Red Laced Cornish X and project talk (pics p. 8)

[Bossroo]

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Yes , IL , and it hasn't been necessary for me to get inspected yet for a NPIP # . I think any bird I would ship would first have to be vet inspected plus shipping would be pretty costly just to get a hatchery quality cockeral ; certainly would not be worth it to me if I were looking for one . I'm either culling all but one or maybe all of my WLRC cockerals this week if all goes as plans . Hopefully some of the WLRC pullets will start laying while my CX roos are still breeding [ and if they are capable in the first place ] and I'll offer hatching eggs for sale here at BYC if anyone wants them . My 4 CX pullets' combs went red this week and they are now in a breeding pen with a silver and red EE cockeral now waiting for the first eggs to be layed , and the EE will be replaced with a splash Ameraucana as soon as he matures . My other breeding pen is composed of three CX cockerals over WLRC , EE , and B/B/S Ameraucana pullets but not expecting any eggs there for at least another two months .
This was taken two days ago before they were divided into breeding pens , though the Ameraucana in the backgound have always been segregated . I built a creep feeder that allows the young Ameraucana access to full feed , but keeps the larger CX pullets from feeding , and now keeping them together .
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/44349_chickens_15_plus_weeks_002.jpg

Seeing the photos of selected parent birds... In Nature, with any breeding population , the resulting offspring follow the law of averages... the results end up half way between the parents in looks, size and behavior in most cases.

 

[SteveH]

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Thats sad Katy .
I'm slow getting around today . Got to get off here , pick up a load of feed , and go check the trap .

 

[laughaha]

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I'm so sorry!

Somehow one of my completely wild-broody raised-freerange-month old ee chicks managed to drown in the water dish last night. I have no clue how as it should have EASILY been able to jump back out. It really sucks when they die.

 

[sonew123]

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Thats sad Katy .
I'm slow getting around today . Got to get off here , pick up a load of feed , and go check the trap .

nooooooooooo Katy!!!! Im so sorry---That rots-how old were they???

 

[al6517]

Dang everybody !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I sure hate to hear all the bad luck as it surely will hamper your various breeding programs.

AL

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

mine didn't hamper my breeding program, just my freezer.
One of my good friends owns a hatchery, and like all hatcheries right now he had some excess chicks so I took home 12 two week olds and 28 one week olds . . . just to kill them that night. STUPID me, but the loss wasn't that big.

 

[sonew123]

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I would croak if that happened to me with my first meaties! I mean before I even had to try them...Your so lucky living near a hatchery

 

[SteveH]

I lost another chicken the night before last and spent a few hours hours adding two more hotwires . I tried to stay with them last night but never thought to take any DEET with me . At night huge swarms of mosquitoes come out on the river bottoms . I had to build a smoke fire in a small Weber to slow the mosquitoe attack and by a little after midnight decided my constant movement plus the smoke would make the chance of the culprit showing up pretty slim . I left a trap baited with sardines and another with chicken liver there . Going to set up a bug zapper today when I go to feed .
I did check into a custom ground feed and found I can save money there . The grower was only $8.99 per 40 lb. bag but because I don't want to register as a farmer have to pay sales tax on it , making it $9.66 , or a little over $0.24 per pound . Custom ground is just under $0.18 per lb. total and closer to me to boot , so I'll save considerable . I feel for people living outside of the grainbelt because I know they pay much more .

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

good luck on your night adventures tonight GET 'EM!!!!
do you have to buy the grain in bulk at that price?

I have right at 70 birds right now, and since the monthly addition of 50 lbs each of Red wheat, corn and BOSS I am only going through 2 50lb bags of flock raiser a week. That's right at 140.00 per month . . . so 2.00 a bird per month right? I know I could cut it down but I really do like Purina Flock Raiser.
And that's with only 10 birds free ranging right now.

 

[SteveH]

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When I asked about a minimum batch size they said they probably could lower their 500 lb minimum to 350 and I told them I was fine with 500 . For some reason they mixed a 400 lb batch instead , but that's really better for me anyway . It's what they've been mixing for their only layer customers for several years . It's just over 16% protein but I've been getting along with 17% grower bumped up with commercial cat food . Actually this layer mash is built on Kent Poultry Base so its better in some proteins than the crumbles I was buying before .
Nothing in either trap , but no losses , and thunderstorms tonight ; I'll stay home . Hopefully the new hotwire between the ground and the original bottom wire [ which was 4 to 6 inches high ] is zapping the critter . The second bird lost [ an EE cockeral with a smooth face and rose combed ] was marked for culling anyway , so I'm glad I did not find time to cull this past week . Whatever is at work likes to eat the head , neck , organs , and leaves the rest in the pen . From now on the traps will remain baited and set . The chickens should be grateful I've set the bug zapper up as I assume mosquitoes do chicken blood , and fried insects will be dropping into the pen nightly

I discovered last night that the biggest CX roo determines where they sleep . The WLRC try to get under his wings for warmth or security , he is looking for the coolest location so kept moving with the others following untill they were all sleeping outside by midnight .