Konza Prairie Rangers

[Arielle]

Do you have plan yet on broodiness? Clearly a little less broody than the chanties. lol Which breeds have decreased the broodiness of the Chantie?

I have a broodie this year that is raising 12 chicks. I like how the chicks forage and oddly enough they are much more nimble and quick than my chicks raised in a brooder. Just my observation. But I can see the value in a foraging bird having quick reflexes and great interest in digging up goodies.

 

[ChooksChick]

Do you have plan yet on broodiness? Clearly a little less broody than the chanties. lol Which breeds have decreased the broodiness of the Chantie?

I have a broodie this year that is raising 12 chicks. I like how the chicks forage and oddly enough they are much more nimble and quick than my chicks raised in a brooder. Just my observation. But I can see the value in a foraging bird having quick reflexes and great interest in digging up goodies.

I feel like all of the breeds included so far have their issues with broodiness, because I have only used Heritage fowl. Orps are a super-broody breed, as are Sussex (at least the Aussie Sussex are). The Heritage Barred Rocks are the least broody, and I've only included a drop of that blood...the Heritage Rocks grow a bit more slowly than I'm shooting for.

My plan is to track the eggs of the least broody 2nd year, 3rd year (and so-on) hens and hatch those into the mix. I'm finding 3 hens that have never gone broody ought to be the eggs I hang onto right now for hatching. Incidentally, they have the palest of all the egg colors- isn't that odd?

At any rate, the next batch should be laying in 6 weeks or so, so I'll be interested in their disposition and broodiness when they hit that mark. I had an English Orp hen who went broody after her 4th egg EVER, so I think it becomes apparent early in some birds...I'll just have to watch and see.

I think I'm done adding breeds for a while and I'm just going to work within the confines of the pool I have right now for a bit. I've only added one a year and kept those offspring separate, so observation and selection for many hatches will be the key.

 

[Arielle]

Are cornish broody? Let me rephrase--is the cornish X a broody type?

I was looking at a photo of chromosomes in metaphase(?) and it made me wonder about the genes replicating. Each chromosome is replicated, not each gene separately. Makes selection and change very slow. And very challenging.

 

[SparkyCrows]

Not sure if this will work or not...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-Konza-Pra...598?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d03a4762e

If the link doesnt work you can just go to Ebay and type

Konza

in the search bar. And the auction for Konza eggs should come up in the list of results(for me it was the second or third result down the list). The auction only has about 23 hours left at this time.

Hope this helps!

I'm not sure what happened except it's a dang hard thing to get internet time with a house full of teens and teachers at the beginning of August! Thank you BonneTerreChick for helping this one along.... There'll be more eggs ready soon.

 

[SparkyCrows]

Are cornish broody? Let me rephrase--is the cornish X a broody type?

Laverne and Shirley seemed to enjoy being broody.... I think....they weren't especially active. Very sweet though.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: No, I'm sure they are not particularly active. Heehee. I raised BBW last summer and they spent the last few weeks just laying down too heavy to move far.

I was just curious about there rate of broodiness as Renee wanted to decrease the brooodiness a tad--wondered if the cornishX helped in that reguard.

 

[big medicine]

You kids and your projects.

So what comb are you shooting for ? I've picked up pea, and rose, in the photos. Not that it's is all that critical at this stage of development, but was curious.

 

[big medicine]

Sincere question, might have some youngsters that could help.

 

[ChooksChick]

You kids and your projects.

So what comb are you shooting for ? I've picked up pea, and rose, in the photos. Not that it's is all that critical at this stage of development, but was curious.

Hey there!! I was hoping you'd weigh in at some point!! You know how I've stalked you and your projects!

I enjoy the non-comb of most of my Chanteclers (a cushion that looks like a small smudge of bubblegum) and I like peas on the Ameraucanas, but certainly don't want it as large even as that, I think. I'm really shooting for a minimal comb, but I'm not particular on shape just yet. There is a cockerel with what looks like a dubbed rose-comb, even! It looks like you just dubbed it all off but the base, smooth as baby-booty.

I would love to know if you have some youngsters with verve? I'm definitely caring about the structure and ability to forage more than things that I can modify later.

Thanks for popping in!

 

[Arielle]