Spring 2017 hatching plans..

G Williams
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Location: Egbert/ Cookstown
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Spring 2017 hatching plans..

Post by G Williams » Sat Apr 08, 2017 11:24 am

Hatching with broodies this year. 3 breeds Red Dorkings, BBS Orpingtons and Light Sussex. Try to get 25-30 spring hatched birds and go from there as space permits. Hope to sell some good Quality trios and some ready to lay, utility quality pullets; it would be a bonus to sell some cockerels.
I cull cockerels quite hard starting with rate of gain, anything clearly not growing well gets culled as early as 8 weeks (before they eat very much).At 20 - 24 weeks I send the remainder to freezer camp based on how close they conform to the Standard. I will not sell a cockerel that is not of good quality. Those left over I grow out some more. I have found out that roosters change a lot from 20 weeks until nearly a year old.
Anything exceptional I will keep for myself.
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Ontario Chick
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Location: Carp - West Ottawa
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Spring 2017 hatching plans..

Post by Ontario Chick » Sat Apr 08, 2017 12:56 pm

I am starting to get a bit of a feel which way to go this spring, after reading G Williams and with help of PTO finding a commercial hatchery, my plan so far, let an Ameraucana broody hatch a dozen Ameraucana chicks, which should give me 2-4 replacement pullets (she said hopefully), and cull the cockerel as soon as I recognize them, they tend to be too leggy for the pot.
Then collect as many Columbian and Blue Columbian eggs as possible in a 2 week period and drive them down to Millpond hatchery and let somebody else agonize over the eggs ;) since the fertility in the Wyandottes tends to be low, using commercial hatchery I wouldn't have to worry about space, so would be able to incubate every egg I collect.
That's the plan so far ;)
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