The Trap Nesting Thread

[briancady413]

This thread's been very interesting. I imagined trapnests wouldn't let a bird out. I wonder if the approach would work for laying ducks.

Thanks, Manoz, and sorry about all your losses over these years. I imagine it's even a worse setback to lose a bird you know the production of.

Is there away to record laying that would work for someone working away during the day?

I wonder if, with ducks, one can, at dusk, put them in a nest that traps them out, but lets them out in the morning, after they lay, to graze.

Edit: I meant to write " I imagined trapnests wouldn't let a bird IN."
See, I thought one had to physically put the birds into their specific nest at night. This whole in versus out thing *whew* This is why i failed at peekaboo. ;-)

 

[Rhinoman]

This thread's been very interesting. I imagined trapnests wouldn't let a bird out. I wonder if the approach would work for laying ducks.

Thanks, Manoz, and sorry about all your losses over these years. I imagine it's even a worse setback to lose a bird you know the production of.

Is there away to record laying that would work for someone working away during the day?

I wonder if, with ducks, one can, at dusk, put them in a nest that traps them out, but lets them out in the morning, after they lay, to graze.

You could just keep hens in small individual pens. You can rotate a male between a couple of pens. Just be consistent about which pens you put your males in otherwise that will be an unknown variable.

Ultimately the goal is to improve the production and QUALITY of standard bred birds, never sacrifice type for production.

If the goal were simply production, well there are plenty of places to buy good production birds

 

[genesis1verse1]

If the goal were simply production, well there are plenty of places to buy good production birds

That is true, but I am interested in actually improving the production aspects of heritage breeds which is now lacking due to the strong selection for type over production quality. For example, the Black Australorp used to be known for very high production of eggs and held records for it as well. Now they are pretty average in production ability. I find the goal of increasing production while staying true to type very exciting and trap nesting is essential for that purpose.

 

[briancady413]

Genesis1, One good thing about working to re-select for egg laying ability is that you know that among your Black Australorp's chicken's ancestors the ability, and the genetic diversity for that ability, existed.
In other words, one can get stuck trying to select an apple from a box of oranges. Waiting for the right set of mutations to appear together may take eons. If the genetic trait(s) is/are already within the birds you're working with, one can select for it/them more easily and more quickly, as I understand it.

Did that make sense?

 

[genesis1verse1]

briancady413, yes it makes a lot of sense. I have learned recently that it is also best to start with as large a group as possible and select only the best from those.

I made the mistake early last year of getting only a handful of Speckled Sussex to breed from and since then I have learned that it is far better to get a straight run (like I did with Dominique's late last year) and select from that larger group. I didn't have any thing to compare the quality of what I got to since I got only one cockerel and three pullets. I suspect that I may have gotten a runt for a rooster but I can't tell since he is the only one I have right now. When I got my straight run of Dominiques from cackle hatchery I could easily see major differences in size and strength between them. That was a lesson learned.

What will be even better though, is to get a good start of hatching eggs from a breeder who has already selected good quality and start with that. In hindsight that is what I should have done instead of hatcheries and what I will do from now on if I can help it.

 

[Rhinoman]

That is true, but I am interested in actually improving the production aspects of heritage breeds which is now lacking due to the strong selection for type over production quality. For example, the Black Australorp used to be known for very high production of eggs and held records for it as well. Now they are pretty average in production ability. I find the goal of increasing production while staying true to type very exciting and trap nesting is essential for that purpose.

Exactly what I intend to do, except with Ancona's instead of Australorps.

There's a book I've referred to before: High Egg Production for Individual Hens, Pens and Flocks, It's availiable here at Google books for free.

http://books.google.com/books?id=GS...on in individual hens pens and flocks&f=false

for anyone interested in trap nesting it's an absolute must read. Many breeders bred simply for production but many also bred for SOP and production. The most surprising thing about the book is that a LOT of different breeds when properly managed with trap nest had excellent egg production.

 

[dretd]

Quote:
Rhinoman--Thank you so much for providing this link, I am looking forward to reading it!

Surprisingly in the intro they say that the average flock production (from the 1920 Census) was 55.2 eggs/bird/year. All I can say is, wow, this is an unexpected statistic.

 

[anakonia]

Thank you for all the info on here! I was trying to figure out just what was the best way to figure out who is laying what. I greatly appreciate it !

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That is true, but I am interested in actually improving the production aspects of heritage breeds which is now lacking due to the strong selection for type over production quality. For example, the Black Australorp used to be known for very high production of eggs and held records for it as well. Now they are pretty average in production ability. I find the goal of increasing production while staying true to type very exciting and trap nesting is essential for that purpose.

I agree. Production, at least to historical levels is an important goal. IMHO, vigor is my primary goal. Wimpy birds won't help the breed. Birds that aren't productive, won't help the breed so that's my second goal. Then shape, then color (feathers, legs, beak, skin, lobes) and then other things like comb and lobes.

Genesis1, One good thing about working to re-select for egg laying ability is that you know that among your Black Australorp's chicken's ancestors the ability, and the genetic diversity for that ability, existed.
In other words, one can get stuck trying to select an apple from a box of oranges. Waiting for the right set of mutations to appear together may take eons. If the genetic trait(s) is/are already within the birds you're working with, one can select for it/them more easily and more quickly, as I understand it.

Did that make sense?

Makes sense.

Exactly what I intend to do, except with Ancona's instead of Australorps.

There's a book I've referred to before: High Egg Production for Individual Hens, Pens and Flocks, It's availiable here at Google books for free.

http://books.google.com/books?id=GS...on in individual hens pens and flocks&f=false

for anyone interested in trap nesting it's an absolute must read. Many breeders bred simply for production but many also bred for SOP and production. The most surprising thing about the book is that a LOT of different breeds when properly managed with trap nest had excellent egg production.

Thanks for that link.

Rhinoman--Thank you so much for providing this link, I am looking forward to reading it!

Surprisingly in the intro they say that the average flock production (from the 1920 Census) was 55.2 eggs/bird/year. All I can say is, wow, this is an unexpected statistic.

I read that it was 100. 55 was much earlier.

 

[genesis1verse1]

I agree. Production, at least to historical levels is an important goal. IMHO, vigor is my primary goal. Wimpy birds won't help the breed. Birds that aren't productive, won't help the breed so that's my second goal. Then shape, then color (feathers, legs, beak, skin, lobes) and then other things like comb and lobes.

One thing I have discovered thanks to trapnesting is that in most cases vigor and health is directly related to laying ability. Any time a chicken gets hurt or sick or just isn't healthy in general, it shows up in a major way in egg production.