The Wyandotte Thread

[Duramaxgirl]

Quote:
Well now mine lay good, but I wouldn't want to ruin them by adding something in that lays bigger eggs earlier. I'm just getting started with them really. I got an egg today that was larger looking but... its in the bator now before I had the chance to weigh it!

When do yours start laying? And do they lay large eggs soon like before 24-25 weeks?
What is the best breeder (not hatchery) wyandotte for large eggs and earlier laying?

 

[phasianidae]

Quote:
x2

 

[rtroxel]

Quote:
If I wanted production traits I'd have hatchery birds.

Well, that's fine, but you can get a lot more good show birds if your show birds lay well, early and are fertile. And if they grow fast and fill out well, your culls are worth much more, both for your pot and to those that buy them for meat. Obviously I don't raise my birds just for meat and eggs, but I certainly want my birds to be productive (which is included in the SOP before any of the actual show points).

Breeding for those points is my first focus and, although I don't do any record keeping for production traits, I admire those who are disciplined and care enough to do so. The Standard clearly puts emphasis on these traits and when I read any old literature, I see how important the old breeders thought they were. Breeding for early lay and egg size are such easy things to cull for, too. It's all in the eggs you set

I hope I don't sound short, I'm not trying to be. But really I do believe it is very important to emphasize production traits in show birds.

Also, when I made that comment, I wasn't saying that people shouldn't have them as show birds. I am simply saying that it is something to work on for any/everybody.

 

[phasianidae]

Quote:
If I wanted production traits I'd have hatchery birds.

Well, that's fine, but you can get a lot more good show birds if your show birds lay well, early and are fertile. And if they grow fast and fill out well, your culls are worth much more, both for your pot and to those that buy them for meat. Obviously I don't raise my birds just for meat and eggs, but I certainly want my birds to be productive (which is included in the SOP before any of the actual show points).

Breeding for those points is my first focus and, although I don't do any record keeping for production traits, I admire those who are disciplined and care enough to do so. The Standard clearly puts emphasis on these traits and when I read any old literature, I see how important the old breeders thought they were. Breeding for early lay and egg size are such easy things to cull for, too. It's all in the eggs you set

I hope I don't sound short, I'm not trying to be. But really I do believe it is very important to emphasize production traits in show birds.

 

[rtroxel]

Quote:
Well now mine lay good, but I wouldn't want to ruin them by adding something in that lays bigger eggs earlier. I'm just getting started with them really. I got an egg today that was larger looking but... its in the bator now before I had the chance to weigh it!

When do yours start laying? And do they lay large eggs soon like before 24-25 weeks?
What is the best breeder (not hatchery) wyandotte for large eggs and earlier laying?

Mine lay a little earlier than that probably 23-24 weeks. But they take a while to get big, too.

As far as adding in something: You shouldn't. It's a culling thing and most people don't have enough birds to really cull for egg size and point of lay.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
If I wanted production traits I'd have hatchery birds.

Well, that's fine, but you can get a lot more good show birds if your show birds lay well, early and are fertile. And if they grow fast and fill out well, your culls are worth much more, both for your pot and to those that buy them for meat. Obviously I don't raise my birds just for meat and eggs, but I certainly want my birds to be productive (which is included in the SOP before any of the actual show points).

Breeding for those points is my first focus and, although I don't do any record keeping for production traits, I admire those who are disciplined and care enough to do so. The Standard clearly puts emphasis on these traits and when I read any old literature, I see how important the old breeders thought they were. Breeding for early lay and egg size are such easy things to cull for, too. It's all in the eggs you set

I hope I don't sound short, I'm not trying to be. But really I do believe it is very important to emphasize production traits in show birds.

Also, when I made that comment, I wasn't saying that people shouldn't have them as show birds. I am simply saying that it is something to work on for any/everybody.

Mine lay very well once they start laying. I'd rather have them start when they're mature and not start when they're 15 or 16 weeks old and wear themselves out and die young. My roos are very fertile once they mature.

I don't show and have no plans to, but I do like my birds to look like they're supposed to, not what most hatcheries send out.

 

[featherz]

My BLRW started laying at 21 weeks. The eggs are a bit small, but they are laying every other day or so now (currently they are just under 24 weeks old). They started earlier than my hatchery SLW! (BLRW could be hatchery stock too, but not first gen, as I hatched their eggs).. I wasn't aware they were supposed to be late bloomers - matter of fact I was thinking one was a roo due to the 'early' wattles at about 18 weeks!

 

[Nava]

Quote:
Adorable. What breed are they?

they are BLRW

 

[Duramaxgirl]

Quote:
Well now mine lay good, but I wouldn't want to ruin them by adding something in that lays bigger eggs earlier. I'm just getting started with them really. I got an egg today that was larger looking but... its in the bator now before I had the chance to weigh it!

When do yours start laying? And do they lay large eggs soon like before 24-25 weeks?
What is the best breeder (not hatchery) wyandotte for large eggs and earlier laying?

Mine lay a little earlier than that probably 23-24 weeks. But they take a while to get big, too.

As far as adding in something: You shouldn't. It's a culling thing and most people don't have enough birds to really cull for egg size and point of lay.

Ok thanks! I do keep records of how many eggs are laid and I'm pretty sure I know who lays my biggest eggs, I'm out their all the time with them! I will be getting more to expand my flock in april so I should be able to start culling some soon for that trait. I had a trough type nest in their coop and at 27 weeks and still no egg I rebuilt the nesting trough into 4 nest boxes... the next day I got an egg. So they might have been holding off till I improved their housing.... dang birds!

 

[cathunter10]

Quote:
I don't know where you got yours from but they are s-l-o-w maturing breed. I don't think I've ever had a pullet that started laying before 25 weeks at the earliest and the roos are even slower to mature.

I did not say they were starting to lay I said they were singing.I know that they mature late But I do not wait tell the last minute to take care of my livestock.If something needs to be done get out and do it Katy if you go back and read my post you will see I said I thought they would be laying befor the cockrel was matured enough to be fertal.
Bill