Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[U_Stormcrow]

Slowed to a drizzle. Looks like my broody duck has abandoned the nest - again - to play in the pond. No idea how many duck and chicken eggs that will cost me. She's been at it a few days. Six eggs gathered from the boxes, expect a dozen more by days end.

and WTF??? That bird DEFINITELY has feathered feet (I thought so, but wasn't completely certain last evening). With the rain, and my clays, there are lots of muddy feet right now. Thankfully, temps are low 70s, no wind. So no worries. Two more days of this expected.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

and WTF??? That bird DEFINITELY has feathered feet (I thought so, but wasn't completely certain last evening). With the rain, and my clays, there are lots of muddy feet right now. Thankfully, temps are low 70s, no wind. So no worries. Two more days of this expected.

I bet he’ll look a lot like this when he gets his adult feathering:

(Not my picture.)

 

[MTKitty]

That funky red and white miss is so cool. If I lived closer and were willing to risk that comb in our winter cold, I’d take her off your hands in a heartbeat.

I also want to add my appreciation for your work and sharing it with the group. It’s been fun to follow along.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

That funky red and white miss is so cool. If I lived closer and were willing to risk that comb in our winter cold, I’d take her off your hands in a heartbeat.

I also want to add my appreciation for your work and sharing it with the group. It’s been fun to follow along.

and here I need that comb for my heat. She reminds me of a candy I used to buy as a youth, can't for the life of me remember what it was called - sort of a cinnamon caramel cream hard candy. ...and where you closer, I'd sell her at a very reasonable price. The white scares me, and she's a mutt of unknown performance. I've not seen her on the nest yet, believe she's 22 weeks now. Would have to check the calendar.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

and here I need that comb for my heat. She reminds me of a candy I used to buy as a youth, can't for the life of me remember what it was called - sort of a cinnamon caramel cream hard candy. ...and where you closer, I'd sell her at a very reasonable price. The white scares me, and she's a mutt of unknown performance. I've not seen her on the nest yet, believe she's 22 weeks now. Would have to check the calendar.

All the “misses” in your recent photos appear to be cockerels. The red and white one does have dominant white.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

All the “misses” in your recent photos appear to be cockerels. The red and white one does have dominant white.

I sincerely hope you are wrong about them all being cockerels, I need more productive females if this project is going to advance. But thanks for confirming the dominant white. When I can confirm its plumbed as a male, that's an easy cull - just waiting on more distinct/prominent saddle feathers, but looking at some of the pointy orange, its not boding well for him.

 

[MTKitty]

and here I need that comb for my heat. She reminds me of a candy I used to buy as a youth, can't for the life of me remember what it was called - sort of a cinnamon caramel cream hard candy. ...and where you closer, I'd sell her at a very reasonable price. The white scares me, and she's a mutt of unknown performance. I've not seen her on the nest yet, believe she's 22 weeks now. Would have to check the calendar.

LOL. When I saw your criteria for combs, I was so bummed! I selected Buckeyes, in part, because of their cold-hardiness and pea combs. All your other selection criteria were okay for my own goals.

After @RoostersAreAwesome’s comment, I looked again. I see the pointy neck feathers that you guys think indicates male. Just as well you aren’t close. I don’t need the temptation.

Still a cool “chook.”

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I could as easily do this project and select for smaller combs, since I'm starting with some Brahma and some Wyandotte, given the way those combs express. I'd just call out the birds indicating they are missing a gene. It would take a while to eliminate completely - numerous generations of hidden single comb reduction - but it would be doable.

 

[MTKitty]

I could as easily do this project and select for smaller combs, since I'm starting with some Brahma and some Wyandotte, given the way those combs express. I'd just call out the birds indicating they are missing a gene. It would take a while to eliminate completely - numerous generations of hidden single comb reduction - but it would be doable.

For your purposes, the larger combs are necessary. If I ever decide to develop my own “home-brewed” chickens, I will probably follow a lot of the steps you’ve shared, with slightly different goals. But for now, I just want my guys to get big enough for definitive sexing and to start laying eggs (~ 4-ish more months to wait).

 

[3KillerBs]

With the rain, and my clays, there are lots of muddy feet right now. Thankfully, temps are low 70s, no wind. So no worries. Two more days of this expected.

I'm desperately in need of rain if you wanted to ship any a couple states north.