Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[U_Stormcrow]

That Brahma mutt is beautiful!!

Not at all what I'm culling towards, but yes - all the birds that got the blue gene with either Brahma or Silver Lace background have turned out to be very attractive birds. Sadly, they aren't huge - in fact, my Brahma stock (Hoover Hatchery, by way of TSC) are quite small for the breed.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Not at all what I'm culling towards, but yes - all the birds that got the blue gene with either Brahma or Silver Lace background have turned out to be very attractive birds. Sadly, they aren't huge - in fact, my Brahma stock (Hoover Hatchery, by way of TSC) are quite small for the breed.

My friend said the same about her silver laced Wyandottes. They're from early April and she said they're half the size they should weigh. I'm curious because both breeds I got from them actually were 'new' breeds, and hers werent, so I'm curious how long it takes them to start getting smaller and smaller birds

 

[U_Stormcrow]

"Small Barred" from February (P1-03) was culled today - 29 weeks+, he's a clean legged, underweight version of "Big Barred" (who has the D Brahma ancestry and at least 1.5# on him, likely more).

Anyhow, 4.96# live weight, 3.52# processed. Pictured here with a one year old SLW for reference (possible mother - what are the chances of getting this shot at random, right?)

and here he is hanging from the scale, a somewhat less comfortable position.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

10/11 day candling last night on the 12 eggs in the incubator. Two infertile, one early quit. Started to take on the shape of "something" vaguely ebryo like and tiny, but no veining on the egg whatsoever. The blood ring if any was completely invisible - didn't get very far.

All have been removed, others progressing nicely.

Given that I had one adult Roo and a lot of ladies, some just starting to lay, not terribly surprised by the low fertility. Next hatch, I should have at least one more Roo participating, and the ladies will have a bit more practice (will be new layers, too, but my odds should be better).

 

[Molpet]

10/11 day candling last night on the 12 eggs in the incubator. Two infertile, one early quit. Started to take on the shape of "something" vaguely ebryo like and tiny, but no veining on the egg whatsoever. The blood ring if any was completely invisible - didn't get very far.

All have been removed, others progressing nicely.

Given that I had one adult Roo and a lot of ladies, some just starting to lay, not terribly surprised by the low fertility. Next hatch, I should have at least one more Roo participating, and the ladies will have a bit more practice (will be new layers, too, but my odds should be better).

Are you going to separate into flocks?.. or run them all together

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Are you going to separate into flocks?.. or run them all together

Since they free range all day, I'm going to continue to run them together. Aining for a flock of "mutts".

Once more of the April/May/June hatchings are laying, I'm going to start taking the adfult, age 1yr Brahma out of the mix. I know I have the feathered feet, that I don't want, and I'm certain I have at least a few copies of their pattern gene. Then the Comets, because I expect I'll start seeing rpoblems from them anyways beginning next April-ish as they begin their third year, and they have the darkest egg shells. Then the Silver lace, I think. Will save the "Rainbows" for last.

That's the (current) plan, anyways.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Since they free range all day, I'm going to continue to run them together. Aining for a flock of "mutts".

Once more of the April/May/June hatchings are laying, I'm going to start taking the adfult, age 1yr Brahma out of the mix. I know I have the feathered feet, that I don't want, and I'm certain I have at least a few copies of their pattern gene. Then the Comets, because I expect I'll start seeing rpoblems from them anyways beginning next April-ish as they begin their third year, and they have the darkest egg shells. Then the Silver lace, I think. Will save the "Rainbows" for last.

That's the (current) plan, anyways.

Have the wyandottes produced any confirmed chicks yet? I haven’t seen any with rose combs in your pictures.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I believe that they have, but all the roosters have been single combs, so we are going to end up with something less than a perfect rose on the offspring. I'll have to look. I have real problems telling rose combs from pea combs until start of lay - then its obvious.

Waiting on some thinset to dry, I'll wander out with the old cell phone, see if I can't spot some likely candidates.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Here's one from the May hatching.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

one more. Geneticists, chime in. i happen to like this, but I suspect it would be many many many generations before it bred true.