Java Thread

[saladin]

Sounds like you have a good start. If you can secure some Java hatching eggs from Monte then you'll be set for sure. Generally speaking, Monte's hens will be bigger than the Urch cocks!

 

[Poultry Friend]

I don't have problems with the rosters when they are in the broiler pen it is when they have a harem to protect that the fight comes out.

I currently have 4 roos in with 14 hens and there has not been a single scuffle or fight. And they have not always been together either. We had one roo with 3 hens and added the other Javas to that pen. I would cull for that behavior. I have not heard others talking about Java roos fighting like that.

 

[flowerchild59]

I hatched out some Monte Bowen eggs last May (in the pics they are about 7 mos old) and they are just getting around to laying some good sized eggs. The roosters so far are dignified gentlemen and I haven't had any issues. They were supposed to be mottled but he sent me black LF instead. No complaints other than I really wanted the mottled but the black are beautiful and the eggs so far are nice sized for pullet. I have them separated out into their own pen now for the winter. I don't want any problems from any of the other birds or roos. These are quiet, thrifty birds, love to forage. They don't take kindly to handling, but this is a working farm and these birds are meant to be poultry, not pets. But I do spoil them ridiculously

 

[saladin]

Monte's Blacks often throw Mottleds so don't be surprised if you don't come up with some.

 

[saladin]

Not sure what breeding method y'all are utilzing with your Javas and there certainly is more than one way to do it.

The easiest method (to me) is the Rolling Mating method.
What you don't want to happen is happenstance copulation.

Are any of you Grading? If so, to what? (Just curious).

 

[FiveMoreMiles]

what do you mean by grading?
My cull method is at 10 to 12 weeks i separate the cocrals from the pullets. Then I look the cocrals over and cull by comparing head with, eye color, weightt, and comb points.
I set aside the top ten. the rest go to the broiler pens
at 20 weeks i go through the cocks again and look for general body structure feather quality and color. i also look for the cocks attitude I don't want to go in to my pens with a garbage can lid for protection. I had turkeys when i was young that that is what i had to do.

the hens are some different at about 20 weeks i cull the hens by head size eye color weight and points i also hold each hen and feel how there body structure. the top 20% go to my breeding pens the rest go to layer pens.
this year in the breeding pens i will trap nest and cull for the number of eggs the egg size..
My goal is to have a reputation for my java's

 

[saladin]

Grading is the traditional breeding program whereby one breed is transformed into another. Though often accomplished in 5 or 6 generations, most who practise it successfully consider 8 generations to be 'pure' or 'straight-bred.'

For example, say you start with 6 diverse hens which include everything from a Polish to a Buff Brahma. By breeding to a pure Java and each generation selecting the best pullets and discarding the rest you will in 6-8 generations have Javas. Further, if done right (selection and culling) you can have show stoppers in that time!

Your culling program sounds good. I personally don't cull any cockerels until after 8 to 10 months unless for some obvious fault such as crossed beak, but if what you are doing is working for you then that is great.

 

[FiveMoreMiles]

I have found that too many people think that just because the animal/bird is rare that makes them too valuable to cull
I feel that to save them you got to eat them
So I cull ruthlessly
I eat well!!

 

[Poultry Friend]

I am not grading. I am only using pure Javas and improving on their type from there.

I am planning to hatch 100-200 eggs and keep one or two.

I plan to cull for deformities and for chicks not having yellow feet. Since they are so slow to mature, I plan to keep all pullets for a year and select the ones that lay the best for breeding. At one year I will compare the roos against each other and the SOP to select the best one.

That is the plan, at least.

I will be trap nesting them.

 

[saladin]

I am not grading. I am only using pure Javas and improving on their type from there.

I am planning to hatch 100-200 eggs and keep one or two.

I plan to cull for deformities and for chicks not having yellow feet. Since they are so slow to mature, I plan to keep all pullets for a year and select the ones that lay the best for breeding. At one year I will compare the roos against each other and the SOP to select the best one.

That is the plan, at least.

I will be trap nesting them.

You can surely make progress this way though I'd keep more like 10% as you never know what could happen to them. The only trouble you'll have is that if you are using only one line then what you want must be in the gene pool to begin with or you have shot yourself in the foot before you even begin. Now, if using two or three lines then you stand a much greater chance of seeing the improvement you desire. Of course, if your present Javas are already where you want them and you are just twicking them then everything will be ok.

Lots of us that are dealing with the rare breeds (but by no means all of us) will run a line that is straight and do grading on the side. If the grades work out as we want then we can work them in; if not then we discard them, but running a graded line can be quite helpful.