Toad Raising.

[biophiliac]

So sorry to hear about Mr red... how old was he?

You will likely get the exact age from Mom of3, but I do know he was hatched this year.

 

[biophiliac]

Just thought I would pop on here to announce the sad news that Mr. Red died today. He was fine at 3:30 this afternoon and a few hours later dead. So I am down to just the one hen now. I really hope she makes it as I would like to cross her with my large cuckoo maran to help with the genetics at my place as I no longer have the rooster for breading. Hoping she makes it a few more months. They are pretty awesome birds though!

I too am sad about the passing of Mr. Red. Best luck with the remaining hen.

 

[duluthralphie]

You will likely get the exact age from Mom of3, but I do know he was hatched this year.

He was a spring hatch....not sure of date.

 

[biophiliac]

He was a spring hatch....not sure of date.

Condolences for Mr Red. Do you have any idea of the current population size of the Toads? your and those living elsewhere?

 

[duluthralphie]

I am guessing about 20...​

 

[Curnow]

I do not sell the toad hatching eggs. We have found they do not handle shipping well.

There are currently 3 of us very active in toad production and a few that are less active. We are working on a small "revision" to our toad recipe. Hopefully that will increase the hatch rate and viability of shipped eggs. Without changing the other traits we have on the toads.

Please do not ask what the revision is, as we want to keep it semi top secret in case it is a flop...and we look bad..

Love reading about Toads and what your have accomplished. I too have the desire to create a better meat chicken for myself. I am not overly adept at genetics, but I do enjoy my mixed flock of around 60 chickens. I have plans for breeding this spring, and hope to add some LF Cornish hens next year (fingers crossed)

I don't know if my 2 cents of experience will help with your plan. But this is what I have done (quite by accident) and had consistent results in crosses. It sounds and appears like going backward from the standpoint of creating a meaty bird. But if it can help in your project then GREAT!

This may get long, sorry in advance...
I have a Silver Spangled Appenzeller Spitzhauben rooster "Molly". I breed him to all my layers and ornamental for replacement hens, and for fun mixes. When crossed, the offspring retain most of the body shape as the hen, and do not lose much in size. The roosters become more upright. It has even added size to my small Sultans while adding larger eggs, and very dependable laying. The main advantage he has added is HARDINESS. Very active birds that are cold and heat tolerant with nice personalities and grow fairly fast. Much faster than a typical large heritage breed.

I know, this appears backwards!
I crossed Molly to a large Easter Egger hen. That gave me a full bodied, upright breasted type rooster "Wiley"' who is larger than father Spitzhauben. I crossed Wiley to a very large Blue Copper Marans hen. I now have an enormous upright rooster with long thick meaty legs and breast. He is active and hardy!

He is my new experimental breeding cock for next years batch of replacement hens and meat birds.

The short point of what I am not so eloquently saying is.....my one hatchery stock Spitzhauben rooster has done MUCH to improve the quality of my crosses. Whether it be with Brahmas, Sultans, Easter Egger, Marans, Orpingtons, etc. And an added benefit is that his offspring all prove to be broody even when crossed with a non broody breed like a Sultan. I have consistently been able to increase size from the original Spitzhauben rooster while making an active upright meaty bird.

Love watching this thread. Told the hubby about your Toads. Like everyone else he wants some !

So excited for you and the other Toad keepers... very jealous too!

Hope no one offended by my long post. Don't want to step on toes. Just sharing my happy crossing accidental experience. If it can help in any way...Great! If not, then file 13 it!...LOL!!

 

[Molpet]

Love reading about Toads and what your have accomplished. I too have the desire to create a better meat chicken for myself. I am not overly adept at genetics, but I do enjoy my mixed flock of around 60 chickens. I have plans for breeding this spring, and hope to add some LF Cornish hens next year (fingers crossed)

I don't know if my 2 cents of experience will help with your plan. But this is what I have done (quite by accident) and had consistent results in crosses. It sounds and appears like going backward from the standpoint of creating a meaty bird. But if it can help in your project then GREAT!

This may get long, sorry in advance...
I have a Silver Spangled Appenzeller Spitzhauben rooster "Molly". I breed him to all my layers and ornamental for replacement hens, and for fun mixes. When crossed, the offspring retain most of the body shape as the hen, and do not lose much in size. The roosters become more upright. It has even added size to my small Sultans while adding larger eggs, and very dependable laying. The main advantage he has added is HARDINESS. Very active birds that are cold and heat tolerant with nice personalities and grow fairly fast. Much faster than a typical large heritage breed.

I know, this appears backwards!
I crossed Molly to a large Easter Egger hen. That gave me a full bodied, upright breasted type rooster "Wiley"' who is larger than father Spitzhauben. I crossed Wiley to a very large Blue Copper Marans hen. I now have an enormous upright rooster with long thick meaty legs and breast. He is active and hardy!

He is my new experimental breeding cock for next years batch of replacement hens and meat birds.

The short point of what I am not so eloquently saying is.....my one hatchery stock Spitzhauben rooster has done MUCH to improve the quality of my crosses. Whether it be with Brahmas, Sultans, Easter Egger, Marans, Orpingtons, etc. And an added benefit is that his offspring all prove to be broody even when crossed with a non broody breed like a Sultan. I have consistently been able to increase size from the original Spitzhauben rooster while making an active upright meaty bird.

Love watching this thread. Told the hubby about your Toads. Like everyone else he wants some !

So excited for you and the other Toad keepers... very jealous too!

Hope no one offended by my long post. Don't want to step on toes. Just sharing my happy crossing accidental experience. If it can help in any way...Great! If not, then file 13 it!...LOL!!

Those of us following toads love to hear about other people crosses that work

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Omg have LOVED reading this thread and learning all about Toads, when your ready Ralph would love to get some toads here in KS to breed to our heat harder large breeds and see if we can create a Toad that handles the heat better. We are getting some C this Spring but I am also going to get some Dixies and start with some frogs and see how things go. Would love to get a couple Toads to add to that mix in the next few coming years.

 

[duluthralphie]

Omg have LOVED reading this thread and learning all about Toads, when your ready Ralph would love to get some toads here in KS to breed to our heat harder large breeds and see if we can create a Toad that handles the heat better. We are getting some C this Spring but I am also going to get some Dixies and start with some frogs and see how things go. Would love to get a couple Toads to add to that mix in the next few coming years.

Between all of us that have toads up here, We might have a few for sale. Time will tell.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Between all of us that have toads up here, We might have a few for sale. Time will tell.

awesome I hope so I have no issue making a road trip up to Minnesota to get them. Can I pm you to pick your brain off the thread?