Peeps in Europe!

[abpatchy]

I never posted the pictures. Eva, the breeder who brought me the white Sulmtaler eggs, took pictures of my birds. She has a fantastic camera!

 

[Erba]

I'm back searching for hatching eggs. I only have five pure Light Sussex hens and I missed yet another rooster so that makes three now, and !'m hoping one gets the right comb...lol. It's two different breeders though, so chances are good.

 

[abpatchy]

I'm back searching for hatching eggs. I only have five pure Light Sussex hens and I missed yet another rooster so that makes three now, and !'m hoping one gets the right comb...lol. It's two different breeders though, so chances are good.

Have you heard of Kenny Troiano and his Breeder's Academy? He has youtube videos (podcasts) as well as a website with his info and podcasts. Of course he wants to make money with memberships... but he has some fantastic information out there. He is all for line breeding. Because you never know what you are getting when you mix lines. You don't know the genes behind the birds even if you have a fantastic bird in front of you. The breeder I got my chickens from is only doing line breeding... no issues. That is why I am going to do line breeding.

 

[chickengr]

Today was the day!!!
116 eggs went into the incubator... 25 of which were white Sulmtaler eggs.

 

[chickengr]

I'm back searching for hatching eggs. I only have five pure Light Sussex hens and I missed yet another rooster so that makes three now, and !'m hoping one gets the right comb...lol. It's two different breeders though, so chances are good.

there is a chance you get chicks with good combs even if your roo hasn't got one. on the other hand there is no guarantee you will hatch chicks with good combs if both hen and roo has them. breeding is a hard work and takes years. that is what I have learned here. and I did get a chick with a perfect comb from 2 bad comb birds. unfortunately never had a chance to breed from him and lost him.

 

[chickengr]

one of my pekin pullets gave up sitting, and I put 7 eggs under the persisting one. then my 4 yo hen decided to lay another egg in the same nest and I just let it there. 8 total, 3-4 a bit old (2 - 2,5 weeks). time will tell. I had a 19 days old egg hatched. people say that if a chick is going to be female it does not matter if the egg is over 1 week old. hope this is true. I need 1 cockerel and the rest pullets - should I tell that my broody

 

[abpatchy]

there is a chance you get chicks with good combs even if your roo hasn't got one. on the other hand there is no guarantee you will hatch chicks with good combs if both hen and roo has them. breeding is a hard work and takes years. that is what I have learned here. and I did get a chick with a perfect comb from 2 bad comb birds. unfortunately never had a chance to breed from him and lost him.

that is a fact! That is true! But, the more bad features you keep breeding the more likely it is that they will resurface! That's why buying a rooster or hen at a show (for a lot of money mind you!! Ask me how I know ) is always a gamble. The reason? You don't know what the parents looked like and you don't know the genes. How many lines he crossed or if he has his own line that he breeds with. A breeder in our club keeps buying birds... and complains that the chicks that hatch have the wrong eye color or other problems. He breeds hundreds of chicks just a get a few good ones. He is mixing too many lines and can't predict the outcome. Your best bet is...find a breeder and get some adult birds... talk to him/her and how s/he breeds. Buy adult birds (or very young almost adults).
That is my opinion.

 

[abpatchy]

one of my pekin pullets gave up sitting, and I put 7 eggs under the persisting one. then my 4 yo hen decided to lay another egg in the same nest and I just let it there. 8 total, 3-4 a bit old (2 - 2,5 weeks). time will tell. I had a 19 days old egg hatched. people say that if a chick is going to be female it does not matter if the egg is over 1 week old. hope this is true. I need 1 cockerel and the rest pullets - should I tell that my broody

well, try... it can't hurt to tell her!! hahaha Good luck!

 

[Erba]

I am not going to hatch with any of my own eggs until I have culled the Roosters from Jan 20. They produce less than ideal weight offspring. Eventually give my friend the hens I still have, that don't fit the bill. He said he will take any hen I don't want. But that said, I also want eggs to eat and need enough hens for the then, only one mature rooster. That is why I am ordering eggs again and praying they get here in good condition. Then other thing is, these birds are not for show, so @abpatchy we have completely different goals. I want a good eating bird and good layer, with a good weight, and if I can get some to go broody, another trait that is few and far between in the Li.ght Sussex, then all the better.

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[abpatchy]

I am not going to hatch with any of my own eggs until I have culled the Roosters from Jan 20. They produce less than ideal weight offspring. Eventually give my friend the hens I still have, that don't fit the bill. He said he will take any hen I don't want. But that said, I also want eggs to eat and need enough hens for the then, only one mature rooster. That is why I am ordering eggs again and praying they get here in good condition. Then other thing is, these birds are not for show, so @abpatchy we have completely different goals. I want a good eating bird and good layer, with a good weight, and if I can get some to go broody, another trait that is few and far between in the Li.ght Sussex, then all the better.

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I understand. You were just talking about the comb so I thought you were aiming for looks as well.
I really don't know much about Sussex. But good goals. If I wouldn't breed for show (well, I have to breed for show) that is exactly what I would do. If they don't want to go broody, maybe keeping a couple of breeds like Wyandotte or Silkie that do? If you like the looks... Sundheimer get pretty big and lay lots of eggs.