The Front Porch Swing

[Beekissed]

Yep. My birds will never see a show but they will be a good bird in all ways. I'll have to study the SOP on WRs a good bit to see what is supposed to be proper form for the breed. I know what I like to see in a bird but not sure what is expected by others.

I like WRs because of all the chickens out there they are all I admire in a bird, dog or person....big, mostly muscle but a good layer of cushion, don't eat a lot, work hard, good hair/fur/ feathers, calm, good disposition, productive, hardy, clean and beautiful, tough and they have presence. They just make life easy all the way around because they are so versatile and easy care.

 

[bruceh]

no doubt. most of these heritage birds need work. they lay like crap. i used to argue with bob often about this. he would always say build the bird . worry about egg laying last. my argument that is fine but you will have a bunch of birds that you can't breed. im working on the egg laying ability as well. yes bee forage and survival skills are a must. the thing i like about good sheperd's line which goes back ringlet. frank reese put white rock into his birds. nice meat on them. however they lay like crap. will see.
i never have trap nest. i like the good old lipstick. makes the pullets feel pretty. my idea is to have a good looking bird that lays 1/2 way descent 4 -5 a week, good illness resistant , good foragers, good mothers etc. i want the bird to be back where it should be.
the barnevelder. the worst layer i have seen. 3 x per week and a a little darker then a deleware egg. my goodness these birds at one time put out eggs and dark ones. can i myself change them ? ha ha good luck. i think i can improve each year. however it will take years. i should be as lucky as bob. dieing looking at a bird he loved. as for me i will die in a coop. then the birds can eat me.
i still think o you every day bee. what you taught me. healthy chicken keeping, fermenting feed. it sure beats the old system. i so happy im out of the eating egg business. for now i can just enjoy these creatures.
you work on them whites. when the time comes you hand over some eggs or chicks to me. then i will work on them from there. that way you and i will always be connected. when a breeder hands their birds to me . it is not just the bird i get. it is the work and passion of the breeder i get.

 

[Beekissed]

I'll not keep a bird that can't lay 5 days out of 7, so the laying will improve or else. Heck, I've got ancient hatchery stock that can do that much. I can't imagine feeding chickens that only lay 3-4 days a week!

Fred says he breeds for productivity, so we are not alone. I think there are a few out there still breeding a chicken for what a chicken is supposed to be. That's one reason I fell in love with WRs...heavy breed, still lays like a trooper. A true dual purpose chicken is supposed to be good at both of those things. I think people get really spoiled by the commercial layers and the commercial broilers and they forget that the best of both worlds was always the dual purpose breeds. Why not have one breed that provides everything you need? That's what they were working for back in the day and it should be what we are working for now when raising DP breeds.

 

[bruceh]

yep that is the point . a dual purpose bird. i think fred has some kittle reds. i have not spoken to fred since the old timers thread. he knows my good freind jimmyj. . bee look at these reds. jimspetsandpoultry.weebly.com. jimmy is like a freaken lab. i was just reading jimmy's site . he has a
whole write up by fred.

 

[Beekissed]

yep that is the point . a dual purpose bird. i think fred has some kittle reds. i have not spoken to fred since the old timers thread. he knows my good freind jimmyj. . bee look at these reds. jimspetsandpoultry.weebly.com. jimmy is like a freaken lab. i was just reading jimmy's site . he has a
whole write up by fred.

Wow. Now those are birds.

I can't imagine having such things on my land but man I'd like to.....

 

[bruceh]

you should see them in person. just a site to see. i go to jimmy's about 3 -4 times a year. man o man . i died a went to heaven. i broke down and wrote fred. i will see if he writes back. im going to see jimmy on my trip . you want some red. i can pick you up some.

 

[Beekissed]

I would take his discards and feel like I had won the lottery...

No...going to concentrate on the WRs for now and see what can happen.

 

[Beekissed]

Started collecting eggs for my first experimental incubation and will start the clutch on the 8th, per good hatch dates from the Farmer's Almanac. The eggs are pullet eggs and the cockerel is very young and not vigorous, so all the odds are stacked against me from the start...I've not seen too many bull's-eyes on these eggs. The way I see it, this will be the ultimate test of this method and if I get a good hatch rate out of this mess, it's good. If I don't, there will still be further testing to be done.

If it's good I'll have some real mutt chickens to get rid of....I'll sell them as designer chicks.

Cochalorps, Cochirocks, Delachins. I can see it now! I'll ask $5 a chick and clean up...folks will be carrying them in their purses and taking them everywhere.

 

[TexasLisa]

Started collecting eggs for my first experimental incubation and will start the clutch on the 8th, per good hatch dates from the Farmer's Almanac. The eggs are pullet eggs and the cockerel is very young and not vigorous, so all the odds are stacked against me from the start...I've not seen too many bull's-eyes on these eggs. The way I see it, this will be the ultimate test of this method and if I get a good hatch rate out of this mess, it's good. If I don't, there will still be further testing to be done.

If it's good I'll have some real mutt chickens to get rid of....I'll sell them as designer chicks.

Cochalorps, Cochirocks, Delachins. I can see it now! I'll ask $5 a chick and clean up...folks will be carrying them in their purses and taking them everywhere.

Bee I think you have a GREAT idea! Now when you sell them, you have to sell designer's diapers to go with them.

Lisa

 

[Beekissed]

Oh, yes!! With pics of their parents, their biography, their birthday and their siblings. A little photo album will accompany each chick and a small baggy of fermented feed for their first weeks of life. Diapers too. A little how to care for my baby pamphlet will be in the little birth basket as well...everything they need to know to care for their designer chick.

We laugh now but somewhere some chicken geek is reading this and the wheels are turning...and next year they will be featured on best new entrepreneurs, grinning next to Bill Gates.