Ideal Red Shouldered Yokohama issues?

[aladatrot]

Got my order in last thursday of cuckoo marans, cochins, white leghorns, and red shouldered yokohamas. All chicks are in the same brooder with the same temps, food, water, etc. All chicks were shipped in same box and handled the same way getting them into the brooder. I have lost almost all of my red shouldered yokohamas, but all of the other chicks have been and are just fine. Any ideas?

Cheers
M

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Yokohama from commercial hatcheries are notoriously weak and very hard to keep alive. The breed itself is weak, too much inbreeding because there were not a lot of them originally imported. Even very few breeders have good solid stock.

 

[RThomas]

Interesting info. I had ordered one red shouldered Yokohama male from Ideal, but then decided to cancel it when I changed my order. I was regretting my decision, but glad I did now.

 

[aladatrot]

Thanks for your reply. I guess my next question would be since I have three living Yoks at this point is there any way to improve the quality of the chicks I am starting with (hatchery chicks) or would you say that it would be fighting a losing battle?

thanks again for your input.
Cheers
M

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Yes, you can outcross to another breed (preferably one of the Yokohama's foundation breeds) to bring in hybrid vigor then select and breed back to proper type. I've been told that crossing to Malay is good, as it will help give them size. I do not recomend using phoenix as you will gain white in the ears and it is very difficult to breed out.

 

[aladatrot]

This is fascinating! Shall I get some Maylay hens or roosters? On average, how many generations am I looking at before I am back to looking like full blooded red shouldered yokohamas?

Thanks again
M

 

[Cuban Longtails]

You would need hens, roosters would be too heavy to cover your yokohama pullets unless you artificially inseminated them. I believe the rule is 5 - 6 generations. You might get the occassional odd chick, but most should come true to type. If you have trouble procuring Malay, a Shamo may also work.

 

[swamperkk]

I received 17 red shouldered Yokohama chicks in 4 days I lost 9 so far trying to hold on for the rest

 

[rooster 2011]

All of my Yokohama hens came from ideal poultry they were weak when they came in the mail but that's not ideals fault red shoulder yokohamas are weak as chicks when mine came in the mail I just added some vitamins to there water and dipped there beaks every so often and they all made it and grew up to be happy healthy hens and the best layers out of all the chickens iv had over the years