Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[MysteryChicken]

Looking good.

Starting mine soon, once it starts warming up. Warmer weather begins on Sunday.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Looking good.

Starting mine soon, once it starts warming up. Warmer weather begins on Sunday.

We hit 60 today, in theory. I'm plumbing soil stacks for a bathroom group - or should be, instead of typing this. Was 27 or 28 last night. 26 the night before. Happy to say all my birds are frostbite free - and loving the weather.

 

[MysteryChicken]

We hit 60 today, in theory. I'm plumbing soil stacks for a bathroom group - or should be, instead of typing this. Was 27 or 28 last night. 26 the night before. Happy to say all my birds are frostbite free - and loving the weather.

Soon we'll be in the low to mid 20's during the day, & still stuck with single, & teens at night though.
Progress, not a lot though.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Im not lookong forwards to the next cold snap. I cant take anymore negatove days here, and i know ky birds cant take many more either

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

I've had bantam Cornish from Ideal, and standards (several colors) from both Ideal and McMurray.

The standards were more solid and meaty than other dual purpose breeds, but not to the point of being really obvious. To me, they still look like a "normal" chicken (both alive and after I've butchered them.) The bantams are little round balls, very wide, with a big breast. They really are a different shape than other chickens.

I'm not sure if the difference is just caused by their size, or whether the bantams are closer to the "right" standard than the big ones because of the way hatcheries breed them, or if there is any other factor involved. I've read that "good" standard Cornish (breeder quality, not hatchery quality) are really wide, just like the bantams I've seen, but that the standard ones are also quite awkward, and can even get stranded on their backs unable to turn over again. The bantams do not seem to have any kind of mobility problems.

I think the bantams are way more set towards the current show bench vision of the breed. The standards if SQ are I understand like the bantams… but the hatchery ones tend to be more normal chicken… or as one game fowl guy pointed out in an order he got, some seemed to be like the old active game fowl build in old photos of the breed and others more toward the look that has developed over years of breeding for meat.

I am wondering if the Saipan I ordered are DB, they do appear from photos to have massive chests…

 

[Molpet]

I bought 3 sets of standard dark Cornish hatching eggs from breeders. PO did a number on them and only one hatched, a cockerel. Built like a tank, was a year old before he wanted to breed.... using offspring in my meat mutts. They have nice breasts but take longer than 16 weeks.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

PO can really mess up eggs… we have had to do the try try again thing, sometimes not a single egg hatched.

I know we have to order hatching eggs this year too, we need to rebuild our little group of Black Swedish, we have one hen left.

I am researching the breeds I have on order to better understand probable genetics, body types and so on, grant you I am not expecting much from hatchery stock.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@U_Stormcrow , did the cockerels have good yields?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

@U_Stormcrow , did the cockerels have good yields?

The usual, about 70% of live weight for carcass with bones. the meat is becoming sausage tomorrow or Wednesday, the bones have already become stock, and then soup. VERY tasty soup. We've eaten about 3 qt so far.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

The usual, about 70% of live weight for carcass with bones. the meat is becoming sausage tomorrow or Wednesday, the bones have already become stock, and then soup. VERY tasty soup. We've eaten about 3 qt so far.

How much weight difference do you see between the cockerels and the Pullets?