"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[MamaKitty913]

The color genetics of most blue breeds is that you hatch a combination of black, splash and blue -- there are a couple of breeds that are "self blue" - will hatch 100% blue but not Andalusians. Having said that, if you breed a black Andalusian to a splash bird, you will get 100% blue offspring though. I raised some Blue Andalusians a few years ago. I have one black hen left - Carmen - she is about 10 years old now. Mine laid a very large egg considering they were small birds. They were thrifty foragers & always into something. The roosters were very mean. Carmen follows me around like a dog, talking to me the whole time. Her daughter Carmelito laid a beautiful pale light blue egg - her sire was a wheaton Ameracauna roo.

what Terri said is true and since many of the early genetic studies of "Blue" used the Blue Andalusians alot of preliminary studies done in the 1920-30's are free online I thought to utilize these as a "beginner" project. My problem was A. not having a copy of the APA SOP (if anyone has an old copy cheap PM me) and B. only one poor tiny sweet girl "baby girl" she rides your feet around the chicken yard and promptly escapes the chicken yard when your not there for her to keep company. My roosters are freindly but I have noticed the darker blue ones don't seem to flesh out as fast, nor do they socialize with chicken or humans as well. The black and splash are much more docile calm and secure, not sure why since all have been handled since day 3. It seems lacing is part of the SOP and only 1 of my roo's is close to confirmation that way, but as I said these are more for utility purposes vs SOP. We keep these to feed our family and that comes first as I make my culling decisions I keep the healtiest, fleshed well/quicker then try to pick for other reason's after those criteria are met. My second batch won't be ready to lay until the second week of Feb. or so, come April I hope to hatch out our core birds and breed them for egg production as well. My goal is to increase 1 or 2 pure bred species that fall into the SOP highest wt. for the breed. For example the SOP for the Blue ANdalusians states that a cock weight is 6# cockerel 5# hen 5# and pullet 4#. So my cockerel that weighs 5.5 vs 5# is the one I will keep to bred, then consider things like disqualifiers like to much red in the ear lobe ect. and

 

[LindaB220]

Hello Everyone, Hope everyone is doing good today... I have been raising chickens for about 4 years now currently in-between flocks, waiting on chicks to come in now... also thinking about possibly getting some broilers early in next year.. Wondering if anyone has dealt with any of the slow growing broilers? or the fast growing broilers?

Great to have you. Where are you from? I'm near Shreveport. This is a great thread for keeping up with the different aspects of La living. Best place to buy feed. Birds. What to do with illness? A couple of folks on here have done different types of meat birds. Fast and slow growing.
Another place I want you to try is a thread that is only for CX's and their owners. A very fun place to visit. Come to say hi.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...rnish-cross-meat-birds-and-super-excited/1230

 

[TerriLaChicks]

Terri, it is coyotoe's Ron herd them how eling last night.even tho I have 5 acres we are right outside of city limited. We don't normally have coyotes and Bobcats but their here now. I hate keeping them on lockdown. I let them out when we are outside to supervise. Varmints!,!

I know! and coyotes are so hard to get rid of, too. They have a really big range. Our local pack isn't around right now - they usually show back up around February. I did spot a dead one on I-49 last week on my way to work - right in the center of town! somebody had hit & killed it.

 

[TerriLaChicks]

what Terri said is true and since many of the early genetic studies of "Blue" used the Blue Andalusians alot of preliminary studies done in the 1920-30's are free online I thought to utilize these as a "beginner" project. My problem was A. not having a copy of the APA SOP (if anyone has an old copy cheap PM me) and B. only one poor tiny sweet girl "baby girl" she rides your feet around the chicken yard and promptly escapes the chicken yard when your not there for her to keep company. My roosters are freindly but I have noticed the darker blue ones don't seem to flesh out as fast, nor do they socialize with chicken or humans as well. The black and splash are much more docile calm and secure, not sure why since all have been handled since day 3. It seems lacing is part of the SOP and only 1 of my roo's is close to confirmation that way, but as I said these are more for utility purposes vs SOP. We keep these to feed our family and that comes first as I make my culling decisions I keep the healtiest, fleshed well/quicker then try to pick for other reason's after those criteria are met. My second batch won't be ready to lay until the second week of Feb. or so, come April I hope to hatch out our core birds and breed them for egg production as well. My goal is to increase 1 or 2 pure bred species that fall into the SOP highest wt. for the breed. For example the SOP for the Blue ANdalusians states that a cock weight is 6# cockerel 5# hen 5# and pullet 4#. So my cockerel that weighs 5.5 vs 5# is the one I will keep to bred, then consider things like disqualifiers like to much red in the ear lobe ect. and

I had a splash roo for a while that in fact, won a contest here on BYC for "best comb" - he was beautiful but he eventually turned mean on me & got himself culled. I won't keep a mean chicken no matter how pretty they are.

 

[topdog24]

Pam,

I hadn't thought of feeding them fermented food other than when they were chicks but makes sense now... Thanks!!
I'm more thinking of the cornish cross especially now that you mentioned the fermented food or maybe a red ranger or red cornish meat bird... something separate from my layers... But thank you again.. I think the fermented food would do the trick and helps me make up my mind on the cross...

Im in Anacoco, Central Louisiana about 10 minutes from the South End of Toledo bend

There is someone on here from Leesville and another one to the north of you, maybe you will run across them on here, thats in your neck of the woods i believe, Welcome to the LA thread, I also work offshore, in fact, i just came offshore a couple hours ago, I hate being gone from home for 14 days.Thats why i went with dual purpose to begin with and i now have an incubator and it is loaded with RSL,WL,EE and CL eggs, my wife is bator sitting while i am gone and she dont know much other than what i told her, When i get home Christmas day, going to get busy and piar up a couple Roos and hens and see what i come up with. Who do you work for offshore? I am with Shamrock and contract to Fieldwood at SMI 106, fly out of Amilia.

 

[topdog24]

Hello Everyone, Hope everyone is doing good today... I have been raising chickens for about 4 years now currently in-between flocks, waiting on chicks to come in now... also thinking about possibly getting some broilers early in next year.. Wondering if anyone has dealt with any of the slow growing broilers? or the fast growing broilers?

This link is someone in Leesville, i thought it might be useful to you https://www.facebook.com/IttyBittyDowdenFamilyFarm

 

[Cody A]

So I ordered the Dickey's 2x2 on the 8th. It's here and set up. Now I just need some eggs................

 

[LindaB220]

Does anyone else remember the time of chat rooms???? Wish they were still around, I have a shortage of chicken people around me that I know.. lol

Well, you are at the right place. I can get on and go to different threads and talk all day. (If I had time to).

I understand what you mean about the CX's and feeding amounts. If you are going to be out of town a lot, I'd get something like Plymouth white rocks. Good meat but not a quick growout. You could put a couple of weeks feed in a barrel and just have your fellow check on them. The New Hampshires grow out quicker and might be better for you. I love the CX but I learned the hard way that feed can't be left in the coop with them. They will eat themselves to death. Literally.

Go to the Meat Birds, Etc. forum and there are tons of threads.. Any questions you have, we can get the answer for you if we don't know it.

 

[LindaB220]

I am experimenting with three breeds, Cornish Chancler Cross with White Rock , Cornish Chancler Cross with white Breese, and just the white breese themselves. My Cornish Chancler Cross are mean little devils....I am on the verge of just kicking them to freezer camp early they are in with my gentle giant Orpingtons who just peck them when they misbehave. But they are little terrors. They jump on the backs of the Orpingtons who outweigh them by 10 to 12 lbs and pull feathers peck their necks, and when on the ground peck their feet. that's when the orps peck them on the head.

Not sure if iill keep them as breeders are not....maybe they will calm down seeing how the orps put them in their place daily. One even when to picking on a Guinea, the guinea pecked him back, the little devil attaced the Guinea and latched on for a wild ride. The guineas are 5 times bigger then they are!

Cornish Chancler Cross are growing fast they are at 4 weeks and the size of 6 week olds. I figure they will be butchering size at about 4 months.

This is very interesting. I'd not keep the little devils either. Can you handle 4 months?

You might have to separate them from the rest. Keep us informed with how they are doing. I didn't know you had Breese. Hmmmm.

 

[MamaKitty913]

Well, you are at the right place. I can get on and go to different threads and talk all day. (If I had time to).

I understand what you mean about the CX's and feeding amounts. If you are going to be out of town a lot, I'd get something like Plymouth white rocks. Good meat but not a quick growout. You could put a couple of weeks feed in a barrel and just have your fellow check on them. The New Hampshires grow out quicker and might be better for you. I love the CX but I learned the hard way that feed can't be left in the coop with them. They will eat themselves to death. Literally.

Go to the Meat Birds, Etc. forum and there are tons of threads.. Any questions you have, we can get the answer for you if we don't know it.

Totally agree with LindaB I've learned so much from the Meat Bird thread took along time lol. Especially learned so much from a member called Kuntrygirl she is very very informed and shares both her information and sources! One note that you'd really really want to consider Louisiana is so different with it's heat and humidity you really want to consider that when you order your Cornish X birds grow out here seems (IMHO only doing this for a nanosecond compaired to so many others) if you get them in Feb or March they will be grown to "fryer" size by the time the heat sets in they needed NO HEAT at 2 days old during end of August this year. They don't do well in hot and humid Coccidosis it can be vaccinated against but keep them ventilated and cool when they are growing and plan to harvest before the heat. Mine grew to 11# dressed out weight in 15 weeks, they need space WAY faster and will crush each other if they don't have it around the feeder and waterer. Water needs for 50 chicks - 3 times a day 2 to 3 gallons! Unless you have someone to provide that I'd go with a slower growing breed or time my harvest/offshore time to be there. They are not very smart those Cornish X but they do grow out and taste yummy. They do try in their short lives to eat what a Heritiage Breed such as the Delaware eats AND drinks throught it's life span of ten plus years, lol. Good luck with your birds.