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Thakk you! you are helping me soo much! please continue to postpics!!
what color was that one when he was a baby?
I am having fun with some of my crosses. I had to restart my flock twice before really getting things rolling. This year I didn't have my chicken house ready for breeding separate breeds, so the only thing of my own I hatched has been crosses and then some purebred JGs once I had them separate long enough. I had a few people asking me for green egg laying pullets, so I hatched quite a few of those.
This particular bird hatched out black. It wasn't until it was a couple of months old that I started seeing the reds coming through. He is big, but in true JG fashion, he is no where near mature. My JG rooster is a big boy, but not filled out yet and was a year old in June. He gets his share to eat and is penned with his girls, but hasn't put the weight on that I would think by now, but I was told they take until about 2 yo to be fully grown roosters. I really love their temperament, so I am keeping them around.
I have yet to take some pictures of the other 3 cross cockerels in that pen that you would probably like to see. So many things going on this summer here. The 3 kids are going off to camp for a couple of weeks, so I am hoping to get more done.
I wanted to add, that just because you have a bird with black and red, does not necessarily mean that its parents were one black one red. When you start mixing colored of chickens you start mixing genes that will produce colors which can be what is called 'dilute' of the original color, or you may pull a different color out of the mix that went into making one of the parent breeds. i don't know if that makes sense to you?
I won't even pretend to understand all of the color stuff, I hardly can keep up with what I am seeing from my own chickens, but I am learning little by little. I know what I see in my own flock as results of crossings, but that is limited to the breeds I have here. I do know most of my girls eggs by color and shape and where they get laid, so it helps me figure out what parents went into producing some of my chicks.
I have been breeding rabbits for about 5 years now too, and the color genetics are similar in some ways, so it is a little easier to understand SOME of this for me. I think a person could actually do a whole college degree program before learning all that goes into genetic crossing
The bottom line to all of this is, don't go to TSC for birds if you are going to plan to show them! They haven't a clue as to what they are selling 99% of the time from what I read on here. Personally, I don't even think about going there to get them. Order from a reputable hatchery, but don't expect show quality as they breed more for production. If you are going to show for egg layers, then go for the White Leghorns or the Sex-Link pullets. If you want good show quality birds, then find a good breeder and try some of their stock. If you go to a breeder who knows what they are doing, has a good healthy set up, and manages their flock well, you will have an excellent chance of getting what you paid for.
Good luck with all of this and read what others have done. There are a lot of people on here who are just hobbyist and have a few birds, but there are also quite a few people with a lot of experience who are willing to share their knowledge. I hope to one day be one of those.
take care.
Theri
Thakk you! you are helping me soo much! please continue to postpics!!
I am having fun with some of my crosses. I had to restart my flock twice before really getting things rolling. This year I didn't have my chicken house ready for breeding separate breeds, so the only thing of my own I hatched has been crosses and then some purebred JGs once I had them separate long enough. I had a few people asking me for green egg laying pullets, so I hatched quite a few of those.
This particular bird hatched out black. It wasn't until it was a couple of months old that I started seeing the reds coming through. He is big, but in true JG fashion, he is no where near mature. My JG rooster is a big boy, but not filled out yet and was a year old in June. He gets his share to eat and is penned with his girls, but hasn't put the weight on that I would think by now, but I was told they take until about 2 yo to be fully grown roosters. I really love their temperament, so I am keeping them around.
I have yet to take some pictures of the other 3 cross cockerels in that pen that you would probably like to see. So many things going on this summer here. The 3 kids are going off to camp for a couple of weeks, so I am hoping to get more done.
I wanted to add, that just because you have a bird with black and red, does not necessarily mean that its parents were one black one red. When you start mixing colored of chickens you start mixing genes that will produce colors which can be what is called 'dilute' of the original color, or you may pull a different color out of the mix that went into making one of the parent breeds. i don't know if that makes sense to you?
I won't even pretend to understand all of the color stuff, I hardly can keep up with what I am seeing from my own chickens, but I am learning little by little. I know what I see in my own flock as results of crossings, but that is limited to the breeds I have here. I do know most of my girls eggs by color and shape and where they get laid, so it helps me figure out what parents went into producing some of my chicks.
I have been breeding rabbits for about 5 years now too, and the color genetics are similar in some ways, so it is a little easier to understand SOME of this for me. I think a person could actually do a whole college degree program before learning all that goes into genetic crossing
The bottom line to all of this is, don't go to TSC for birds if you are going to plan to show them! They haven't a clue as to what they are selling 99% of the time from what I read on here. Personally, I don't even think about going there to get them. Order from a reputable hatchery, but don't expect show quality as they breed more for production. If you are going to show for egg layers, then go for the White Leghorns or the Sex-Link pullets. If you want good show quality birds, then find a good breeder and try some of their stock. If you go to a breeder who knows what they are doing, has a good healthy set up, and manages their flock well, you will have an excellent chance of getting what you paid for.
Good luck with all of this and read what others have done. There are a lot of people on here who are just hobbyist and have a few birds, but there are also quite a few people with a lot of experience who are willing to share their knowledge. I hope to one day be one of those.
take care.
Theri
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