Texas

[bnjrob]

I am curious as to what to look for as far as breeding. Once our JGs and NNs get old enough we want to begin breeding, as we already have people around us wanting chicks (and our chicks aren't even here yet). There are a few people around us that are wary of ordering and having chicks shipped and would rather buy them from a local person, which I totally get.

Depends on what you want to breed for and what goals you have for your flock.

I breed towards the SOP (standard of perfection) set forth by the APA (Am. Poultry Assoc) in order to get a dual purpose meat/egg homestead bird like my chosen breed was back in the 1800s. Yes, the APA does have shows, but there is more about the SOP than just making a "pretty chicken".

You can choose to breed for egg production, meat production, feather color, egg color, or simply to propagate a flock so you don't have to keep buying chickens when you lose some or a combination of things - really just depends on your preferences and goals as to what to breed for and that will help you decide what to look for when you are looking at which birds to breed.

If you want to do more serious breeding, I would recommend getting the SOP book (about $50) from the APA. Not only is the breed standards in there for the recognized breeds, but there is also a lot of other information useful when doing serious breeding.

Don't let the the pomposity of some of the "show people" scare you off. NOt everyone is snarky.

 

[Italia]

Dr. Temple Grandin referred to them as "rapist roosters."

Here's a link to an excerpt from one of her books:
http://www.grandin.com/inc/animals.make.us.human.ch7.html

It is a very interesting read.

Dr. Temple Grandin is a professor at I think it is Colorado State. She's famous for designing processing plants and making the whole thing humane. She's an interesting individual, being diagnosed with autism. I've learned a lot about slaughter from reading her articles.

That is very interesting. Thanks for posting Jajeanpierre. I found the part below very odd.

Before the 1990s there weren’t any rapist roosters. They just suddenly appeared out of the blue. First it was just one strain of roosters that had become aggressive but within a couple of years almost all strains had developed the same behavior

 

[galanie]

galanie, do you still do fermented feed?  I want to start doing it, and have some "cooking".  I talked to Bee about it on an IM, and I think I have it down, was just curious about your results!  Or any other fermented feeders results.  Also we are getting our babies in this week and next week (Yaay!  40 more chickens!) and wanted to know about feeding it to the little ones.  Thanks!! 

I had stopped for a while but I'm back at it again, more or less. Mine isn't completely fermented always but let me explain how I'm doing it. I'm putting like 1/2 gallon of feed in a 5 gallon bucket then soaking it. After it's soaked up all the water it will, I make sure it's about like oatmeal then add the ACV and stir it. Sometimes if I've let the bucket run all the way down I just feed it like that and let the rest do it's thing. Whenever it gets low, more goes in. So it's not always really fermented but then I don't have a heavy messy thing either. And it's inside the back door. I found that when I left it out I just got a sour nasty mess with gnats and flies in it. No matter what I tried, it would eventually get gnats and/or flies in there and just reek like .. well you know. A lot.

Oh yes, I like it. I try to glop an amount in the feed bowl that they'll clean up by roost time. Helps to keep them just a bit hungry. But no runny butts or racing stripes!

As for the little ones, they should love it.

 

[mandaleigh1981]

I had stopped for a while but I'm back at it again, more or less. Mine isn't completely fermented always but let me explain how I'm doing it. I'm putting like 1/2 gallon of feed in a 5 gallon bucket then soaking it. After it's soaked up all the water it will, I make sure it's about like oatmeal then add the ACV and stir it. Sometimes if I've let the bucket run all the way down I just feed it like that and let the rest do it's thing. Whenever it gets low, more goes in. So it's not always really fermented but then I don't have a heavy messy thing either. And it's inside the back door. I found that when I left it out I just got a sour nasty mess with gnats and flies in it. No matter what I tried, it would eventually get gnats and/or flies in there and just reek like .. well you know. A lot.

Oh yes, I like it. I try to glop an amount in the feed bowl that they'll clean up by roost time. Helps to keep them just a bit hungry. But no runny butts or racing stripes!
As for the little ones, they should love it.

Thank you! That sounds about like what I did. I am waiting till it gets fermented to start, and then I'll add as I pull out. I think they are gonna like it; my birds don't seem to be as picky as many of the others I have heard of on the forums. But then I only give em as much as they eat til roost time, and no more.

 

[uglychickens]

LOL it just brought to mind how DH seems to always be "frisky" when I am totally busy doing dishes, or laundry, or sweeping. And how I am always just a little irritated, like SERIOUSLY?  This can't wait 10 mins? 
  

My DH says seeing me do that stuff is what makes him "frisky" like he don't see me doing that every day?!?

 

[uglychickens]

 

[mandaleigh1981]

My DH says seeing me do that stuff is what makes him "frisky"

like he don't see me doing that every day?!?

Maybe its just an excuse? Cause I really think that is what is going on

In other news, it has been raining all day! Maybe because I started my fermented feed and then put it on the back porch? And now I don't want to go out and check it or mess with it cause its pouring outside? If so, I promise to start a batch every single day so we can get some rain!

 

[mandaleigh1981]

I totally love the little slap guy! He is AWESOME. The 5 year old saw and is laughing uncontrollably. Kinda like this little guy.

I shall now refer to this little blue guy as RJ.

 

[jajeanpierre]

That is very interesting. Thanks for posting Jajeanpierre. I found the part below very odd.

Before the 1990s there weren’t any rapist roosters. They just suddenly appeared out of the blue. First it was just one strain of roosters that had become aggressive but within a couple of years almost all strains had developed the same behavior

When you understand that commercial chickens are produced by very few breeders, it makes more sense.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Thanks! I am not necessarily looking for show quality birds, but of course I would like to only breed the best of what I DO have.

Breeders will ship day-old chicks. I think one should breed to the Standards of Perfection, which means breeding towards show quality birds. Top show breeders will ship.