Old and Rare Breeds

[cluck-cluck]

I'm wondering if I'm seeing things, or not. Being new to "breeding" (Not calling myself a breeder, I am just starting out with what I've got on hand) but this batch of chicks I have growing up seem so much more vigorous, healthy and larger than their parents (it seems). The only difference is that they were hatched and are being raised by a mother hen rather than myself and a brooder with chick feed?!?! Am I seeing things, or do you all experience the same results from a mama hen raising the young?

Anyway, it would be awesome if they really were growing more vigorously and ended up larger as what I have is puny! LOL

Ugg! I misplaced my scale and can't find it

 

[heritagehabitatfarms]

idk about them being larger as an adult but chicks always seem to do better with a mother hen...

I'm wondering if I'm seeing things, or not. Being new to "breeding" (Not calling myself a breeder, I am just starting out with what I've got on hand) but this batch of chicks I have growing up seem so much more vigorous, healthy and larger than their parents (it seems). The only difference is that they were hatched and are being raised by a mother hen rather than myself and a brooder with chick feed?!?! Am I seeing things, or do you all experience the same results from a mama hen raising the young?

Anyway, it would be awesome if they really were growing more vigorously and ended up larger as what I have is puny! LOL

Ugg! I misplaced my scale and can't find it

 

[cluck-cluck]

I'm finding their progress to be amazing, and just can't get over it, LOL. Or maybe time is flying by faster than the first time around.

 

[saladin]

Truthfully, there should be little to no difference if done properly. A mother hen is just as capable of errors with chicks as you are. Here are just a couple of examples I've seen:

1. Hen's eating their chicks.
2. Hen's letting the chicks get wet and drown.

 

[cluck-cluck]

I guess it probably is all in my head (thinking they're growing bigger, etc...) Time will tell

 

[DTchickens]

Truthfully, there should be little to no difference if done properly. A mother hen is just as capable of errors with chicks as you are. Here are just a couple of examples I've seen:

1. Hen's eating their chicks.
2. Hen's letting the chicks get wet and drown.

I agree; but I would say it may be possible for the offspring to be larger given genetics would play into effect. The parents may be small, but they could throw large offspring (especially if the birds are from two separate lines), or the parents could be large but throw slower growing offspring or small offspring, etc.

I have never experienced any size difference in birds raised by hens versus the birds I hatched in a incubator and brooded; I have noticed differences in birds that were pen raised by some, that they typically come smaller. I've always heard people liken this to them being enclosed, and kind of like a fish tank "fish only grow to the size of their tank" but I think it is more along the lines that birds eat more healthily on the yard than when in pens primarily regarding protein.

I've had birds in pens that came about the same size as the birds on the yard, or bigger. I just supplemented with protein primarily, longer than most would have. I think it is along the same lines for late-hatch birds, being late hatch they're still growing in the fall/winter months when most insects and a lot of plant vegetation is dying or already gone but birds hatched early where they have full access to it all before the others are generally healthier birds so they grow more efficiently.

I'm sure you could correct me though, if I am wrong doc?

God bless,
Daniel.

ETA: Errors I've seen as well are clumsy hens that step on chicks, hens that walk off and leave chicks, among others. I've not seen one eat their chicks yet, but I believe it. Another thing would be a mother poor at free ranging herself, and as a result the chicks are usually poor free rangers but this is probably due to genetics. I've noticed this is more so with domesticated breeds like Leghorns rather than say, a game.

 

[cluck-cluck]

I have witnessed my mother hen finding bugs and giving them to her chicks, so there may be something to that! I also think it really helps that in this case, the mother is the alpha hen in the coop

I'm going to remember that about growing them out in the spring when bugs are more abundant! I never thought of that, but I suspect it's quite true! Thanks for those thoughts, my birds need all the help they can get, LOL

 

[fowlman01]

lol.... The Secretary at the time, the vice president, and 2 district directors all stated publicly that there goal was to change the standard... Rumor indeed... As soon as the story blew up all over the Internet the tune changed dramatically lol...

They make all this noise publically, but they never contacted the APA to ask what it takes to change something. It would be amusing if the breeds were not hurt so badly by these 2-3 clubs for the same breed situations. It's all about ego, making a mark and trying to be important...they never improve the breed, nor do they stay in poultry long.

Walt

 

[OSUman]

I just got off the phone with the UOC Secretary and she said she never said that. Also, how you got in touch with the Vice President at that time is beyond me, no one from the club had been able to get in touch with her for a few years. Right now what you are saying is libel.

lol.... The Secretary at the time, the vice president, and 2 district directors all stated publicly that there goal was to change the standard... Rumor indeed... As soon as the story blew up all over the Internet the tune changed dramatically lol...
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[Sonia]

Do yokohamas and sumatras count?