Black To White Experiment

[MysteryChicken]

#6. Was trying to avoid getting her pictures taken.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

Sassy pants is a beautiful chicken!

 

[MysteryChicken]

Sassy pants is a beautiful chicken!

Thanks.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Sassy Pants chick is looking like it maybe a cockerel. Also this chick has the softest feathers I've ever felt. They feel Silkie smooth. He also has red in the hackles like his mom.

Will get pictures as soon as I can.

 

[MysteryChicken]

The first group, 2 of the 4 month old pullets are already close to laying. Not exactly happy about them laying earlier then 5-6 months. That's a trait I need to get rid of. Not exactly sure where it came from. All birds I've used either laid at 5-6, or 7 months of age.

 

[Sally PB]

The first group, 2 of the 4 month old pullets are already close to laying. Not exactly happy about them laying earlier then 5-6 months. That's a trait I need to get rid of.

Sorry, ignorant on this issue... Why is laying early an undesirable trait?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Sorry, ignorant on this issue... Why is laying early an undesirable trait?

Pea, my first early laying pullet, died of a reproductive disorder at the age of 2, due to this.

 

[Sally PB]

Pea, my first early laying pullet, died of a reproductive disorder at the age of 2, due to this.

Ok, I understand. Thank you.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Ok, I understand. Thank you.

Dying early certainly doesn't help, when you want to breed from that particular bird.

 

[NatJ]

The first group, 2 of the 4 month old pullets are already close to laying. Not exactly happy about them laying earlier then 5-6 months. That's a trait I need to get rid of. Not exactly sure where it came from. All birds I've used either laid at 5-6, or 7 months of age.

Were they all raised at the same time of year? I have noticed that pullets who grow up during the long days of spring & summer will generally lay earlier than ones hatched later in the year who grow up with mostly decreasing day length and short days as they are maturing.

So depending on when you were raising them, you might have a genetic difference or an environmental one or a bit of both.