Heritage New Hampshires

[jmc]

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interesting, matt. so i am not too far off after all...........maybe

Oh, and Kath, i was wondering about the broodies! i bet they give you better hatches than the sportsman................!

 

[kathyinmo]

Here are some of my pullets today, near point of lay.

 

[kathyinmo]

 

[kathyinmo]

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Broodies!

Tooooo many broodies around here! I no longer let them sit. I earned "EXPERT" badge at broody busting this year!

 

[Matt1616]

JMC, you are correct about the black tipping on the neck but I want to clarify that when these birds were brought from Germany they were of supreme quality the only problem with them was the black tipping in the neck feathers on the hens. When Doug got his from the original importer he found some of the best american hens that he could get ahold of and bred the German roosters onto the American hens as to improve the lack of tipping. He also kept a pure line of the Germans. I have some of the pure German as well as some of the German/American and my Germans have no tipping and about 3/4 of my German/American have the correct tipping so it is a work in progress. I think Kathy has some of the German/Americans as well but she could probably answer that better than I.
I will say that I personally think that the pure German hens are really beautiful. This line of NH's whether they are the pure German or the German/American cross are some of the best New Hampshires in the country. They are great birds and I am glad that I have them. Thanks should go to Kathy for getting these birds to people out there that want them. I hope to join her in the near future so that more people can enjoy them as much as I do.
Kathy, how old do these birds have to be before they start laying? Mine haven't started yet but they have to be getting close.

 

[kathyinmo]

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I have both. Doug was so good to me and set me up very well.

 

[Matt1616]

Kathy, I edited that last post can you reread the last part of it...I had a question for ya...

 

[kathyinmo]

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I am not sure. The birds I got from Doug were spring hatches, but I did not have the exact dates. My pullets pictured above have not started to lay yet. I will have to look up their age. I believe they were hatched in March.

 

[Illia]

Those pullets are really nice!

Kathy, perhaps you can help me break one of my broodies?

I've got a Black Copper Marans who began laying for a week after being broody over nothing, then instantly demanded to be broody over nothing again. I've dumped her off the nest at least twice daily, even tried penning her up in a place without nests (she got out of it) so far she's pretty stubborn.

 

[kathyinmo]

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I am the broody buster champ!

I put them in a pen with concrete flooring, no nests, no bedding, and no comfort. They have to go outside to eat and drink, too. Throw in a rooster to harass them helps, too. After 5 days they are happy to return to their coop and resume laying.