Landrace/adaptive breeding discussion

[Sally PB]

but until the last month she's been my most consistent layer, averaging 8 days on, one day off, but going up as high as 21 days at a stretch

Wow, my Bielefelders are nowhere near that productive! Even my best layer, a blue Australorp, had her best streak at 18 days in a row.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Wow, my Bielefelders are nowhere near that productive! Even my best layer, a blue Australorp, had her best streak at 18 days in a row.

My BAs are 7/1 and 6/1, pretty consistently. I have to eat the Biel's eggs within a few days because they go bad quickly. I have serious doubts as to whether they would hatch at all, although they are technically fertile.

That round piece goes all the way through, and if you hit the egg just right it pops out.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Those two birds that won't roost inside--the main reason I don't want them roosting up there is because the roof panels are sagging under their weight and I don't want the roof to collapse.

If I put a bar up there, I wonder if they would use it?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Those two birds that won't roost inside--the main reason I don't want them roosting up there is because the roof panels are sagging under their weight and I don't want the roof to collapse.

If I put a bar up there, I wonder if they would use it?

Likely yes.

 

[Molpet]

That round piece goes all the way through, and if you hit the egg just right it pops out.

I have a few birds that lay eggs like that. They don't keep as long either. And when I try to hard boil them they usually blow out.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Likely yes.

We'll see. I had an old piece of deck board lying around. If they get picked off by something, I wasn't planning on keeping them anyway.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

during the summer months, mine like to sleep on the roof of the coop, on top of the grow out pen, on top of the 4' gates, on top of pony walls in the goat shed... I find if I add a board just a little higher, they will transition to sleeping there pretty quickly.

Only go inside for really bad weather. Sometimes, not even then.

 

[LaurenRitz]

One Marans egg has hatched. One of the pullet eggs has pipped on the wrong end (no pip last night) and I'm wondering how long to wait before I assist. At least 24 hours, but beyond that? Not sure.

I did notice a pattern. The father of some of these chicks was still stuck to his shell when he hatched, the umbilicus didn't detach and I needed to cut it. ALL of his babies in this hatch have had the same problem, but none of the others. Not definative, but definitely something to watch. His father as well.

That might make hatch more difficult if they're being raised by a broody.

 

[Molpet]

That might make hatch more difficult if they're being raised by a broody.

Which might not be a bad thing.

 

[LaurenRitz]

One of the pullet eggs has pipped on the wrong end (no pip last night) and I'm wondering how long to wait before I assist. At least 24 hours, but beyond that? Not sure.

FYI, no assist was needed. Perfect zip.