Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[U_Stormcrow]

Expressive eyebrows. Even if I had the bronzes, my birds can't touch your Mystic for the markings at the head. Very attractive bird.

 

[3KillerBs]

If I understand your color desires correctly, this one looks promising with the patterning and the brown tones, right?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Expressive eyebrows. Even if I had the bronzes, my birds can't touch your Mystic for the markings at the head. Very attractive bird.

Thanks . She's the only one out of the 3 hens (got lucky with st run in getting 3 girls out of 4) that doesn't have an extra toe though which kinda stinks.

Got big fast though, the smallest pullet weighed almost as much as the largest bresse cockerel did at the same age.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

If I understand your color desires correctly, this one looks promising with the patterning and the brown tones, right?

Yes, the pattern is promising, and finally seeing some reds.. Two of the other birds in this batch have similar, if less crisp, markings.

 

[Sally PB]

I'm finding it hard to get started in genetics because I can't find a good "Chicken Genetics 101" tutorial to teach me the code for the different genes so that I can understand how to make use of the genetic calculator.

And, yes, @NatJ, that link is very helpful! I need the "101" version of anything to do with genetics. It's still very much magic to me.

Maybe next spring I will be hatching chicks, so I can join in on the fun.

 

[NatJ]

Of the four, none have exceptional size, so its going to come down to gender and appearance. On appearance, Stripe and Splotch are the clear favorites. Too much white in both Spot and Sprawl.

Stripe looks male to me, but none of the other three in that group does (yet.)

Stripe and Splotch both have some black, so that means they do NOT have Dominant White. And I see that Splotch appears to have gold leaking through the black, while Stripe clearly has silver. So I can see either or both being useful for your project.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Stripe looks male to me, but none of the other three in that group does (yet.)

Stripe and Splotch both have some black, so that means they do NOT have Dominant White. And I see that Sploth appears to have gold leaking through the black, while Stripe clearly has silver. So I can see either or both being useful for your project.

that was my thinking, though not so clearly, or lucidly, set forth. if it comes down to Stripe or Pretty Boy... i'll be back for advice. or maybe i'll maintain two roosters for a bit.

I may cull some of my barred females from the P1-0X hatchings, too. Otherwise, i fear the barred gene will bury everything else for a while. since my original flock seems to be taking molt in stride.

Will decide when the eggs in the incubator hatch in a week or so, since they are all **hopefully** Pretty Boy over the Comets. Will put him over the Rainbows, next.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

some of my barred girls have leakage that i think is red, though its more ruddy brown. since i want the red tones so badly, those would be the ugly barred i'd keep

 

[Ted_Harrell]

I have had decent luck with the kitchen scale I bought at Walmart, it has a 44 pound capacity and it has allowed me to decide which one of my RIR cockerels to select for future breeding. Most of the 5 males I ended up with at 11 weeks were in the 33-38 ounce range but the one I am keeping is roughly 70 ounces. I am thinking he will be about the right size for a RIR(8.5 pounds). Only two girls in that batch though I have two incubators that should yield me some more babies to select from. I will probably keep them in their own family units and use a rotational system to narrow their focus. If I can remember I will get the brand name of the scale I got when I get home. It has a slick top but it is easier to clean that way...

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I have had decent luck with the kitchen scale I bought at Walmart, it has a 44 pound capacity and it has allowed me to decide which one of my RIR cockerels to select for future breeding. Most of the 5 males I ended up with at 11 weeks were in the 33-38 ounce range but the one I am keeping is roughly 70 ounces. I am thinking he will be about the right size for a RIR(8.5 pounds). Only two girls in that batch though I have two incubators that should yield me some more babies to select from. I will probably keep them in their own family units and use a rotational system to narrow their focus. If I can remember I will get the brand name of the scale I got when I get home. It has a slick top but it is easier to clean that way...

I have a self calibrating hanging electronic scale which is very good for large weights - its the low ounces I can't currently measure. I've a small digital flat top scale for cooking - use it to portion hamburger, sausage, etc when I'm grinding and repacking, that sort of stuff, which is great for meausring birds till they exceed 3# or so - but the battery compartment door holds the battery in place - once it warps, ever so slightly... and then its a jenga game trying to put slips of paper in to hold the battery "just so" when the door gets closed.