Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[gjensen]

Neil, that is a good common sense outlook.

The only benefit I see from an autopsy of sorts is a learning process. Outside of that, like Neil says, it doesn't matter now. The bird is dead. It would matter more if another got sick.

It is not advisable to leave sick or dead birds around. It is better to make the hard choice and be done and move on.

The last thing any of us want is to be dealing with this kind of thing all of the time. Not good for us or the birds.

Just always question what management practices can be improved. With the best possible conditions, most birds fair well. If that is not good enough, then the bird is not good enough.

 

[gjensen]

They are most certanly not a dime a dozen. A very good example of a {production or show} bird is very hard to come by.

I do agree on how to fix the sick bird though...

I do not think he meant literally a dime a dozen. I think he means that they can be replaced.

Extra males is insurance against unexpected losses. Once you are established, you can replace him rather easily.

And if the bird is sick and weak, he/she is not a good example. The best birds never give you a reason to cull them.

 

[call ducks]

Quote: Yes I know that - But a fine example of a bird {production or show} is not easy to come by. I know breeders that raise 700/year and cull down to 80.

 

[RedRidge]

If I may quote what Gary Underwood once said, "your best bird is always alive and healthy".
He mentioned how he chuckles when he hears people say, "my best bird died last week".
"No, if it was your best one", he said, "he'd still be alive".

There's a whole lot of truth in that statement.

 

[BGMatt]

The best thing about poultry is they are a dime a dozen. If one dies it's not a big loss just pitch it and hatch another. A good neck ringing will fix a sick bird . No sense in trying to waste time or money in trying to figure out what happened to it unless it's happening to several.

Couldn't agree more. I think this is the biggest lesson that takes the longest to learn in poultry.

 

[gjensen]

Yes I know that - But a fine example of a bird {production or show} is not easy to come by. I know breeders that raise 700/year and cull down to 80.

I see what you are saying.

I am adding that if the bird is sickly, they are not a fine example, no matter how good they are otherwise. Better to use one of the other 80 that is healthy.

Everyone is different on this (and I respect that), but I am not risking the rest of my flock over one. I manage the flock as a single organism, and I avoid getting partial to an individual. And if you are serious about breeding, you have extra males around. It seams the old advise was to keep half as many extras as you intended to use.

Earlier on, I learned the hard way about letting stuff in and then playing with it. If I have problems again it will not be for the same reason.

None of this matters if management is poor, and husbandry skills is lacking.

I pay attention and have noticed that those that tend to doctor an medicate always seam to doctor and medicate. Those that do not compromise rarely have problems. I am not speaking of injuries and such, I am speaking of chronic illnesses.

 

[colburg]

This has been one of the easiest and most common sense lessons for us and our daughters (2 and 5) already understand this. The oldest actually told us once, "Hey, that chicken doesn't look very good. Can we watch you butcher her?"

Of course, we haven't had to deal with any of our good stock getting sick yet, so it may be harder done with expensive chickens instead of the cheap production flock.

The only exception we've made for doctoring or seperating anything to give it time to heal are animal attack victims. Other than that, if they're "off", they're supper.

 

[RedRidge]

Yep... I currently have 4 extra cockerels. Good birds, just not the best. Didn't even cover their chicken tractor when it was below zero for several nights... a little survival of the fittest. None of the little twits even got frost bite... Guess I need to get the chicken plucker out - Hardy buggers! LOL

 

[Piet]

The best thing about poultry is they are a dime a dozen. If one dies it's not a big loss just pitch it and hatch another. A good neck ringing will fix a sick bird . No sense in trying to waste time or money in trying to figure out what happened to it unless it's happening to several.

I agree and I don't. They are not a dime a dozen, not always.. I just lost 9 hens (wyandottes) to a weasel attack. I have only 5 hens left now. These 14 were all my keepers to breed from this season. (equals 10% of what I grew out last year) All the best hens were killed. If I can recover the same quality from the ones I am left with, I do not know. It probably set me back 3 years of work, start over again..over a little weasel. The amount of culls and feed that went into making this pile of dead birds, I cannot even think about.
Piet

 

[gjensen]

I have 7 males and I did not need to keep that many. I was wanting to see what some did, and was picking who was going with who. Looks like I will use five. I will see what I produce this year, and go from there. I picture keeping around five males at any given point. The minimum I could see keeping is two males for two families, and a third that was extra.

Healthy, hardy, and vigorous is a compliment to the breeder and the breed. Poor production, fertility, hatchability, and livability is a liability. That reputation only survives so long.

It is hugely disappointing to have trouble getting birds to hatch and get started. Only the ultra dedicated will stick with birds that is especially difficult.

All of the breeds we keep were popular in their time and place, or they would not be here. Often they were improvements over their predecessors. I think the birds are better off if we maintain or improve on that reputation. There has to be demand on the lower levels.

There seams to be a natural structure to this. Up top, there are the rare few master breeders that consistently produce excellent birds. Then there is the aspiring breeders that multiply that stock, and supply the common hen keepers. If there is no demand at the bottom, then the breed is reduced to a few scattered flocks in the hands of the most dedicated. Any breed's population is most stable when there is demand at the bottom and an outlet for those up the ladder. There is no demand at the bottom unless the reputation is good.