Java Thread

[tommysgirl]

speaking of showing, if anyone with Mottled Javas is considering coming and bringing hatching eggs to the Stockton show I would love to hear about it!. Do people actually do that? Just thinking if possible I would like to avoid shipping.

 

[ashandvine]

People do arrange for sales and swaps at shows. Its fairly common. I will be at the NECP and while I don't have any Javas for sale I will be looking to see what else is there. I would love to take this one Java pullet to the show but I can't manage it with the two days of the show and the family constraints on top of everything else. Anyone else attending NECP??

 

[racinchickins]

Hi All,

Well, It's 2014 now. I've got my pens built. Got my brooders built. Bought a new (to me at least) incubator. Spent a year raising hatchery chicks and learning how to keep chickens. I've incubated and hatched eggs. Researched everything until I'm blue in the face. I've sent in my membership application for to the Java Breeders of America. Now I'm only missing one thing on my plan. Java's!!

I believe I'm ready to move from 'plan' to 'do'. Here's looking at 2014 being the start of a beautiful relationship with a great heritage breed!

 

[bnjrob]

Hi All,

Well, It's 2014 now. I've got my pens built. Got my brooders built. Bought a new (to me at least) incubator. Spent a year raising hatchery chicks and learning how to keep chickens. I've incubated and hatched eggs. Researched everything until I'm blue in the face. I've sent in my membership application for to the Java Breeders of America. Now I'm only missing one thing on my plan. Java's!!

I believe I'm ready to move from 'plan' to 'do'. Here's looking at 2014 being the start of a beautiful relationship with a great heritage breed!

Terrific! They are a blast. The group we just hatched a few days ago are some of the funniest, liveliest bunch of chicks we have had. Did you get your order for Javas in with a breeder yet? If not, try to do so soon.

 

[tommysgirl]

People do arrange for sales and swaps at shows. Its fairly common. I will be at the NECP and while I don't have any Javas for sale I will be looking to see what else is there. I would love to take this one Java pullet to the show but I can't manage it with the two days of the show and the family constraints on top of everything else. Anyone else attending NECP??

Well If anyone is traveling sounth on I5 to Stockton and wants to meet and exchange cash for pullets or eggs please let me know.

Hi All,

Well, It's 2014 now. I've got my pens built. Got my brooders built. Bought a new (to me at least) incubator. Spent a year raising hatchery chicks and learning how to keep chickens. I've incubated and hatched eggs. Researched everything until I'm blue in the face. I've sent in my membership application for to the Java Breeders of America. Now I'm only missing one thing on my plan. Java's!!

I believe I'm ready to move from 'plan' to 'do'. Here's looking at 2014 being the start of a beautiful relationship with a great heritage breed!

I am with you!

 

[MagicChicken]

It's a slow but informative start to my first breeding season with the Black Javas I got from Duane Urch a year ago. I had set up several different complementary pairings with my two best pullets (now hens) and two back-up pullets. My two "best" pullets have produced zero viable offspring. Eggs have been clear or the chicks did not hatch. On the other hand, one back-up pullet is cranking out chicks like crazy.

My former "best" pullet - largest bird, longest, straightest back, generally good Java profile, but narrow in the back and tail - is only producing one egg every six days. She is reinforcing the correlation between narrow tails and poor egg production. She is off my "best" list based on egg-laying rate alone.

My other "best" pullet - nice wide body and tail, great head, good coloring, but back is a bit short and back slope is off - turns out to be the bird who has been laying those porous egg shells. Her eggs have not been hatching. She is also off my "best" list.

The first "back-up" pullet is moderate all around. Medium size, a bit under standard weight. She doesn't scream "java" type but she also doesn't look like a total scrub. She is the only pullet with visible yellow soles. She is putting out an egg every other day. She went through a molt and wasn't laying when I first started collecting hatching eggs, so only two of her eggs have been through the incubation period. So far it's a 50% hatch rate from her. I have her with a different, more complementary cock now and am hoping that cross nicks well. We will see.

The second "back-up" pullet went broody in September and proved to be an excellent mother. She is a sturdy, wide bird with solid, thick shanks. Even though she doesn't look like she has yellow soles the genes must be there, because when I paired her with a yellow-soled cockerel, 100% of her offspring have had yellow soles. That is a relief since visible yellow soles are few and far between in my flock. She isn't the best java type in terms of back line and profile, but she lays every day and so far I am getting a 100% hatch rate from her. She is a keeper. I will use her for vigor and work on improving Java type with her offspring in future generations.

I am so glad I set up individual breeding pens. If I hadn't I would have had no idea which hens were productive and which weren't. It's been a learning experience. And I am redefining my idea of "best."

 

[tommysgirl]

It's a slow but informative start to my first breeding season with the Black Javas I got from Duane Urch a year ago. I had set up several different complementary pairings with my two best pullets (now hens) and two back-up pullets. My two "best" pullets have produced zero viable offspring. Eggs have been clear or the chicks did not hatch. On the other hand, one back-up pullet is cranking out chicks like crazy.

My former "best" pullet - largest bird, longest, straightest back, generally good Java profile, but narrow in the back and tail - is only producing one egg every six days. She is reinforcing the correlation between narrow tails and poor egg production. She is off my "best" list based on egg-laying rate alone.

My other "best" pullet - nice wide body and tail, great head, good coloring, but back is a bit short and back slope is off - turns out to be the bird who has been laying those porous egg shells. Her eggs have not been hatching. She is also off my "best" list.

The first "back-up" pullet is moderate all around. Medium size, a bit under standard weight. She doesn't scream "java" type but she also doesn't look like a total scrub. She is the only pullet with visible yellow soles. She is putting out an egg every other day. She went through a molt and wasn't laying when I first started collecting hatching eggs, so only two of her eggs have been through the incubation period. So far it's a 50% hatch rate from her. I have her with a different, more complementary cock now and am hoping that cross nicks well. We will see.

The second "back-up" pullet went broody in September and proved to be an excellent mother. She is a sturdy, wide bird with solid, thick shanks. Even though she doesn't look like she has yellow soles the genes must be there, because when I paired her with a yellow-soled cockerel, 100% of her offspring have had yellow soles. That is a relief since visible yellow soles are few and far between in my flock. She isn't the best java type in terms of back line and profile, but she lays every day and so far I am getting a 100% hatch rate from her. She is a keeper. I will use her for vigor and work on improving Java type with her offspring in future generations.

I am so glad I set up individual breeding pens. If I hadn't I would have had no idea which hens were productive and which weren't. It's been a learning experience. And I am redefining my idea of "best."

This was interesting and informative. Thank you for sharing it. Good luck with your breeding program. A friend of mine attended the Heirloom festival in Sonoma County CA this fall. They had a speaker there talked about vigor being the most important quality in a breeding pair. Obviously not more important than general typiness but he said that you can work out the type issues over time but health and vigor were key. I have not started a breeding program yet but I am grateful that you shared your experiences. Did you start with 25 chicks?

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
Yes, I ordered 25 chicks to start with.

 

[tommysgirl]

I am either getting two Java pullets,,,if the logistics work out,,,or hatching eggs...so stinking excited! I hope they are a good fit with me and my flock. I can't wait I have wanted Javas for over a year and am thrilled that it is going to be happening soon.

I will most certainly be bothering you all with pictures.

 

[MrSmokey]

hey folks! i am new here...
im looking for javas, and would love to pick them up rather than ship them... or at least ship them from the closest place possible

i am in west central NH.

probably looking for around 30 or so chicks, mottled, or black...
thanks everybody!