Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[Lacy Blues]

Karen, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how resilient those eggs can be. Unless you have freezing weather, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[3riverschick]

Well I guess we will see. She is still sitting the eggs while the chick romps in the coop with her. I am moving them to their own mini-coop in a few days. I sure wish I could have feather sexed that chick. the one time I got a hold of it I forgot and now its too late. Well it is sired by Rocky the 1 yr. old strain-cross cock. Dam is either pure Boese, inbred Boese or strain-cross Ross/Boese. The comb will tell. Each of the three combinations has a distinct comb structure. Not defective, just different. I like the pure Boese best.
Best,
Karen

 

[hellbender]

Well I guess we will see. She is still sitting the eggs while the chick romps in the coop with her. I am moving them to their own mini-coop in a few days. I sure wish I could have feather sexed that chick. the one time I got a hold of it I forgot and now its too late. Well it is sired by Rocky the 1 yr. old strain-cross cock. Dam is either pure Boese, inbred Boese or strain-cross Ross/Boese. The comb will tell. Each of the three combinations has a distinct comb structure. Not defective, just different. I like the pure Boese best.
Best,
Karen

I don't pray Karen, but I most seriously HOPE you get what you really want in that little bugger!

 

[3riverschick]

I don't pray Karen, but I most seriously HOPE you get what you really want in that little bugger!

Thanks hellbender. So far it is the only chick from the strain-cross cock I kept from last season.
On another note, I need input from experienced breeder. On another BYC thread we are discussing if and when to let chicks and how to do it. To roost, sorry about that. When and how to let chicks roost and what negative impacts doing it wrong could have on the birds.
Opinions range from hatch to 6 months for starting roosting. Width of roost ranges from 1 inch to 3 inches. Height range is one inch to ? . Also discussing differences in classic opinions due to size of poultry being raised. I have my opinions based on classic research but I really need to hear from modern experienced breeders.
Thanks!
Karen

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Thanks hellbender. So far it is the only chick from the strain-cross cock I kept from last season.
On another note, I need input from experienced breeder. On another BYC thread we are discussing if and when to let chicks and how to do it.
Opinions range from hatch to 6 months for starting roosting. Width of roost ranges from 1 inch to 3 inches. Height range is one inch to ? . Also discussing differences in classic opinions due to size of poultry being raised. I have my opinions based on classic research but I really need to hear from modern experienced breeders.
Thanks!
Karen

To let chicks ... what?

 

[bnjrob]

Thanks hellbender. So far it is the only chick from the strain-cross cock I kept from last season.
On another note, I need input from experienced breeder. On another BYC thread we are discussing if and when to let chicks and how to do it.
Opinions range from hatch to 6 months for starting roosting. Width of roost ranges from 1 inch to 3 inches. Height range is one inch to ? . Also discussing differences in classic opinions due to size of poultry being raised. I have my opinions based on classic research but I really need to hear from modern experienced breeders.
Thanks!
Karen

Technically, mine start roosting by the time they are a week or two old, - as soon as they start jumping on the top of their warming plate in the brooder. Otherwise, they usually get a real roost when they are tossed out into the grow out pen in the pasture, which can be any time from generally 1 month to 3 months old, depending on the weather and what pens are available at the time. Our roosts vary in height based on which type of house/pen they are in, anywhere from 6 inches off the ground in the small tractors meant for 1-2 chickens, up to being a couple of feet high in the larger units. We have not had any problems with crooked keels or broken legs or anything related to roosting, or from having the apartment loft area of the big pens being at least 2 feet off the ground.

I don't have a hard and fast rule about roosts. It's whatever is going on at the time and where the chicks are being kept at the time. Free ranging farm chicks are going to grow up roosting on whatever they can get up on whenever they are strong enough and large enough to jump or fly up onto something.

 

[gjensen]

Mine do not roost until they are moved out of the brooder boxes at 3-4wks. At that point they may or may not get a roost. They will get one by 6-8wks though, where they finish growing out to adult weights.

It all depends on when I get around to moving them around, when they are hatched, and the weather.

 

[Wisher1000]

I find that if I don't give them something to roost on, they 1) roost on the water and feed containers, and 2) they tend to sleep in a pile on the floor of the outside coop once in there. I don't like that, I want them up off the ground. I put small roosts in the brooder box once they are 2-3 weeks old. I use limbs about an inch or more in diameter and only a couple of inches off the bedding. By the time they are 5 weeks old, most are sleeping on the roosts at night.

 

[gjensen]

I should of added that by the time they are in the 6-8 wk range they are put in enclosures that have adult sized roosts. They are standing flat footed on their roost for some time before they grow into them.

I have not had any problems, and in the 20+ years of keeping poultry I never had a problem I could positively attribute to the roosts.

I think the problem comes in with the larger and less athletic fowl. Birds were made to roost, but we have gave them heavier bodies for their frame. It would seam to me that by giving them solid footing, support for their frame, and keeping the roosts low enough, would settle most issues. That has been my mindset.

 

[jbkirk]

Is this thread ONLY for disscusion of heritage birds or is it a general breeding Info thread?