Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[U_Stormcrow]

Thanks from me too! I never would have thought of that!

Also interesting following the thread. I have a mix of things I'm going to broadcasting for the sheep but the chickens will follow in the rotation. I'm curious how they do with grazed cover crop residue versus just mixed grass pasture.

We've had actual winter this year and I'm trying to find stuff to throw out for the chickens to keep them occupied. Frozen round bale outer layer was a big hit. I'm going to sled over bedding from the sheep into the chickens. If you have other bedding etc you might be able to do something similar to try keeping them busy.

I'm very pleased with my chicken's performance on a polyculture - even have a thread about it. They seem quite pleased with the variety too - and as we have already had our first days in the 60s, and rain expected Thursday, then again Sunday, I'll be scattering more of the seeds I've bought to improve the pasture further this year on the 'morrow, after I've overfed them, so they are too lazy to eat what I'm spreading.

Our own plantings for ourselves will start going in soon, so I really need the pasture to green up and keep them on the right side of the electric fence - they were plucking out snow pea "seeds" today as I planted them - had to start spraying the birds with the hose to discourage them. Which, unfortunately, attracted the ducks...

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Today, Pretty Boy went to camp. He had a good run, sired many. I'll come back and comment later.

OK. commenting now.

One - 6.5#, if I trust the scale, which I sort of have to. Oldest of my mutts. 5 days shy one year of age. He's been about this weight for a while

Two - His skin was so well attached I could not rip it off - literally had to fillet it of in places, particularly at breast, spine, conective tissues in the middle of the breast and by the thighs!

Three - as you can see by the fat quantity and color, he was well fed, but not overfed. I'm plenty pleased.

Four - why do I have multiple pictures of the liver??? This is one of the birds that's been fed on "high" (above recommend) calcium since about 10 weeks of age, averaging around 2.5-2.8%. Liver was not oversized, that's good (actually, some of its missing, I'll get to that). The color isn't terrible either.

However, it broke apart relatively easy as I was evacuating the organ category - certainly as compared to how well put together the bird was otherwise. One of the larger bits broke off, then was snatched by a flockmate underfoot. and on close inspection (I hope the camera caught it), there is some irregularity in color - instead of the smooth, dark, glossy I want to see, their is a lighter, more tan edge in one spot, and a few locations with a red "dot" and slight discoloriation surrounding.

Obviously, bird made it to target age just fine, but this is example of "risk management" on my part, and how a sub-optimum feed can have internal effects which aren't necessarily visible externally, or to a body condition pat down. Excess calcium also affects weight gain, btw - so this bird had the potential to be a few ounces heavier, most like.

Underside of liver:

 

[MysteryChicken]

Man, Meaty is gorgeous! Too bad he's not what you're looking for.

Thanks. He's just a cross I don't need. Barring is decent, other then that.

 

[3KillerBs]

Today, Pretty Boy went to camp. He had a good run, sired many. I'll come back and comment later.


View attachment 2997736View attachment 2997738View attachment 2997739View attachment 2997740

What a healthy-looking liver!

Which male will be primary sire now?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

What a healthy-looking liver!

Which male will be primary sire now?

Healthy enough to eat, yes.

And Ugly White will get a chance. {briefly}

Back to culling, hopefully the other birds come apart more quickly.

 

[Molpet]

Two - His skin was so well attached I could not rip it off - literally had to fillet it of in places, particularly at breast, spine, conective tissues in the middle of the breast and by the thighs!

Yes I bought a plucker because year old boys were such a pain to skin

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yes I bought a plucker because year old boys were such a pain to skin

all the younger birds have been easier to take apart. Just took Phoenix's head, he's the same age, hopefully, his skin comes off easy too. Big Barred is next.

Yes, I'm removing the top three males from the flock. Plus two of the black and ... males. They are already "camping" and came apart cleanly. Weights, etc soon. Same indications in the liver, though less "brittle" than in my first cull tonight.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Another of the black and... Lightest of the male birds I took today, 6.06#

Phoenix Blue - weighted in at 6.5#

Big Barred - hefty. 7.81#

Unnamed smutty white hen, 2.75#, from the November hatch, so 13 wks. Smallest bird on the property - happy to remove her from the breeding pool.

 

[3KillerBs]

When you're done you'll need to post photos of the current flock composition, males and females, to record your progress toward your desired phenotype.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

This is Ugly White and one of the Reds that remain as breeders. I'm down to "just" ten Roos; Ugly White, another Black and..., the remaining male birds are all variations on Red - one of which is Mahogany.