Author Topic: Any Ixworth keepers ? (Read 2941 times)

Fowlman · « **on:** August 14, 2014, 04:42:45 pm »

Just wondering if there are any Ixworth keepers out there ? As keepers of a rare breed and a worth while one in my opinion it's good to keep in touch for obvious reasons widening the gene pool etc. It's a breed often over looked for some reason and the only reason i can think of is because it's all white.

Dave C · « **Reply #1 on:** August 14, 2014, 05:22:48 pm »

I have a few hens left from a hatch 2 years ago they lay very well

reared the cocks for the table
Was going to keep one back for breeding but i must admit it was the colour and the pea comb which put me off.

hughesy · « **Reply #2 on:** August 14, 2014, 07:14:22 pm »

We've also got a couple of hens left from a breeding flock that I played about with a few years ago. I started with them as I liked the idea of a reasonable meat bird and a decent layer from the same breed but to be honest they were a bit of a dissapointment in both departments, hence I stopped breeding them.

Fowlman · « **Reply #3 on:** August 14, 2014, 08:04:46 pm »

Compared to the meat hybrids they are slow growing and not for everyone.

Stereo · « **Reply #4 on:** August 15, 2014, 02:06:03 pm »

I've just started a flock for breeding but don't really know what I've got yet. I've hatched 20 or so from 2 different breeders and have just put in another 6 eggs from another guy to try and get a decent cockerel. But I don't think I'll know what standard they are for a while. The eldest 6 are 16 weeks and I'm struggling to tell which are hens! One is a definite cockerel but the rest are pretty much alike, unless I've been lucky with that hatch.

Have you got any links to a breed standard guide at all? My longer term plan is to breed the meatiest cockerels as I suspect that some of the size has been lost over the years.

Fowlman · « **Reply #5 on:** August 15, 2014, 04:52:44 pm »

I'll try and dig out a standard stereo.

Fowlman · « **Reply #6 on:** August 15, 2014, 06:28:46 pm »

http://ixworths.org.uk/breedstandard.html

Stereo · « **Reply #7 on:** August 15, 2014, 09:22:40 pm »

Thanks for that. The key for me will be weight I think. It says there 3.8kg for a cockerel. Anyone know what carcass that would leave you with once processed? I've read 75% of the whole bird so that would be a decent 3kg carcass. Our best RIR and Marans weighed in at 2.2kg and there was plenty of meat on those.