Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[Sally PB]

Which should be a caution to those who come to BYC and look in me as sort of an expert on anything. Still LOTS to learn even in the very practical, before I get to the "nice to know" stuff.

Still, we appreciate your honest documentation. It helps everyone who invests the time in reading this thread.

 

[NatJ]

I had PLENTY of hens of diverse genetics - my bottleneck was starting with a single Roo. My five current breeders are his grandchildren....I have older Comets, who aren't known for reproductive health in their third year, and "Rainbows" which look a lot like large Comets with some NHR in them.

If you want to check, you can collect eggs from different hens and see if the hatch rate is different.

Collecting eggs from the original hens, sired by grandsons of your original rooster, might be a way to get non-inbred chicks-- unless the remaining original hens are also the ones that your current males are descended from.

Collecting eggs from the youngest available hens, inbred or not, might be a check on whether old hens are the problem.

...i continue to believe it most likely that something I (or the incubator, or both) am doing is the primary fault - but likely I.

You might well be right. I'm just speculating on some of the other parts anyway

 

[3KillerBs]

I had PLENTY of hens of diverse genetics - my bottleneck was starting with a single Roo. My five current breeders are his grandchildren. I didn't expect that would be an issue so quickly. Fresh genes were on the list for NEXT year at the earliest.

I'm not showing any fertility issues, but I have noticed that a couple of my splash boys -- who are more likely to be more inbred -- are smaller than their blue or black hatchmates.

I believe that you're more intentional about selecting for size than I am though.

 

[Fallenone05]

God I love this thread. So much information.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

God I love this thread. So much information.

Only because so many of those following are so helpfull.

BTW, 12 new eggs in the incubater - I did the bleach water sanitation this time, we'll see how it works.

 

[Fallenone05]

Only because so many of those following are so helpfull.

BTW, 12 new eggs in the incubater - I did the bleach water sanitation this time, we'll see how it works.

You're knowledgeable yourself, so don't sell yourself short. We can't know everything in every facet, and I've seen you across the site with knowledge in other areas too. Forums like this are amazing for that reason.

Hopefully the bleach water sanitation works. I've seen other people do it with great success.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

You're knowledgeable yourself, so don't sell yourself short.

No danger of that. You've read my member bio??

My boss's boss and I used to joke that my ego was so big they had to put double doors on the office so I could bring it in with me. (In that job, a massive ego was a desired character trait). Still, its an uncomfortable truth that has been the source of many of life's difficulties.

I will say that its easier to maintain the illusion of knowledge on forums like this in part because I can choose not to engage on subjects I know nothing about, and in part because I usually have the time to research/check notes before typing - its not like extemporaneous speaking.

 

[Fallenone05]

No danger of that. You've read my member bio??

My boss's boss and I used to joke that my ego was so big they had to put double doors on the office so I could bring it in with me. (In that job, a massive ego was a desired character trait). Still, its an uncomfortable truth that has been the source of many of life's difficulties.

I will say that its easier to maintain the illusion of knowledge on forums like this in part because I can choose not to engage on subjects I know nothing about, and in part because I usually have the time to research/check notes before typing - its not like extemporaneous speaking.

Fair enough!

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Only because so many of those following are so helpfull.

BTW, 12 new eggs in the incubater - I did the bleach water sanitation this time, we'll see how it works.

I usually do a diluted bleach water then rinse then wipe down with 91% alcohol.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

How is the last hatch coming along