- Aug 9, 2010
- 146
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Brice.............Randall Berkey Company in Texas has the Night Guards also. I have used them for 3 or 4 years now. They work, but not near as good as my Great Pyraneese!
Pastoral Poultry, Traditional Farming For A Modern Era
- Thread starter bayocum
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #112
- Thread starter
- #113
Pastoral Poultry People:
We will have approximately 15 White American Bresse chicks available for shipping a week from today/tomorrow. They will be approximately 1 week old at that time. We will ship via Express in a new Horizon box. We were hatching these for a customer that is now longer able to take the chicks. I wanted to offer them here before putting them up for auction...sort of keeping it in the family
. We have been thrilled so far with our birds and know you will really enjoy them. This is a great way to get started with this breed and spend your tax refund money...ha ha. If we don't hear from anyone by Tuesday, April 16th at noon (PDT), we will go ahead with an auction.
Thanks All!
-Brice
We will have approximately 15 White American Bresse chicks available for shipping a week from today/tomorrow. They will be approximately 1 week old at that time. We will ship via Express in a new Horizon box. We were hatching these for a customer that is now longer able to take the chicks. I wanted to offer them here before putting them up for auction...sort of keeping it in the family
Thanks All!
-Brice
OK so here's a question for you all who raise meat birds. Do you keep your own breeder flock for eggs? Or do you just buy straight run chicks of your chosen breed, raise them up, and then butcher them all?
I ask this because I'm wondering for those who keep a breeder flock, how do you measure a roosters worth? I really liked SJ's 40 point scale for hens. But I wonder if you could adapt one for a rooster. Maybe on size, temperament (I don't want anything in my flock that's aggressive), fertility, growth rate, etc.
Thoughts?
Paul
I ask this because I'm wondering for those who keep a breeder flock, how do you measure a roosters worth? I really liked SJ's 40 point scale for hens. But I wonder if you could adapt one for a rooster. Maybe on size, temperament (I don't want anything in my flock that's aggressive), fertility, growth rate, etc.
Thoughts?
Paul
- Thread starter
- #115
Hey Paul,
Yes, we will keep back some of our meat birds for breeders. We use leg tags right from the start (colored zip-ties, then numbered band when they are older). So those birds that are early feathering get identified right away. Then we do "regular-ish" weigh-ins to see how the birds are developing and take notes. We also observe structure and temperament as they grow and note this as well. When it comes time for processing, we review these notes and then make a selection for holding back breeders. So it's a sum-of-the-parts exercise. There is some literature out their (old books) in your library about poultry husbandry that will help you correlate genetic traits to production. In fact, I have the same book from the library that I have checked out about 12 times consecutively. I'm afraid to let it go. But not to worry, the librarian told me that if any one else requests it, I won't be able to renew. So apparently I'm the only one who care about it at the moment. Hope this is helpful!.
Brice
Yes, we will keep back some of our meat birds for breeders. We use leg tags right from the start (colored zip-ties, then numbered band when they are older). So those birds that are early feathering get identified right away. Then we do "regular-ish" weigh-ins to see how the birds are developing and take notes. We also observe structure and temperament as they grow and note this as well. When it comes time for processing, we review these notes and then make a selection for holding back breeders. So it's a sum-of-the-parts exercise. There is some literature out their (old books) in your library about poultry husbandry that will help you correlate genetic traits to production. In fact, I have the same book from the library that I have checked out about 12 times consecutively. I'm afraid to let it go. But not to worry, the librarian told me that if any one else requests it, I won't be able to renew. So apparently I'm the only one who care about it at the moment. Hope this is helpful!.
Brice
To bad there is not something like the Nite Guard to repel snakes. Saturday our beloved German Shorthair received his fifth bite in as many years. Bitten by a Copperhead on his neck. He encountered the snake while walking with my son. He is recovering quickly.
On the subject of meat chickens. Our Good Shepard Barred Rocks may lack a little in egg production but are fantastic foragers and very meaty.
Ron
On the subject of meat chickens. Our Good Shepard Barred Rocks may lack a little in egg production but are fantastic foragers and very meaty.
Ron
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- Thread starter
- #117
Do you have any pictures Ron?
Brice,
I will post some soon. I have 4 young hens and 2 roosters. I also have an option on some hatching eggs from a couple of trades. Jury is still out on this strain, they are going need work with feather quality and rate of lay. Both can be improved by selecting the fastest feathering offspring.
The hens are laying around 4 eggs a week and at 8 months old weigh around 7 pounds.
The cockerels at 8 months both weigh over 9.5 pounds.
Free range is the way to go with them because their appetite matches their weight.
Ron
I will post some soon. I have 4 young hens and 2 roosters. I also have an option on some hatching eggs from a couple of trades. Jury is still out on this strain, they are going need work with feather quality and rate of lay. Both can be improved by selecting the fastest feathering offspring.
The hens are laying around 4 eggs a week and at 8 months old weigh around 7 pounds.
The cockerels at 8 months both weigh over 9.5 pounds.
Free range is the way to go with them because their appetite matches their weight.
Ron
- Thread starter
- #119
Ron,
Do you have any concerns about free-ranging and meat quality? We have been increasing the amount of "range" our birds have access to, and are getting ready to process some heritage birds soon. Just wondering if you had any thoughts about ranging and meat quality. Or if anyone else has experience it would be great to hear it.
Thanks,
Brice
- May 10, 2012
- 6
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- 8
Just trying to keep the thread alive. Too much posted already to just let it die! 
I personally have learned a ton so far and want to keep it fresh,lol. Thanks everyone for all the info up to this point. By the way, on the Cornish x chickens, I read a thread on sustainable self site about someone that was raising them on ff and free range and they did great. But she started them out just like regular pullets and she said other than color they were pretty much just regular chickens that grew a bit faster. Hope that helps anyone that was curious. Mike
I personally have learned a ton so far and want to keep it fresh,lol. Thanks everyone for all the info up to this point. By the way, on the Cornish x chickens, I read a thread on sustainable self site about someone that was raising them on ff and free range and they did great. But she started them out just like regular pullets and she said other than color they were pretty much just regular chickens that grew a bit faster. Hope that helps anyone that was curious. Mike
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