My Attempt at a Dual Purpose Heritage Flock

[trescloudy]

Glad the pics can help someone. Yeah the size difference is cray. Looks like the next goal will be selecting for larger Delawares! I am also thinking about doing a toad project like @duluthralphie , but I would put one of the sex link males (NH/DEL cross) over some NH females. Eat them all! That should make for some real fatties. Perhaps I will have time to do that once before the snow falls.

I just recouped today. Put 4 NH hens and 1 CX hen in with him.

About 20 minutes later i watched my 2 year old CX rooster mount my 2 year old CX hen. Im pretty geeked.

 

[Tre3hugger]

I just recouped today. Put 4 NH hens and 1 CX hen in with him.

About 20 minutes later i watched my 2 year old CX rooster mount my 2 year old CX hen. Im pretty geeked.

wow, awesome!

 

[trescloudy]

Chicks are about 5 weeks old. Growing nicely and officially off heat. I was able to sell my 5 sex link girls as soon as the heat went off for 50 bucks. Aweosme! I have another 22 eggs in the bator due in a week. At that point these sex link boys (white) will be moved to the meat grow out tractor and the NHs will begin a see but no touch integration into the flock. Looks like I got 3 NH pullets and 1 cockerel. Perfect! I will keep this new cockerel. The larger of my 2 current breeder boys is bottom of the pecking order and starting to look real delicious. As always I am utterly failing with record keeping but my plan is to get some weights at the 6 week mark.
And without further ado.

The NH cockerel in the center's sex has been obvious for weeks. Super thick legs and very quick comb/wattle development
View attachment 3109976
This looks like a hip hop album cover. Lil peep and the Fowl Gang
View attachment 3109988
Boys are startin to beef up
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Birds are looking awesome bro!

 

[Tre3hugger]

Birds are looking awesome bro!

Thanks! Was just going through your cx thread. You got some really promising stuff goin on as well!

 

[Tre3hugger]

Found a deceased Delaware breeder in the yard yesterday. I am incredibly anxious now about Avain flu. She showed no signs of lethargy or respiratory distress that morning when I checked in on everyone. From looking her over and the position I found her in, my best working theory is it was a mating injury. I really don't know. Fingers crossed it is an isolated death and I am not dealing with anything more serious.

 

[Folly's place]

Birds die for so many reasons, and this year we're all paranoid about it. If AI, she won't be the only one in a short time. Here the state lab said to see if she's the first of many, or another reason.
All the best,
Mary

 

[Sally PB]

@Tre3hugger, here's hoping it's not AI.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Likewise

 

[Tre3hugger]

I appreciate the reassurance, friends. Everyone seems good on this morning's rounds. No symptoms presenting whatsoever. I will be keeping a close eye for the next couple days, but I am feeling like I can breathe a little bit.

 

[3KillerBs]

I appreciate the reassurance, friends. Everyone seems good on this morning's rounds. No symptoms presenting whatsoever. I will be keeping a close eye for the next couple days, but I am feeling like I can breathe a little bit.

Glad to hear it.