Konza Prairie Rangers

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ChooksChick said:
Well, here's an update:

I culled like a madwoman prior to winter and kept two White Columbian-ish hens and 2 dark Partridge-ish hens. I kept a HUGE copper-necked, pea-combed black roo, and Moby. I have 2 juvenile groups nearly point-of-lay, and I hatched 5 dozen chicks prior to the cull, so the few that wintered over aren't the only genes remaining. The juveniles are all growing out well, though some are clearly bigger than others. I'm starting to sort them into keepers at this point. I have a couple of roos who are primarily red with nearly zero comb (as I've wanted). I'm not sure about the color, but that can come later. They are gentle and sweet, but eager to go look for things to eat, again, as I wanted...but they don't appear to like to be enclosed. I'm not concerned about adults, but the juvies are light enough to be able to fly out of my 5' run if I don't do something soon. It's chicken-dinner season out on the prairie, and I'm not ready to let them out.

At this rate, I'm delighted with the light facial fuzz the birds all have- that's definitely a bit of the Chantecler (Albertan) influence, but the Australian Sussex has a bit, too. It's very different from a beard, and it's adorable!

I have a broody Konza sitting on 2 dozen eggs, and I'm hoping to test her parenting skills. It's been so cold only a giant hen could manage to keep them warm! I should have good egg production again soon, but until some of the last set start to lay, just the two white hens are contributing, and I think I won't hatch those because of the heavy white coloring that could result.

My sister came out to take whizbang pics with a real camera, so I'll get those up as soon as possible.
Click to expand...
You have been busy. THat was a lot of work to select down to just those few adults for the winter. I like that you have others coming along that you could add to the pool.

THe white hens--'m assuming these girls met a specific criteria that you are looking for as mothers of the next generation and now you are rethinking that ? If you breed the girls to non-white roosters wouldn't that start diluting the white or at least clarify which white this is? I have some EE with dom white, when I crossed with a blue, one male became a splash looking creature with red leakage. ( NOT a true splash because mother doesn't carry blue gene).

LOoking forward to pics.
 
Yes, if I felt that the Black roo was covering the girls more than Moby, I'd expect to be able to mitigate the white, but Moby is the result of a Cuckoo Orp over a Buff Orp hen and he is primarily white somehow...so I suspect that would be a lot of white offspring...though I could hatch and find out. Maybe I will.

Here are a couple of older pics I found on my phone. Terrible pics, but there is a bit of size reference and shape here.







These are clearly the work of a horrible photographer. Forgive me.

The first is Moby, dwarfing the chair he's next to.

The second is a group of Konzas at 15 weeks, the roo is in the center, pullets on each side. That's a 2" x 2" roost, 2" x 4" fencing and 1/2" hardware cloth for reference.

The last is of the roo I decided to keep, and he's next to a standard 2 gallon bucket and a milk crate. He was 15 weeks when this was taken, and is 25 weeks now. He's monstrous- almost as big as Moby, but denser.

This generation of hens began laying at about 20 weeks, btw. I get an egg 5 or 6 days a week from each, but 4 weeks into the cycle, one of the 4 is already unbreakably broody. I expected this and welcome it. I feel that broodiness is an important trait and when a hen can cover 25 chicks, that hen is a huge help!!
 
THe boys are big-- huge!!

I would think Moby would carry at least some red given the BO mother. COlors are interesting-- intriguing and confusing . . . to me anyway.

What colors do you see int he pullets and young cckls-- a chance to keep some other partridge or reds/ browns? Or lots of white there also??? ( I can wait until pics are available.)
 
I'm pleased to say there is more partridge/red in the up and coming batches than white. It's got the nice sheen to it. I'm hoping I can break the colors down into a fabulous camouflage. I have to say, there is a pullet at about 8 weeks right now who is clearly from Moby, as she's a Crimson Cuckoo. It's wonderful. I'm almost tempted to breed her to my Lemon Cuckoo Orps to see what I could get...I mean, I'd love a huge red barred bird, wouldn't you? I'll see it I can finagle a pic of her...
 
I had a buff barred-- he was my favorite--eye candy.

Sounds like Moby's phenotype is hiding his geneotype. All that white though is surprizing. .. Isn't there a gene that restricts the black, making the body white? Columbian??? not sure.
 
Hola! I've been hatching chicks for several weeks and I'm willing to sell a few chicks at this point if anyone is interested. I'll sell 8wk birds, sexed pairs, for $40 plus shipping.

These are still not a consistent phenotype, but are always large, the hens have been great layers, and the comb and coloring are still variable. These have over-wintered very well and I'm very happy with the summer performance, too.
 

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