[RPF]

My other one

[RPF]

One of my Jubilee hens, note the unpronounced lacing that could potentially develop a bit more with age

[RPF]

Dark hen of same hatch

[RPF]

Dark cockerel

[Dave C]

Nice looking birds mate

How many are you looking to keep back for breeding ?

How many breeds and how many breeding groups are you looking to set up for next season ?

[RPF]

Going to have
Brahma x IG   
Blue, dark and jubilee IG
THATS ABOUT 12

about 20 -25 LBs

Then 4-5 buff Orpingtons  (the missus')

Getting rid of my Coronation Sussex and don't want too many breeds I just want to specialise in 2-3 breeds. The Bramha x IG sell well as they look nice so I'll keep them going. I need to seriously think about my IG groupings as I don't want to interbreed too much, I.e parental is ok but sibling can be a bit dodge.

What about you mate?

[Dave C]

We'll my White Leghorns are going, they are excellent layers if huge white eggs but I have too many white birds, ha

So it will leave me my La Bresse, IG and Welsummers I also have a few Cukhoo Marans which I cross with the Welsummer cock bird, you get sex linked chicks and really good dark egg layers

Your Brahma x IG, what are you crossing them too ?

[RPF]

I'm just going to keep my Brahma cock and run him with an IG hen as the pair are quite comical. I was going to line breed the progeny as I think I'd get a really interesting bird but I'll save that project for another day! So, I'm going to get rid of the BrahmaxIGs. I've got 3 from my first lot, the 2 hens are sold and the cock needs to got in the fattening pen. Got about 10 growers to get rid of. I reckon 4 are cocks as they seem to be sex linked.

[Dave C]

Quite pleased with the way my pullets are shaping up

[Dave C]

19 weeks now

[Dave C]

.

[Dave C]

Won't let me put up anymore pics  even though I've reduced them in size.

Anyway my IG are filling out nicely.
Don't know weather to keep them all over the winter just incase of losses or sell I cockerel and a few hens locally, so I can get eggs back if need be. Because I don't want a big flock of these only mainly for cross breeding.
Haven't weighed any yet but will be at about 24 weeks.

How's yours doing Robin ?

[RPF]

Hi Dave, 
nice pics. Those LBs seem to be coming on well. My dark IGs have come on a treat. I picked up the cock the other day and he weighs well. The jubilees seem a bit on the small side so might flog them or bang them on the head for the pot? The pullets I'll put with my blue cock. I prefer the look of the jubilees but it's the darks that are best for the pot.

I'm hoping to try out some of my LBs and LBXs in the next couple of weeks. I've got somewhere to process a big batch of them but I'll do the odd one myself. I think I have to take 50 at a time but will check. Will need to flog some to friends etc as got quite a few at the minute. The only disadvantage is that a batch may consist of birds of different ages as I might have to bring on birds a bit longer to make up a batch.

Over wintering birds can be dear even free range. You could flog them as you could get £25-30 a bird, I reckon. If they are for crossing, you just want the cocks as the hens are poor layers. Unless matey's lay well? In any case, you don't want too many.

[Dave C]

your doing well finding someone who will process them even in batches of 50.
will you be able to identify each breed after processing or will you have to do 1 from each breed yourself so you can id weights and so on ?

Im going to start asking around some of the local guys to see if there interested in the IG, so if i ever need some replacements i will have some close by.

my PG is laying like the clappers and has been since she was 17 weeks
if i had any sense i would try to hatch some eggs from her straight away given they arnt suposed to have a long and healthy life, ha
 

[Dave C]

The IG are starting to fill out now as well
Although the pics don't do the justice









Enjoying the fallen apples