The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[camilleathome]

Camille has Australorps not Orpingtons. Most people aren't used to seeing the blue variety. They are pretty

Personally I like the top roosters as keepers. I find they are the least likely to lash out. It seems to be the betas or lower in the rooster order that lash out. At least in my flock, but no mean roosters left. Any attitudes were always low on the pecking order, never a head rooster.

how can I tell who is top rooster? I need to process one or two roosters probably tomorrow and need to pick who im doing.

 

[aoxa]

Vicki,

When breeding my two remaining CX girls with a Plymouth Rock Rooster (I probably will use a Silver Pencilled boy, they are faster at growing out), what age would their offspring be ready to dispatch?

I know it won't be as quick as their mother, but 12-16 weeks.. how big am I looking at?


Difference in size between the Barred and the Pencilled with just a week in age difference. You can see why I'd chose the pencilled over the barred.

My Barred Roosters are big, but they take a long time to get to that size. I figure the quicker they can be processed, the quicker I can cook them (broil) instead of worrying about the crock pot.

I'd be happy with a 3 pound bagged bird at 12 weeks to be honest. Is that too unrealistic?

 

[aoxa]

how can I tell who is top rooster? I need to process one or two roosters probably tomorrow and need to pick who im doing.

Top rooster: one that is the most manly and every other rooster respects. Sit out with them today, it's very nice out. Try to figure out flock dynamics. He will be mating the girls, and no other rooster will bother him.. IF they try to bother him while mating, they will get their butts handed to them.

 

[delisha]

here's a newbie breeding question: if you cross a brown egg layer (or white for that matter) with a rooster that is half ameracauna, can you get a blue egg layer? what if the rooster is pure bred? I know this is basic genetics, but I'm at a total loss here.

You usually need the blue egg gene on both sides to produce blue eggs. You might get olive or a green shade on some hens when bred to a brown egg producer. With a white egg you will possibly get sky blue on some hens. The gene will be there on both sides for the next generation.

Vicki,

When breeding my two remaining CX girls with a Plymouth Rock Rooster (I probably will use a Silver Pencilled boy, they are faster at growing out), what age would their offspring be ready to dispatch?

I know it won't be as quick as their mother, but 12-16 weeks.. how big am I looking at?


Difference in size between the Barred and the Pencilled with just a week in age difference. You can see why I'd chose the pencilled over the barred.

My Barred Roosters are big, but they take a long time to get to that size. I figure the quicker they can be processed, the quicker I can cook them (broil) instead of worrying about the crock pot.

I'd be happy with a 3 pound bagged bird at 12 weeks to be honest. Is that too unrealistic?

Not at all and you will be surprised at how fast they grow. You will have 4 lb birds at that age. (depending on weather). I have a few at that age and I will weigh them and let you know.

 

[aoxa]

You usually need the blue egg gene on both sides to produce blue eggs. You might get olive or a green shade on some hens when bred to a brown egg producer. With a white egg you will possibly get sky blue on some hens. The gene will be there on both sides for the next generation.

Not at all and you will be surprised at how fast they grow. You will have 4 lb birds at that age. (depending on weather). I have a few at that age and I will weigh them and let you know.

Thanks Vicki! I appreciate that

They were the smallest at the time, but not because they are slow growers. They just weren't as aggressive with food as the others. They are HEAVY now. I'm going to house them separately with the geese this winter. I need to watch their feed intake. The geese need to lose some of their keel for breeding season.

 

[lalaland]

here's doofus, my lav orp roo - you can see why I looked at camilea's blue lorps and thought they were lav orps





he hasn't even really pinked up yet with his wattles and comb. with his hackles, though, he's got to be a roo. he'll be culled as an extra next weekend - I think - unless I go for him as a very gentle roo.
so hard to choose!

 

[lalaland]

vicki, when I thought I had at least one araucana, you said not likely because they are rare. Here's edie, I guess she does have a tail sort of, so she must be an americauna. Hard to tell, since I have those sulmtaler chicks and lord knows they are rare.

 

[aoxa]

vicki, when I thought I had at least one araucana, you said not likely because they are rare. Here's edie, I guess she does have a tail sort of, so she must be an americauna. Hard to tell, since I have those sulmtaler chicks and lord knows they are rare.

She's Ameraucana. Her tail just hasn't developed fully yet by the looks of it. She looks like Margaret did, but bigger!

 

[armorfirelady]

Lala beautiful hen and Roo. Good name choice for the hen

 

[aaggjg]

I just have to share my silly white Silkies ... They love to play chicken & have stare downs!