take longer to feather to to mature. This colors my feed choices. For layers, I feed a local mill's17% layer mash, which again has some animal protein. We also like to feed a GameBird 24% mix every other day during breeding season. These birds also devour whole grains as well, but I regulate those rations fairly closely.

These birds forage so well that from late spring through early fall, they supplement their diets in this manner as well. The months of August through October means garden field clean up and they gorge on all the left over stuff out there.

Whatever works for you and whatever you find in your local area, at a price point you can live with. There's no One Size Fits All, I don't think.

 

[brahmabreeder]

I typically always have feed available for them. It's a custom ration made for us at a local mill and formulated in cooperation with professional nutritionists and university studies. The protein percentage fluctuates slightly throughout year with the local ingredients, but minimum of 17%, max of 19%. They go on this ration at around 4-6 months of age (calcium is 2.5% enough for layers but not too high as to cause complications with younger birds or males). Prior to that we have a custom starter that runs between 20-22% protein.

Is the second feed you give them like an all flock feed?

 

[brahmabreeder]

I typically always have feed available for them. It's a custom ration made for us at a local mill and formulated in cooperation with professional nutritionists and university studies. The protein percentage fluctuates slightly throughout year with the local ingredients, but minimum of 17%, max of 19%. They go on this ration at around 4-6 months of age (calcium is 2.5% enough for layers but not too high as to cause complications with younger birds or males). Prior to that we have a custom starter that runs between 20-22% protein.

Is the second feed you give them like an all flock?