Selecting breeding stock for mottled houdans

[CHICKENX2005]

Hi, I'm thinking about starting a small breeding flock of mottled houdans. I'm new to the breed so I'm wondering how to select good breeding stock. I have a couple of chicks now and I'm going to get my next batch soon. So here are my questions. What are the disqualification for mottled houdans? I can't find anything online that explains this. At what age can you tell which chicks will be the best breeding stock. Are there things to look for in chicks when I first get them? For example will the size of the 1-2 day old chicks tell me anything? Just curious. Are there things you can tell about their future personality when they are young? Thank you for any information.

 

[AprilWC]

A lot of Houdans are undersized so choose ones as close to breed standard as possible.

As they feather out, a lot of white at an early age is indicative they will have too much white as they mature.

Depending on where you sourced your chicks, I've heard some have weak chicks or chicks with cross beak. I would cull these as soon as they are evident (cull could mean keeping as a layer, a pet, or eating depending on your preference).

Aside from obvious defects like the crossed beak scenario, it's best to let your stock grow as long as possible before you make final decisions. Take notes about their development along the way so that in the future you can track how your particular line develops. As you become more familiar, you could potentially cull earlier.

If you are on Facebook, join a group called Houdan Chicken Fanciers. They can guide you in selecting the best stock from what you have or help you connect with others.

 

[Egg Snatcher]

Agree with @AprilWC
In my experiance, dont get your chicks from a hatchery/feedstore, my 2 that i have gotten over the years where not any good. First one i got was weak and died a day later (it was a chick). second one a got, had scissor beak and i couldn't use her for breeding. Scissor beak is a recessive gene, only if your chick develops it after hatch. If you bird hatches with the deformity, it usually due to incubation. Either way i would recomend not using that bird. Also make sure your chicks have 5 toes on each foot. thehappychickencoop has an atricle on mottled houdand standard.

 

[CHICKENX2005]

Mine are from murray mcmurray hatchery I know it will be better to get them from a breeder but that's not possible right now in my area so I had to start with these. If I like the breed ( I'm pretty sure already that I like it ) I might get some more from somewhere else. Also is it just genetics that will make them too small or can they be stunted by not getting enough or the right kind of food. Asking be I just want to make sure the none of the possible imperfections are from me not caring for them properly.

 

[AprilWC]

Nutrition can play a part, but overall the breed is smaller than they should be due to selection over time. The breed is rare so people tend to hatch from any Houdan in order to help preserve them, but now is the time for selection toward correct size. After all, they were once meant to be a dual purpose breed. In the Facebook group I mentioned, there is a breeder who is actively working toward proper size on her Houdans.

If the McMurray chicks don't work out, perhaps a breeder in that group could ship chicks to you.

 

[CHICKENX2005]

I know that a hen is supposed to be 6.5 pounds and a rooster is supposed to be 8 pounds. So how big are they now normally? I know they are smaller now a lot of times than they are supposed to be just wondering how small.
Thanks for all the help!

 

[AprilWC]

I'm not sure what the typical size is for them these days. I don't have any Houdans of my own, it's just a breed I've been interested in so I have read about them and spoken to a couple of people but no firsthand experience. From photos I've seen, they are probably half the size of what they should be.