Poultry Breeds of Spanish Ancestry

[ronott1]

Ron, does selecting for abdominal capacity breed out the knock kneed problem? I've never had it and I hope I don't so I'm wondering if there is a way to deal with it.

There is something to that and I did use the body shape and size to pick the breeding Cock for the Arkansas Blues. It seems to have worked for size since the pullets are bigger this year.

The knock knee is slight so I am going to not use the ones that are knock kneed for breeding. I did the same thing for leg color last year and it worked well. The Pita Pintas lay eggs so well it is amazing. They molted this fall and stopped laying for one week! They are back to 5 or 5 eggs each a week again while the hens in the layer pen are still sputtering after 5 weeks....

I really do not want to mess up their productivity. Also, no health issues with them. @PetRock did treat for cocci though.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Hi guys! I just wanted to share one of my cockerels that is growing out. I'm pretty excited about him. He has a lot of growing to do still and he is still in his gangly stage and he's not perfect nor breathtaking (almost) but I like him a lot! I've got high hopes for him! He is one who is better than his parents. Who knows what his next molt will uncover?

 

[ronott1]

Hi guys! I just wanted to share one of my cockerels that is growing out. I'm pretty excited about him. He has a lot of growing to do still and he is still in his gangly stage and he's not perfect nor breathtaking (almost) but I like him a lot! I've got high hopes for him! He is one who is better than his parents. Who knows what his next molt will uncover?

Good Job!

It is nice getting improvement.

 

[Henthused]

Hi Lacy Blues,
He is a good looking cockerel. How old is he and how large do you expect him to be? More pictures after surviving the molt, please.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I didn't keep very good records this past hatching season. I have it written down but it is so jumbled and disorganized that I don't really feel like attempting to transcribe it all. I will guess that he is between 5 and 6 months. I expect he will nearly double in size. He'll get a lot longer and a lot more sleek! He should be a stunner.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Oh, and thanks!

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Hi guys! I just wanted to share one of my cockerels that is growing out. I'm pretty excited about him. He has a lot of growing to do still and he is still in his gangly stage and he's not perfect nor breathtaking (almost) but I like him a lot! I've got high hopes for him! He is one who is better than his parents. Who knows what his next molt will uncover?

i like the lacing a lot and love the white earlobes. i think he's going to be a good looking fella

 

[Lacy Blues]

Thank you Jason.

 

[cooliechick]

Rather than being a mixed breed, I am wondering if it is possible that my white roo is a "sport". Could I use him in a way that would help decide this? His legs and beak are all dark/grey, and his earlobes are white. I just moved him and the possible crele cross in with two of my PP/BCM hens. I really like those two grown hens and they are now laying. They are very handsome girls.

I have two more of that cross in the youngster pen, and plan on moving them into the same pen soon. One of those younger girls is mostly black with gold shafts in the feathers on her neck and chest. Talk about a pretty feathering. All four are differently marked even though they are all black with some partridge markings. I will have to get some photos taken of them. They are all by the same BCM rooster and out of my better PP hens. I sold him this summer and DO NOT miss his nastiness.

So now, things should settle down and be more peaceful in my pure PP coop. Two roosters was causing some disturbance. As they are finishing up in size and maturity, it was also becoming a tad crowded.

The last few days I have spent winterizing pens (large dog kennels) by putting up tarps on the sides to block wind/rain/snow and, metal roofing on the tops. I hope we don't get any wet heavy snows this year that could damage the metal roofs. I wish I could afford some hog panels right now, as three of those make a very nice coop when bent into hoops and covered with heavy plastic tarps. They are light too, and easily moved around. Here are directions for making them. http://www.raincreekpottery.com/Pages/HoopCoopChickenTractor.aspx

Hope all is well with

 

[ronott1]

Some pictures of my Spanish breeds:

Pita Pinta

Hen in nest box



pullets





Partridge Penedesenca



Crele Pene x Cream Legbar