Toad Raising.

[JRNash]

my first toad

 

[duluthralphie]

Very interested in these toads. Sustainable meat birds is a very laudable goal. I've been disappointed with freedom Rangers; toads could be the alternative. I'm in western WI when you're ready to branch out, but I'm not NPIP.

Western Wi. is close though, I want to move them out into places I could get to if I have too. NPIP is not a ultimate reason I pick where I do. If all things are equal it will be the decider. NPIP makes it easier for me to start over if I lose mine. Minnesota has pretty strict rules on bringing a non-NPIP bird into a NPIP flock. It takes me over 60 days to get the bird into my flock.

The next ones will be going to a family a mile from me. They are really into the sustainable lifestyle. There is a 13 year old girl there that is huge into Chickens and she has helped me do some testing on the days I needed to test. They want some toads. She is even going to try to compete at the county fair with them against CX's.

I told her the judges are so set on CX's they won't stand a chance. She does not care she wants to show them. That moved her to the top of the list as we spread the birds out. We are back below freezing and with the wind the last few days I have not had good egg laying from the girl toads.

 

[Momof3plustwins]

Update on my Toad eggs. I have 8 eggs growing chicks out of 13 that were set. Ralphie I think your fertility has gone up with the increased day light. Excited for the next 2 weeks to go by! Hopefully all 8 hatch out in the end.

Have you any luck sexing the chicks at hatch or a day old?

 

[duluthralphie]

Update on my Toad eggs. I have 8 eggs growing chicks out of 13 that were set. Ralphie I think your fertility has gone up with the increased day light. Excited for the next 2 weeks to go by! Hopefully all 8 hatch out in the end.

Have you any luck sexing the chicks at hatch or a day old?

I have never tried. I do not know how to vent sex and doubt I would ever even try with my huge hands. I do not know if they can be feather sexed or not. It has not been a problem because of the small numbers I have had in the past. I needed every bird to live and had some trouble so I even resisted taking extra birds until I was 100% sure I did not need them.

Now it causes me a little problems. I want to take all but one rooster out of the toad pen keeping the others for spares. I just have no pen to put them in. The ground is a little hard digging post holes right now for a new pen.

 

[duluthralphie]

I lost a three week old toad yesterday.

First time it has happened like this. I worry every time one dies it is some fatal inbred genetic mutation I have created.

The chick was fine until the day before yesterday. All of a sudden it was lame walking like a wry leg day old. I picked it up and looked at it and the knees were all swollen and arthritic looking. Yesterday it was dead. the only thing wrong were the knees. They were swollen and red. holding the legs at funny angles and stiff.

Just incase some one else had that. It almost looks like an injury more than any other thing. Something to watch for.

 

[Finnie]

I worry every time one dies it is some fatal inbred genetic mutation I have created. 

Nah, I think it's the other way around. Someone else created the fatal inbred mutation and you are doing the hard work of breeding away from it.

 

[JRNash]

I agree with Finnie. And I would also like to remind you my friend,look at ALL the other birds. A very,very smart successful breeder gave me that very advice a few days back. Doc,your work speaks volumes. I don't for a minute beleive you have done anything but IMPROVED on a breed that sorely needs people like you. We all love the birds,and I really dislike the modern broiler industry. At the same time I understand it's a necessary evil. Efforts like yours give me hope that there is an alternative to the modern CX. One that will meet market requirements with a healthier bird. I'd also like to remind folks that poultry geneticist claim we have in no way reached the maximum growth potential of the modern broiler.

 

[erdachickens]

Anxious to know how the tadpoles are coming along. Any updates?

 

[Momof3plustwins]

Mine are still cooking in the incubator. Should hatch in about 10 days.

 

[duluthralphie]

Anxious to know how the tadpoles are coming along. Any updates?

Mine are huge, They are full fledged toads and not tadpoles anymore. I am going to be moving them this weekend (outside) I hope.