Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

Yours are more svelte than my "brick" girls.

There are a few brick builds here still, but the hybrid offspring tend to be Mediterranean build. They have legs, like the artwork for ZZ Tops' song of the same name

 

[fuzzi]

There are a few brick builds here still, but the hybrid offspring tend to be Mediterranean build. They have legs, like the artwork for ZZ Tops' song of the same name

I confess, I really enjoy their music, and Legs is my favorite song of theirs.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

Tea is ready.

Temperature is in the 70s mostly sunny humidity is 77%.

Have a great day!

 

[Molpet]

Sorry to hear about the goose. I'd be tempted to put hands on the person that left that water barrel there.

Me too

 

[Shadrach]

Sorry to hear about the goose. I'd be tempted to put hands on the person that left that water barrel there.

I am tempted but I'll resist.

 

[Shadrach]

There are a few brick builds here still, but the hybrid offspring tend to be Mediterranean build. They have legs, like the artwork for ZZ Tops' song of the same name

This is what I've found. In general the hybrids tend to get more amd more like jungle fowl, very roughly, and less and less like the breed of earlier generations. The bantam/full size crosses tend to be larget than bantam size but not as big as the full size. Some features seem to drop out faster than others. Not a sign of the tufts that Fret and Mow have in Tull and Sylph. The feathered legs have bred through though.
Is there a natural size and shape nature will select when left alone to do it's own thing (?) It seems like that from what I've seen.

 

[Shadrach]

A couple of hours today. Some sunshine, light winds and around 12C.
The adults are still moulting. I can't recall having chickens moult over such a long period before.

 

[Molpet]

Is there a natural size and shape nature will select when left alone to do it's own thing (?) It seems like that from what I've seen.

My meat mutts are loosing their size.
Since I got covid in 2020I haven't been selling the smaller hens and one cull cockerel got away processing day. He moved right into a coop, behaved himself so I left him for later. I sure can tell his sons though. They aren't as small as hatchery but smaller than I'm used to.
Flip side is the smaller hens have better luck hatching eggs. The big girls tend to break the eggs.

 

[BDutch]

I am tempted but I'll resist.

Better not risk jail for it.

This is what I've found. In general the hybrids tend to get more amd more like jungle fowl, very roughly, and less and less like the breed of earlier generations. The bantam/full size crosses tend to be larget than bantam size but not as big as the full size. Some features seem to drop out faster than others. Not a sign of the tufts that Fret and Mow have in Tull and Sylph. The feathered legs have bred through though.
Is there a natural size and shape nature will select when left alone to do it's own thing (?) It seems like that from what I've seen.

Interesting conclusion/hypothesis. But I can’t give you a good answer with just 10 years experience.

I do think you are right that the size of my Dutch is not natural though, because only the show breed Dutch are really small. Mine are not show quality and about 10-20% overweight to standard. And in the second generation Dutch I had, there were 2 cockerels out of 3 who were definitely way too large when I found them a new home at 12 -13 weeks old.
The 2 pullets I had last year were from a show breeder (always selecting the smallest cockerels to breed with) and they were real tiny.

And I know for sure oversized bantams are more common problem for show quality.

The lady from the Amrock hatching eggs, bought a new smaller cockerel previously to breed with, because her hens all were a bit oversized.

 

[BDutch]

Tax: Ini mini and Gin lounging.