Who raises just ONE breed?

[joebryant]

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I always remember the story of the Breeder who was having trouble improving his line and asked a judge and master breeder to help him set up his breeding pens. The judge showed up with a hatchet and went into the coop housing 100+ chickens and left the breeder outside to wait.

The judge came out hours later and presented the breeder with a trio and an otherwise empty coop.

I would like 3 more hens, but this is what I've got right now. I'm going to try and hatch close to 60-80 dark this year plus the project birds. I plan on culling down to 2 roos and 6 hens for the dark cornish, and maybe three hens and one roo for each for the projects.

I will hold the dark in cycle three to 2-3 roos and 8-9 hens, and cycle 4 hold at 3 roos and 9 hens. I would be very happy with that number.

Ryu, this is a question because I don't know. Is it good for the hens to have three roosters and nine hens? Seems to me the hens would be overly-used by roosters.

 

[joebryant]

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"...silkies for my hubby."
Mmm hmmm, yeah, sure, right! You can't fool me. I see that little blue silkie in your avatar.

 

[Ryu]

Quote:
The roos don't pursue the hens like other breeds. They don't make the hens tread bare--I haven't noticed any feather damage at all--they are really very romantic roos. I haven't noticed any difference in egg quality or quantity, with the roo or without.

If the girls aren't interested they make this noise and walk away, and the roos don't pursue. There are a couple non-Cornish in the breeding pens from my sisters laying flock, they seem ok with the Cornish roo too.

It's a very quiet breed compared to the other breeds I've been around. They don't get real upset about anything. They do have some interesting behaviors I haven't seen in other chickens. But they appear to be pacifists, I would hate to see one get angry though.

ETA: Also not all the roosters get used all the time. There will be a heir and a spare, the spare won't see any action unless something happens to #1. The third rooster in the 3rd cycle would represent a 3rd line I will be 'hopefully' be creating a 3rd 'breeding group' with to give me 3 groups, so I can 'braid'.

 

[cgmccary]

Do you raise just one breed? How long have you had that breed? Are you doing anything to improve that breed/line? How many hens/roosters of that breed do you have. Are they for selling eggs, eggs for family/friends, mainly pet egg layer(s), older non-laying pet(s), or for any other purpose. Do you own books about your breed?

I raise just one breed: BUCKEYES. I've had them going on 4 years. I have been breeding them bigger and am now concentrating on improving color of the Cockerel including the slate bar in the under color of the back. I currently have 3 males, 15 females, 39 one week old chicks (19 of which I believe are cockerels & 20 pullets). I have two Buckeye hens who are broody & setting. I have a little Bantam Brown/Red OEG (a rescue I've had about 4 years) who is also broody & setting). I give eggs away for hatching. There are no books on the Buckeye. I've read most things written about them including quotes from the creator (Ms. Nettie Metcalf).

BUCKEYE COCKEREL:

I use to raise a specimen hen flock (sort of a "fun flock"); I had 3 EEs, an Australorp, a Lt. Brahma, an Buff Orp, a Barred Plym. Rock., and I had some Buckeyes. When I decided to breed Buckeyes, I had to get rid of the others and it was a difficult decision but I found them good homes (except I couldn't part with the Buff Orp or my Bantam OEG hen & the Orp was friends with the Buckeyes so she is still here as a pet.)​

 

[Ryu]

My sister has Buckeyes, they are pretty cool birds. I love to watch them hunt mice.

 

[SeramaLife]

I have other breeds but I am not getting any more chickens except SERAMAS. I am working on breeding to standard and hope to try to standardize a color soon, preferably black.