***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[i-love-my-honey]

There is actually a wonderful thread on Heritage Breeds under Breeds, Genetics and Showing. The one originally started by Bob Blosl was made into a sticky note teaching thread to preserve the wealth of information Bob started. He died late last year.
Phase II is also called Heritage.
By Bob's definition a Heritage breed has a 50 year or longer history and has been accepted by the American Poultry Association with a description in the Standard of Profection. And often the original strains are hard to find and are being conserved.
Heritage breeders prefer to breed their flock to the standards set by the APA and often show their birds. They look at dual purpose as part of the history which sustains a birds age in the production feature.

Hatchery birds have been developed for a particular side of production...either as layers or meat birds instead of both. Hens which are layers will burn out within a few years because they were designed to lay 5 -7 eggs a week. She can only do that so long. The cockerels in a layer breed may or may not make tasty meat. The hatchery Australorp is an example: a record of 364 eggs in one year.
Birds developed to be heavies are considered meat birds. They may not be the best layers. Your grocery store chicken is a meaty or heavy.

While the feathers may look the same on a hatchery vs Heritage breed, you can tell the difference between a heritage bred bird and a hatchery bred bird by their type, carriage and frame.
I have both hatchery Wyandotte (2 left) and also Heritage Wyandotte. There is a huge difference in their size, temperament, egg laying and meat quality. I have Heritage Cochin also.

That all being said, my layer flock has Australorp, Marans, Minorcas all purchased over the years from Atwoods from Ideal Hatchery. Diet and care contribute to the longevity of these egg producers. a few of my girls are 5 and 6 years of age and because of age are only laying 2-3 eggs a week.
My Cochin/Wyandotte cross birds are great mother birds, lay 5 eggs a week, and are nice dinner table birds.

That is wonderful information, thanks! I will check out the thread you referenced. You mentioned some of your birds that are from a hatchery will have a longer life span due to the fact that they only lay 2-3 times a week vs. 5-6. How do you affect their laying frequency, by food?

 

[i-love-my-honey]

Well, i'd agree on hatchery birds to a point- my girl Donna RIR was real standoffish till she started laying, i didn't think she'd ever tame down, now she is one of the friendliest, not a lap bird, bt will come and visit, same as Tick, my black astralorp. BUT, every hatchery orp i have had, (except Sugar, lost her right after she started laying, she was like a puppy), is not friendly at all- -

Donna


it really is iffy i think, when i started getting breeder birds, what a difference!





@KSANE Sonny is getting spoiled fast- he loves fermented feed!!

I hope mine settles down as well. Will getting rid of the rooster help at all? I cannot keep him.

 

[i-love-my-honey]

I need to put my 2 cents in. I have a Heritage RIR rooster that is wonderful, w\sweet, tame, great daddy etc, I have 8 RIR hens I bought from Cackle Hatcherie. I raised some under a hen and some in a brooder. They are all sweet. I can't tell that they are more aggressive than any of the others. I feed treats and they all come. One of my tamest is aRIR that will get on my shoulder etc.. In fact she's a pest. I just think that they are all individuals and can't make a general statement about hatcheriesl I do think some hatcheries will try to improve their breed where others do not. I do like Heritage breeders, but I have a hard time finding them. Buff Orps and Australorpesaregreatand I know a breeder. The cochin dotte mixes ipurchased from NanKat are great. She also raises Wyandottes. Give her a pm and OldCampCook, I'm sure they both have some available. I love Lonny and Rindas birds but they are just rare and pricey so I have no business with them unless I canbuild some big pens where they couldn't get out. But I'd love to have some. Someday maybe. If I get the money and my anxiety gets better so I don't worry about them. I allready worry too much over what I have. Anyway, If you don't find what you want, let me know, I have some mixed pullets I would let go. PS I'm trying to get speckled sissex along with ShelbyDog and not so wonderwomen, they are gentle breeds too.

Cool! Thanks so much!! I will check into that. I appreciate you!

 

[i-love-my-honey]

Quote: Thank you - I am like a first time Momma, nervous as a cat and all paranoid! :0)

 

[i-love-my-honey]

I have a Brahma trio, and I adore them. They are hatchery stock and eventually I hope to get breeder quality. I am glad I started with hatchery birds so that I get an idea of what breeds I like. I got a heavy assorted layer mix and am so glad I did. I probably wouldn't have ordered an Orpington on my own and jeez would I have missed out. I got one Buff Orp and I LOVE her!

This is Big Mama (she has gone broody twice but I haven't let her hatch yet)

If you are unsure of what you want maybe just do a random selection. Most hatcheries offer a mix layer selection and you can always add or subtract to your flock once you have a better idea of what you want! Don't give up on your RIR pullet yet, if you work with her, handle her and love her she might turn out to be a wonderful bird, if nothing else my RIRs are GREAT layers!
My personal problem now is I know what I want, and I can't get them quickly enough.....

Great picture!! Thanks for the encouragement. I am TRYING to be patient... :0/

 

[cac6012]

thanks for the info

I plan on starting my chicks in mine as well shhhhhhh

thanks
Brent

 

[SimplyMe_AngieD]

Great. I wish I had gotten on here and found all of this out before I ordered from a hatchery!! What are the breeds with the best temperaments? Once I get rid of my two RIRs I will have a Brahma, Americauna, Barred Rock, and a couple of Silkies. What would be a good fit with them? Should I stick with more of what I have or can I add new ones? (I have heard Wyandottes are good and calm...)

I am still "newer" to chickens. But I am glad Igot my first chicks last year from hatchey stock. That way I could figure out what I like. I really LIKE them ALL. But there are some I fell in love with. I love Orphington, Astraulorp, Dottes. I want one of each, plus the Sussexs I'm ordering, and maybe a Welsummer. We are also getting 2 silkies. those will be in a separate mini coop because those are for 4H and our project is going to be trying to sell silkies. Not sure where it will go... but it is a project.

@artsyrobin if you're feeding Sonny fermented feed that explains his dramatic improvement in just a week. I've been feeding fermented scratch slopped overtop layer pellets for a few months now and this stuff really *is rocket fuel. Once it's warmer I'm going to set barrels outside for it in the shade somewhere. Right now I'm feeding about a 5 gal bucket a day but I have to keep it inside. I don't know what it is about that stuff but it'll pack some weight on them in a hurry.

@NanaKat where did you get your Heritage Cochin? Are those the ones from Bo? So very tempting. I've been stuck in this Chicken Candy Store for 3 yrs come spring and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight for me :-/

How many chickens are you feeding with 5 gallons a day? I am interested in trying the fermented feed.

I also would like to have a chochin. But I have read that they are poor layers. Since I need good layers I can't have one. bummer.

Update on my Splash Marans with Cocci. This morning I did the usual feeding and adding water by syringe. I left for Arkansas and when I got back this late afternoon all of them were eating on their own!

I was SO worried because we were gone longer than I intended. Still keeping a watch on them but I am so happy to say they are not lethargic and having to be syringe fed tonight. I think my problem was that my babies are in the garage. We have our drier vent connected to the garage and I was doing a lot of laundry to get caught up one weekend. All that humidity I think is what caused the problem.

They will be leaving to the shop as soon as weather and their health permits.


Happy Happy Happy!!! I have my eggs gathered for hatching this first part of cruddy weather pre-Spring!!!

So excited!!! My chicken math has really gone over board this time. My trip to Arkansas was to get eggs from a breeder for SFH and Olive egger eggs. Then my main stop was for my heritage breed of Light Sussex at Heritage Hill Poultry Farm. You can look them up on Facebook. The breeder was SO nice and gave my daughter and I a little tour. Even though it was SO COLD we still enjoyed seeing all of what he had. He has such a great variety! And one of my favorites was his black English Orpingtons! Oh my goodness those birds were gorgeous!!!!!

I have to have some but they are so expensive. So now I will search for eggs to hatch. So...
Does anyone happen to have an incubator I can borrow???

I promise to give it back in the same condition I get it! I just happen to have so many eggs that hatch at different dates that I need to find one to incubate in while I hatch in this one I am using now. A friend of mine just happened to loan this one to me and she asked if I could hatch some for her. Now that I am up to 36 eggs for myself I am in dire need to find something that will give me room to have separate lock down dates. I would GREATLY appreciate it! I promise we have a roach and smoke free house and take better care of things that I borrow than my own.

Cant wait for some babies!!!

I am so glad to hear your chicks are better!! Yay!!

True... if your kids are in 4H.... you can actually rent an incubator from them. Call the OSU extention office. I think it is like $10.00 for an incubator. But you have to have it back in my mid Feb because they start the Embryology program in March.

Cheryl, the eggs i gave you will either be selfblue or black. This groups mama went broody and is raising them, once she starts laying again....LOL!


The way i do fermented feed is combine in a 5 gal bucket crumble, scratch and acv water till you can mix it up, adding water if needed- let set a few days and once it bubbles dish it out, add more crumble and scratch to replentish as you use it, i stir it a couple times a day- it will smell like sour dough starter- they love it

Robin how many chickens do you feed a day with 5 gallons?

@NotSuperWoman

The hen you commented on a few posts back is a welsummer

Thanks! Adding that one to my list. That hen was gorgeous! I loved the coloring.

Anyone going to the Crozier auction in Checotah on the 31st? I need to figure out how I'm going to keep two toddlers corralled and entertained. I've got a lot of re-learning to do.

What time is the auction? I would love to try to go, if I can get off work in time. lol.

 

[SimplyMe_AngieD]

On Speckled Sussex I found this in Arkansas:
http://shop.gabbardhatchingeggs.com/collections/hatching-eggs/products/speckled-Sussex

I really like that this one is so close. It really is within driving distance.

However. There is no email contact I can find. And the last time the blog was updated was in 2011. I can't even find it on FB. So I do not know if they are even in business still?

 

[artsyrobin]

I have a "Big Momma", too. But she is a Black Orpington, the largest of the flock. Last summer she sat on my lap every time I took a break outside. Even today, she follows me all over the place, clucking. So I stop and pick her up and carry her under my left arm while I am doing chores and checking on the other chickens. A neighbor saw how friendly she is and wanted to buy her, but I won't let her go.

Good for you!!! I wouldn't either

The way i do fermented feed is combine in a 5 gal bucket crumble, scratch and acv water till you can mix it up, adding water if needed- let set a few days and once it bubbles dish it out, add more crumble and scratch to replentish as you use it, i stir it a couple times a day- it will smell like sour dough starter- they love it

Robin how many chickens do you feed a day with 5 gallons?

It isn't their only food, they get crumble too, but i have an old stockpot i fill in the evening for them, that group there are 17

Then i give a couple scoops to each of the other little groups- 4 in one pen and 5 bantams in the tractor, and any broody and chicks i may have- almost afraid to count!! Oh, and the guineas sneak in to get some too, so i replentish every nite- lets see what chicken math has come up with

26 outside, 16 refugees from the cold inside- seramas, silkies, 2 broodies- my goal in spring is a couple more tractors from todd @CustomCoops - it gets real noisy in the morning!

 

[NanaKat]

There is actually a wonderful thread on Heritage Breeds under Breeds, Genetics and Showing. The one originally started by Bob Blosl was made into a sticky note teaching thread to preserve the wealth of information Bob started. He died late last year.

Phase II is also called Heritage.

By Bob's definition a Heritage breed has a 50 year or longer history and has been accepted by the American Poultry Association with a description in the Standard of Profection. And often the original strains are hard to find and are being conserved.

Heritage breeders prefer to breed their flock to the standards set by the APA and often show their birds. They look at dual purpose as part of the history which sustains a birds age in the production feature.


Hatchery birds have been developed for a particular side of production...either as layers or meat birds instead of both. Hens which are layers will burn out within a few years because they were designed to lay 5 -7 eggs a week. She can only do that so long. The cockerels in a layer breed may or may not make tasty meat. The hatchery Australorp is an example: a record of 364 eggs in one year.

Birds developed to be heavies are considered meat birds. They may not be the best layers. Your grocery store chicken is a meaty or heavy.


While the feathers may look the same on a hatchery vs Heritage breed, you can tell the difference between a heritage bred bird and a hatchery bred bird by their type, carriage and frame.

I have both hatchery Wyandotte (2 left) and also Heritage Wyandotte. There is a huge difference in their size, temperament, egg laying and meat quality. I have Heritage Cochin also.


That all being said, my layer flock has Australorp, Marans, Minorcas all purchased over the years from Atwoods from Ideal Hatchery. Diet and care contribute to the longevity of these egg producers. a few of my girls are 5 and 6 years of age and because of age are only laying 2-3 eggs a week.

My Cochin/Wyandotte cross birds are great mother birds, lay 5 eggs a week, and are nice dinner table birds.

That is wonderful information, thanks!  I will check out the thread you referenced.  You mentioned some of your birds that are from a hatchery will have a longer life span due to the fact that they only lay 2-3 times a week vs. 5-6.  How do you affect their laying frequency, by food?

Hatchery birds to be used as layers are designed to produce on just layer pellets for their 2 to 3 year productive life in a confined layer pen with limited exercise.
I get healthy strong girls who will age longer by allowing them to free range year round, supplementing in winter with fresh greens, adding meat protein occasionally, fresh water with Apple cider vinegar rotated with Oxine in addition to their 18% layer pellet and scratch and oyster shell.
As for proper care...provide an uncrowded dry draft free coop and sleeping roosts with plenty of good ventilation, plenty of nest boxes, clean pest-free nest bedding, scheduled pest management, an indoor dust box and shelter from summer heat.
I do supplement with red heat lamps in the layer room in winter but I don't add light bulbs to extend the hours of artificial light. Sunlight is more natural and I let the bird follow their own cycle.
As the hens have aged, their production has naturally decreased from the 5-7 eggs a week as young layers to the 2-3 as older hens. Several of my girls like NNN and Alice have been broody and raised chicks several times in their lifetime.