Sustainable Meat / Standard Bred Dual Purpose Bird Thread.

[Egghead_Jr]

Yeah, it's definitely a consideration when people are reading others results. Free range vs confined and high protein meat ration vs. a grower of 18% or starter of 20%. Certainly not a controlled study but if what people used for feed and individual flock management are noted others will still get a good idea of certain birds growth and feed use. Use there own educated analysis of what's been done.


I'm really excited that this thread might work out. A data base and place for people to get real info on what's out there and what is being done. It's looking really good so far! Hope someone with breeder stock New Hampshire joins in. That I've a lot of interest in seeing results on.

 

[DesertChic]

Yeah, it's definitely a consideration when people are reading others results. Free range vs confined and high protein meat ration vs. a grower of 18% or starter of 20%. Certainly not a controlled study but if what people used for feed and individual flock management are noted others will still get a good idea of certain birds growth and feed use. Use there own educated analysis of what's been done.


I'm really excited that this thread might work out. A data base and place for people to get real info on what's out there and what is being done. It's looking really good so far! Hope someone with breeder stock New Hampshire joins in. That I've a lot of interest in seeing results on.

I have to admit to not documenting feed conversion ratios on any of my birds as I've not yet figured out how to go about it. I keep multiple flocks in separate housings, but the majority of them co-mingle during the day and all eat from the same community feeders. It's really hard to track feed that way. Plus, here in southern AZ they most have dirt, rock and a few bugs to free range on most of the year...not very satisfying...so I add bales of alfalfa during he winter, grow greens and sprout grains during the "dry" seasons, and then they gorge themselves on vegetation during monsoon season. I'm afraid my feed ratios would apply to very few people.

@Fire Ant Farm is my soul sister. Seriously...I'm wondering if we were separated at birth. She and I both keep similar speadsheet data and charts on our birds. I like my charts for showing me the actual numbers and percentages for comparisons, but the visual assistance of the charts really drives the information home. I would strongly encourage everyone to utilize both methods for thorough analysis.

And finally...a question: Has anyone here documented or at least noticed differences in growth based on hatches performed in different seasons of the year? I ask because I performed my first NN hatch in January of last year, and then hatched their offspring this past September. Though I've had decent growth rates and got some lovely birds out of the second hatch, I've noticed a significant size difference between the top birds in January vs. September.

 

[Our Roost]

The New Hampshire has been instrumental in the creation of more breeds and hybrids than one could imagine. How much more info do you need than that?

 

[Our Roost]

You have mentioned protein amounts for feed uses and the benefits. One can learn a lot based on when to make use of higher protein levels, especially when meat birds are concerned. Talking to a feed manufacturer rep I was advised not to feed my birds a 20 % protein level. It causes some health issues if used on a regular basis. A mentor and long time breeder told me to use 20% about a month or so with your breeding birds for more beneficial results to the newborns. Take it for what its worth and do some more study on this subject.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Yeah, it's definitely a consideration when people are reading others results. Free range vs confined and high protein meat ration vs. a grower of 18% or starter of 20%. Certainly not a controlled study but if what people used for feed and individual flock management are noted others will still get a good idea of certain birds growth and feed use. Use there own educated analysis of what's been done.


I'm really excited that this thread might work out. A data base and place for people to get real info on what's out there and what is being done. It's looking really good so far! Hope someone with breeder stock New Hampshire joins in. That I've a lot of interest in seeing results on.

I will be getting some very good breeder stock German New Hampshire chicks this spring (mid-April). I will report their growth and development here. I had hatchery New Hampshires in this last group and wasn't too happy with them, though it may have been unfair on them to have to grow up next to the NNs. (Culled most, gave some away, kept one girl, who is actually laying at 20 weeks and is 4.5 lbs). I'm excited to see what results I get, as this source is supposed to be very good.

- Ant Farm

 

[AnthNDacula]

I'm the dummy Egghead was referring to who needs help with data organization. I've got no idea what to do with a spread sheet or graph. I'd love to learn.

There's great data on Delaware growth and feed conversion rates from the Center for Small Flock Research and Innovation at http://japr.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2014/10/25/japr.2013-00843.full

 

[lpatelski]

Spread sheets can be made for every kind of data, then you can take that data and develop chart graphs. I'll see what I can come up with.

Okay I have the spread sheet if anyone is interested. I can e-mail it.

It is excel, has protected cells, just plug in your start numbers. Yellow areas are cell protected formulas, line headers are protected. Enough cells to run weekly weights to 12 weeks. I included another 12 weeks worth if you are going that far. If you want to go even further, increase the time between weigh-ins.

You plug in your feed cost, weight of bag and it gives you the cost per pound of feed. Plug that number in on line 20
Your start date for your project
Your group start weight.
number of birds in your group
Every time you weigh your group, you add the date and the group weight
You enter the amount of feed the birds have consumed since the last weigh period. (if you write the date you started the bag of feed, then use up the bag. Let them clean up what is in the feeder/ Weigh the group/enter the date you do not have to keep track of the daily feed weight.)
All other calculations are auto:
age
weight per bird
feed consumed
feed conversion ratio
cost per pound of gain

If there are any mistakes please let me know quickly. I do make mistakes.


First row enlarged





Have fun!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

There's great data on Delaware growth and feed conversion rates from the Center for Small Flock Research and Innovation at http://japr.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2014/10/25/japr.2013-00843.full

I've read this study. It's good, let's put it in a sticky area.

Straight run average at 12 weeks of hatchery stock Delaware in that study was 1.665kg (3.67 lbs) live weight compared to study reference 21 (1951 study) 1.81 kg (3.99 lbs) live weight in 12 weeks.

Keep in mind those are straight run averages which for people making Hybrids is useful, you plan to butcher all the birds. Standard bred folks like myself and yourself raising capon will be reporting cockerel weights only. It's apples to oranges kind of thing. One of the things when researching this stuff started to give me a headache trying to ensure what was reported.

Edit that- with evaluating females for breeders I guess I will be having weights on a few of them but it's only for aiding breeder choice not carcass of them.

I'll carve out Post #2 for a "sticky" area for informative threads.

Anyone wanting a informative link to be posted there just email it to me to post it.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

I've read this study. It's good, let's put it in a sticky area.

Straight run average at 12 weeks of hatchery stock Delaware in that study was 1.665kg (3.67 lbs) live weight compared to study reference 21 (1951 study) 1.81 kg (3.99 lbs) live weight in 12 weeks.

Keep in mind those are straight run averages which for people making Hybrids is useful, you plan to butcher all the birds. Standard bred folks like myself and yourself raising capon will be reporting cockerel weights only. It's apples to oranges kind of thing. One of the things when researching this stuff started to give me a headache trying to ensure what was reported.

Edit that- with evaluating females for breeders I guess I will be having weights on a few of them but it's only for aiding breeder choice not carcass of them.

I'll carve out Post #2 for a "sticky" area for informative threads.

Anyone wanting a informative link to be posted there just email it to me to post it.

Good point about straight run vs. cockerel weights. The weight difference between males and females in NNs is pretty distinct (you can almost sex them by the weight grouping at 2 weeks, based on my batch).

We should all be very clear about the gender of birds we share data on, weight-wise...

- Ant Farm

 

[AnthNDacula]

Here's an interesting article out of the UK . It says, "The project aims to use the study of chickens to demonstrate how studies in the arts, humanities and sciences can be fused together for the benefit of both academic and non-academic communities." You can reach the article at http://www.sciculture.ac.uk/project...ic-perceptions-of-human-chicken-interactions/

It may just be the luck of my search engine, but I find much more interesting work on chickens out of the UK. They seem to be interested in the place of the chicken in our hearts in addition to their place in our economy. This website led me to all sorts of interesting events bridging the academic world and regular people. One event it led to took place at Hadrian's Wall in the north of England, which allowed people to track the origins of their particular breed thru genetic studies to it's place of origin. Another event included a chicken loving comedian performing a show based on his chicken experiences.

This article isn't strictly part of our data driven agenda but shows how analytical work can connect to real people and make our work more relevant than to just our own basket of eggs.