Houdans

[Kassaundra]

Aoxa, our hoodas (only 1/2 houdan) also lay very small white eggs, thought they were pullet eggs for a while, but they have been laying for about 2 months and the eggs are still small.

 

[aoxa]

Aoxa, our hoodas (only 1/2 houdan) also lay very small white eggs, thought they were pullet eggs for a while, but they have been laying for about 2 months and the eggs are still small.

My Polish lays jumbo eggs when in season, every time. They are really big. Size of a sex link egg.

I can't see why a houdan would lay smaller than a polish!

 

[Kassaundra]

My Polish lays jumbo eggs when in season, every time. They are really big. Size of a sex link egg.

I can't see why a houdan would lay smaller than a polish!

I don't know???? But when I set the pure houdan eggs they were on the small side too. Not as small as my hooda's, but they were smaller then the NN and the araucana eggs I set at the same time.

 

[aoxa]

I don't know???? But when I set the pure houdan eggs they were on the small side too. Not as small as my hooda's, but they were smaller then the NN and the araucana eggs I set at the same time.

Genetics?

 

[toybarons]

I'm in Eastern Canada.
If my birds EVER lay, I'd consider it. I am tempted to hoard them all to myself

Hi there aoxa.

Same boat, different province. *hee hee*
I know of more than a few people across Canada who have Houdans.
Problems is the breed is not an easy one to breed successfully. I have heard from more than a few that have good intentions with the first few birds they get and then IF [big if] the birds do get to breeding age, fertility of the adults may be a problem. Then there is the hatching of the eggs. If you manage to get some to hatch, many of the chicks don't make it. Eventually, many people I know back in 2009, when I first decided to breed houdans, many people just abandoned the breed out of frustration.

The big problem for us in Canada is finding unrelated stock. Myself and others I have talked to, we have all started with hatchery stock sourced from either McMurray or Ideal as they are the only US hatcheries that will get the needed paperwork for us Canadians to get our chicks across the border. Canada does not have the hatcheries the US does. There is only 1 Canadian hatchery, Performance Poultry, that offers houdan chicks. While their stock is good, I have heard more than one source tell me that their birds are sourced from Ideal. Again, when you are assembling breeding stock and you are trying your best to get unrelated stock, it complicates things when you think an unrelated source may not be.

I didn't think of contacting you, aoxa, mainly because in your neck of the woods, most people I know have got their houdans from a breeder/seller in Novia Scotia. Forget their name. They own a farm and specialize in heritage breed livestock and poultry. They started their houdan flock with McMurray stock. Just figured you likely sourced from there. Apoligies if I'm wrong.

 

[toybarons]

I'm also wondering if anyone might know what will become of Karen's flock at Anderago Farm in California after her and her daughter's devastating deaths. Such sad news.

??????? Speechless. *pause*
I just did a search and rad the story. *tears*
I was in a few poulry groups with Karen and we talked about houdans.
*upset*
Doesn't seem fair!

 

[aoxa]

Hi there aoxa.

Same boat, different province. *hee hee*
I know of more than a few people across Canada who have Houdans.
Problems is the breed is not an easy one to breed successfully. I have heard from more than a few that have good intentions with the first few birds they get and then IF [big if] the birds do get to breeding age, fertility of the adults may be a problem. Then there is the hatching of the eggs. If you manage to get some to hatch, many of the chicks don't make it. Eventually, many people I know back in 2009, when I first decided to breed houdans, many people just abandoned the breed out of frustration.

The big problem for us in Canada is finding unrelated stock. Myself and others I have talked to, we have all started with hatchery stock sourced from either McMurray or Ideal as they are the only US hatcheries that will get the needed paperwork for us Canadians to get our chicks across the border. Canada does not have the hatcheries the US does. There is only 1 Canadian hatchery, Performance Poultry, that offers houdan chicks. While their stock is good, I have heard more than one source tell me that their birds are sourced from Ideal. Again, when you are assembling breeding stock and you are trying your best to get unrelated stock, it complicates things when you think an unrelated source may not be.

I didn't think of contacting you, aoxa, mainly because in your neck of the woods, most people I know have got their houdans from a breeder/seller in Novia Scotia. Forget their name. They own a farm and specialize in heritage breed livestock and poultry. They started their houdan flock with McMurray stock. Just figured you likely sourced from there. Apoligies if I'm wrong.

You're right I know exactly where their stock originated, but they still worked with it, and improved on it. They look much less like the polish than most I've seen from McMurray. Walt here said I had good birds. I was surprised. I just wanted them for fun. My birds all did well in show. My Male took reserve continental at our provincial meet at 5 months old.



While their type is good, I have to work on the colour. Too much white.

I've seen your posts on another site regarding the temperament of the roosters. You got them right on the money. lol

 

[toybarons]

You're right I know exactly where their stock originated, but they still worked with it, and improved on it. They look much less like the polish than most I've seen from McMurray. Walt here said I had good birds. I was surprised. I just wanted them for fun. My birds all did well in show. My Male took reserve continental at our provincial meet at 5 months old.



While their type is good, I have to work on the colour. Too much white.

I've seen your posts on another site regarding the temperament of the roosters. You got them right on the money. lol

Congrates on winning reserve =)

Agree with Walt. From the pics I've seen your birds are really nice. I like the body shape. The being too white thing is a problem I think most of us share. I have some nice ladies but they are almost snowy. Did get a nice dark roo I was hoping to use but he began developing leg issues and I had no choice but to cull him. That was heartbreaking as he was really dark. I was hoping to get chicks from that seller in Novia Scotia but they don't ship so I was s.o.l.

Do you do any of your own incubation?

 

[aoxa]

Congrates on winning reserve =)

Agree with Walt. From the pics I've seen your birds are really nice. I like the body shape. The being too white thing is a problem I think most of us share. I have some nice ladies but they are almost snowy. Did get a nice dark roo I was hoping to use but he began developing leg issues and I had no choice but to cull him. That was heartbreaking as he was really dark. I was hoping to get chicks from that seller in Novia Scotia but they don't ship so I was s.o.l.

Do you do any of your own incubation?

Yes I have a sportsman incubator as well as a genesis 1588 for smaller hatches.

I have great hatch rates with my birds, and my Houdan boys are randy as ever! This weekend we will finish our breeding pens and separate and light it up. Time to start hatching.

Everyone said the birds get lighter with age. However, Gigi has gotten darker. For sure. I just don't have any recent pictures of him. My turkeys have done a number on his crest, and he has a mullet.. no joke lol. I would love to have a separate coop just for the crested birds.

 

[toybarons]

Yes I have a sportsman incubator as well as a genesis 1588 for smaller hatches.

I have great hatch rates with my birds, and my Houdan boys are randy as ever! This weekend we will finish our breeding pens and separate and light it up. Time to start hatching.

Everyone said the birds get lighter with age. However, Gigi has gotten darker. For sure. I just don't have any recent pictures of him. My turkeys have done a number on his crest, and he has a mullet.. no joke lol. I would love to have a separate coop just for the crested birds.

I'm still struggling with hatching issues. I started off in 2009 with a still air incubator. Between poor fertility and crappy incubator, the year was an epic failure. Got a Brinsea but I was still have poor fertility. Then I lost hens. I took the whole of 2011 to rebuild my starter flock. Last year I began working with another who I influenced to get into houdans. In 2012 we both experimented with our incubation and are finally getting hatches but still have problems with die offs. This year I am going into breeding with 4 healthy roos: 3 young and my Asia who is turning 4 this year.

Asia has finally figured out what hens are for, kid you not. I was near pulling my hair out as he is near SOP weight & size. I have shown him and judges have awarded him. Think I could get him to mate? I even out him so he could watch the other roos but still zip. Late last year, we finally got our first fertile eggs from his hens. This year we are hoping for much better.