Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[sjango]

And NatJ is right, they are usually seen as superscripts e^b or eᵇ. Also they are all allelic, meaning they are found on the same place in the genes.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

You two @sjango and @NatJ are the best.

May beg your expertise in working backwards from the offspring, eventually, to try and determine the genetics of my roo - but right now, there are just too many variables, since I using multiple breeds of hen, and some of them are hybrids as well.

Of course, by that time, I'll have replaced Roo with one of his offspring, who are real mutts.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Number 10 has hatched while I was out working. My wife moved him into the brooder already, I didn't see him/her at all, but am told its "grey".

Pictures and weights will have to wait till tomorrow, isn't enough light left to do it right.

going to assist/eggtopsy #11, no progress still.

/edit Too late to assist #11. DOA. Oriented 180, and the air sack had become so large there was just no room for the bird to move. Guessing he/she expired a few days back, looked mostly fully developed, just dead.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

and 12 more in the incubator. P1-04 has started!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Tuesday is the testing assay for NPIP certification. I guess its official now - good thing, my wife made me count birds, I've like 60 now, and 12 eggs in the incubator...

CHICKEN MATH!!!! (The cullings will begin when this batch hatches, plus a week or so. That will put the first four at 16 weeks, which should be a good point to make final choices on best of the bunch. Thing Three, I think, I'll keep. The others will either be rehomed or tabled.)

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

Tuesday is the testing assay for NPIP certification. I guess its official now - good thing, my wife made me count birds, I've like 60 now, and 12 eggs in the incubator...

CHICKEN MATH!!!! (The cullings will begin when this batch hatches, plus a week or so. That will put the first four at 16 weeks, which should be a good point to make final choices on best of the bunch. Thing Three, I think, I'll keep. The others will either be rehomed or tabled.)

Yippee for Thing 3! LOL

 

[U_Stormcrow]

P01-01 UPDATE

Thing Four was successfully re-homed this AM, had a neighbor looking for a rooster, didn't much care about breed. Which is good, because Thing Four is a genetic blender with some of the oddest coloration. Anyhow, 3lb, 13.9oz at 12 weeks, 2 days. Not a horrible place to start from.

Thing Three is also a male, and my keeper from this batch. White with smutty black leakage seems an easier color to work from (I know I'm going to regret this!), and he has the best weight gain visually. Need a picture and an actual weight, RUG is being very protective right now - and will be replaced by Thing Three as soon as practical.

[Insert Picture]

Thing Two, a pullet, is a not impressive barred specimen, 2lb, 14.2oz. Keeping for now to see when she starts laying and egg color.

[Insert Picture]

Thing One, another pullet, is less impressive in pattern than One, the barring is less crisp. Need picture and actual weight, suspect an oz or three lighter than Two.

[Insert Picture]

Grey and overcast again today, having trouble getting good (true) color in the photography.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Now NPIP certified. ...and needing to make some minor upgrades/improvements to my run before my next testing in 6 months, to speed and smooth the process.

/Edit - the above was vague. Sorry, this should benefit persons other than myself.

For my flock size, FL chooses to individually test each adult bird (blood stick annually, throat swab biannually) for a host of stuff. I ***REALLY*** need a way to contain the whole flock in a limited area where I can secure one bird at a time for testing, then free them in a way that they don't wander back in to rejoin the untested birds, and such that untested birds don't wander out while awaiting testing. Basically, I need the chicken equivalent of a cattle/sheep/goat chute. Have a location in mind, thinking about how best to structure it.

 

[3KillerBs]

Basically, I need the chicken equivalent of a cattle/sheep/goat chute. Have a location in mind, thinking about how best to structure it.

I will be very interested in seeing the design.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I will be very interested in seeing the design.

I have a shared fence between my runs that leads straight to a gate I made by milling a tree from my property, plus a bit of chicken wire. Thinking I'll set another fence, making a (roughly) 3' wide fence "hallway" about 30' long. Since it will be inside a run, I don't need to predator proof it, so some 7' avian netting should be fine as a "wall". Will likely do it with some 5' U posts and some PVC. Wood prices being what they are, I like working with PVC right now. and its not structural, only issues will be long term durability and attractiveness. PVC will last for a while, and I don't mind Ugly if its practical