Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[U_Stormcrow]

Im guessing in due course once you have the colour on point you will be looking at choosing mainly from hens that lay well in both extreme heat and extreme cold?

Just extreme heat. We don't get cold. Well, a few days a year in the 20sF, which is cold to me, and cold to the plumbng, but not cold to the chickens.

and yes, that's why I want clean legs and prominnent combs - to help with heat.

 

[Sally PB]

Roos. Though I don't have a lot of excess calcium, and its not a big effect.

So that's my roo's excuse. Noshing on the oyster shell, huh buddy?

 

[NanaK]

I was curious about a previous roo I had. He had too many hens and had his favorites. He ate a lot of layer feed because at the time I didn't know any better.
Just wondered could excess calcium could have also contributed.
He was a good roo but I had to set extra eggs to get a few chicks. I'll never really know.
Still miss him.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My males have always done really well on layer feed. And heck, I've been over run with chicks almost every spring.

 

[NanaK]

My males have always done really well on layer feed. And heck, I've been over run with chicks almost every spring.

Yeah, I got chicks but many not fertile eggs. I guess it probably come down to 20 or so hens with one roo that was a gentleman and had favs. He passed at 7 yrs with several hens still by his side.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Two of the birds from three hatches back. Black is obviously going away. Red is not a keep, merely a keep for now (because I need eggs!)

 

[U_Stormcrow]

The other three from three hatches back. Front is a keeper (green legs, I guess I can live with that, male.), mid is keep for now, back goes away.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Best bird, two hatches back.

The others are at least red, so they are keeps for now, but there's less pattern to them every day.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

and this is last hatch - yes, one is yellow with no pattern at all - the cell phone camera's autocorrect keeps washing it out, adjusting for the reds in the other birds, each of which is a "keep for now".

 

[3KillerBs]

The other three from three hatches back. Front is a keeper (green legs, I guess I can live with that, male.), mid is keep for now, back goes away.

View attachment 3614701

You might find some recessives hanging out under the plain feathers if you're lucky.