Norman the Rooster

[CuzChickens]

I've purchased Seramas from Florida and a few peacocks from NY and Oklahoma. Plus some Silkies from MN. I don't think it would be an issue - they handle shipping quite well with a bit of fruits and veggies placed in the box with them. It can be rather pricey though - I expect I'll be charging very little or perhaps even nothing but a good home for the cockerels I hatch (whenever I am able to hatch any), however I can't foot the bill for such shipping. (I imagine it would run ~$60 or thereabouts). But if you're willing to pay the shipping fees and are still interested when and if the time comes, do let me know. I'd be happy to see if something could be arranged.
Oh my. That sounds awful, Diva. And that's why I'm still cautious about this. I'm anxious any of a million things could go wrong. Yes, chances are I'll be able to get some good hatches and move forward with the project and have little Norma/ns running about everywhere. And hopefully that's how it goes... still. Any reservation list, should I set one up, will have to be very conditional upon how and when I'm able to hatch.

Do you sex them when they are little? If I got any, I would just buy st run chicks, and try to get rid of all but one rooster.

 

[QueenMisha]

Are Norman and Norma bantams? And would you ever be willing to do hatching eggs?

They are 44 and 42 ounces, respectively, so just above the size of the largest bantams. I do intend on cutting that size down by a few ounces in future generations, but for now they are about the size of a large bantam or a small standard (somewhere between Silkies and Hamburgs).

Hatching eggs... probably not, but if I did it would be late next season. I intend on hatching and raising as many birds as I can myself so I can select appriopriate breeder stock.

Do you sex them when they are little? If I got any, I would just buy st run chicks, and try to get rid of all but one rooster.

I won't be able to sex them as chicks, no. Chances are I'll only be selling sexed juveniles and young adults from the pair. I hope to retain a trio or possibly quad of offspring from any chicks I hatch as breeder stock, and I'll only be able to fully evaluate the birds once they are reasonably well grown. There is the caveat that 25% of the chicks I will know I don't want right off the bat, since both Norman and Norma carry the genes for Silver Duckwing coloration - and I'd like to stick to a pure black variety while developing the breed (with Blue as a possible future project after I've "built the barn", so to speak). Those 25% I may be selling at a much younger age, but it's hard to be sure.

 

[CuzChickens]

They are 44 and 42 ounces, respectively, so just above the size of the largest bantams. I do intend on cutting that size down by a few ounces in future generations, but for now they are about the size of a large bantam or a small standard (somewhere between Silkies and Hamburgs).

Hatching eggs... probably not, but if I did it would be late next season. I intend on hatching and raising as many birds as I can myself so I can select appriopriate breeder stock.
I won't be able to sex them as chicks, no. Chances are I'll only be selling sexed juveniles and young adults from the pair. I hope to retain a trio or possibly quad of offspring from any chicks I hatch as breeder stock, and I'll only be able to fully evaluate the birds once they are reasonably well grown. There is the caveat that 25% of the chicks I will know I don't want right off the bat, since both Norman and Norma carry the genes for Silver Duckwing coloration - and I'd like to stick to a pure black variety while developing the breed (with Blue as a possible future project after I've "built the barn", so to speak). Those 25% I may be selling at a much younger age, but it's hard to be sure.

Cool! You have thought this out really well. I am impressed.

 

[summerb123]

I love your Norman he is such a character!!

 

[QueenMisha]

Cool! You have thought this out really well. I am impressed.

Thank you. This is quickly overtaking my Sex Linked Silkies as my leading project and I'm getting to a point where I think I'm gonna have to be very picky about selecting breeding stock. I've got notebooks and such where I've scribbled down probably five generations of theoretical progress. I've run the numbers through the chicken calculator and there are good several hundred possible outcomes of the cross, taking every single little mutation into account, from muffs & beard to multiple toes.

And that's looking at phenotype and genotype only. Because while getting uniform color and shape is definitely my secondary priority, the number one thing I will be selecting for is personality. I don't want a pretty bird with a flighty personality. I want something bold and curious WITH a nice form and color as well. I can see already that I'll be in it for the long haul... thankfully my boss agrees that this project is well worth the time and space (good lord am I glad he thinks so, because it is all his shop I'm undertaking my project at!).

 

[drumstick diva]

I don't think sending out hatching eggs would be beneficial. Let's say by throw of the dice someone hatched out a dozen with the various faults you want to eliminate. They are out of your control BUT, the hatcher(person) could say "Hey, I've got Queen Misha's chicks - bring big bucks and they are yours. "

Don't know if it would be possible to "vet" folks wanting eggs. At least if they are offering older chicks you know what's good and what isn't. Maybe chicken folks aren't like that but, dog people were.

I know I am a party pooper. But, you are meticulous and many are not. I feel very protective of the future chicks, even though they aren't mine. I will go sit in a corner and try to

 

[drumstick diva]

PS If you could produce a line of auto sexing silkies, you could be a million-aire, or maybe just a hundred-aire. You would probably win the Noble Chickens prize.

 

[summerb123]

PS If you could produce a line of auto sexing silkies, you could be a million-aire, or maybe just a hundred-aire. You would probably win the Noble Chickens prize.

lol

 

[CuzChickens]

Thank you. This is quickly overtaking my Sex Linked Silkies as my leading project and I'm getting to a point where I think I'm gonna have to be very picky about selecting breeding stock. I've got notebooks and such where I've scribbled down probably five generations of theoretical progress. I've run the numbers through the chicken calculator and there are good several hundred possible outcomes of the cross, taking every single little mutation into account, from muffs & beard to multiple toes.

And that's looking at phenotype and genotype only. Because while getting uniform color and shape is definitely my secondary priority, the number one thing I will be selecting for is personality. I don't want a pretty bird with a flighty personality. I want something bold and curious WITH a nice form and color as well. I can see already that I'll be in it for the long haul... thankfully my boss agrees that this project is well worth the time and space (good lord am I glad he thinks so, because it is all his shop I'm undertaking my project at!).

Wow, you just really impress me every time you post! You know alot about genetics! I love that you are being so meticulous about it and making sure they have great personality. Now I REALLY want some chicks.

 

[dan26552]

Wow, you just really impress me every time you post! You know alot about genetics! I love that you are being so meticulous about it and making sure they have great personality. Now I REALLY want some chicks.

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