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  • What would you do?

    I've a feeling I already know the answer that most of you will give, but thought I would ask anyway

    I have a young light sussex pullet, hatched in March, commenced lay July. She is still producing very small eggs (I can only sell them as bantam sized) despite now having been laying for almost three months. She can lay bigger eggs as has produced a couple of double yolkers, but then goes back to her usual small ones. Most hens usually only take a month to get up to "normal" size.

    She is a very nice young hen, fit and healthy and lays every single day, but frankly, not much use to me as I have a horde of bantams that lay the same size egg and obviously don't eat as much, and because of this "fault" I will not be breeding from her. She has a younger full sister (same parents, later hatch) who has yet to start laying. All her other siblings were male.

    I think ultimately I will move her on to someone who accepts her fault and will be happy to have her as a pet, the question is when. Should I continue to feed her through the winter while I wait to see if the sister produces a similar egg (thus proving a breeding fault) or get rid of her now?

    If the sister also lays small eggs then I have a fault within the parent stock and then have to work out which one carries it by put the parents to different partners in the Spring. The hen lays a large egg and is worth keeping just as a layer even if I can't breed from her any more, whereas I will eat the cock if he turns out to be the duff one. Not sure I want to feed him through the winter though only to find out he is the one at fault.

  • #2
    If it were me, I'd advertise her now as pet. You can always do the same to the sister later. If you can advertise them free, or very cheap, to a good home with their faults, then I should.

    As long as people are aware of their faults, I see no problem.

    Jules
    Last edited by julesapple; 11-10-2011, 01:24 PM.
    Jules

    Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?

    ♥ Nutter in a Million & Royal Nutter by Appointment to HRH VC ♥

    Althoughts - The New Blog (updated with bridges)

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    • #3
      Well....I think I would move on the pair of sisters before winter at least. If you keep them as a pair at least they'd have each others company. I'm sure someone will be OK with the smaller eggs and enjoy them as pets too, and if the younger sister does lay normal sized eggs - well that will be a bonus for whoever takes them.
      Not sure what to do about the father though?

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      • #4
        IL do you a favour and take them off your hands!!

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        • #5
          Originally posted by jimred View Post
          IL do you a favour and take them off your hands!!
          Thanks for your offer. I'll give her a bit longer. If the size hasn't improved by the end of the month she will probably be up for sale at a reduced price. I shall however keep the sister for the time being as she may lay normal eggs.

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          • #6
            Because I'm soft I'd keep them both! My birds are pets anyway and the fact I have eggs for sale is a massive bonus for me.

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            • #7
              I know Sue, I must admit to being a bit torn. Husband is more ruthless though and insists on culling or moving on inferior birds. Decisions, decisions ...................

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              • #8
                Originally posted by RichmondHens View Post
                I know Sue, I must admit to being a bit torn. Husband is more ruthless though and insists on culling or moving on inferior birds. Decisions, decisions ...................
                Thankfully don't have that problem Sally - OH wouldn't know an inferior bird from a corn on the cob! and as the majority are on the allotment he never sees them anyway!

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                • #9
                  I would get rid of her! Keep the sister to check everything is ok with your breeding pair and then you will have your answer for the Dad.

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                  • #10
                    I would rehome her and if sister has same problem then the cockerel would have to go too. Sorry, not what you wanted to hear!

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                    • #11
                      It's a no brainer for me. My girls are pets so they are here for life. Eggs, no eggs, small eggs or large. (Doesn't mean I don't feel like strangling the broodies sometimes though 'cos I don't want to hatch.)

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                      • #12
                        I'd keep her. But I have a load of ex-Batties that can't be arrised to lay more than twice a week - bl**dy free-loaders!
                        All the best - Glutton 4 Punishment
                        Freelance shrub butcher and weed removal operative.

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                        • #13
                          Only have one battie left and she doesn't lay at all. The wellie is moulting so she's not likely to lay again until next April !

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                          • #14
                            Mmmm, hard one.
                            Commercially it has to be sell. However if that line has only given two pullets I think I'd hang on until sis lays. If she's not laying big eggs by then it's a fault in her. If sis does it too then it's genetic. After all it's not feeding a whole batch.
                            Did she grow really quickly? Could be a useful trait for meat production, as long as she does lay big eggs eventually. After all fast growing boys are good. And could it have stressed her system if she did?
                            My sussex crosses have mostly been slow to get up size in eggs, but produce massive ones once established..but they are fast growers so I'd put it down to that. Tbh I had'nt thought about it as such until I read this, but assumed it was just the breeding.
                            Thanks for making me think about it RH. I'll watch more carefully now.
                            Anyone who says nothing is impossible has never tried slamming a revolving door

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                            • #15
                              Yes she did grow quickly Hilly, and was in lay relatively early at about 19 weeks which I thought may have contributed. So yes am really waiting to see what the sister does which will tell me if it is a fault with parent stock or a fault only with her. We have decided to cull the cock anyway, as we will use our other LS stud cock for next year.

                              Her brothers have grown fast, but as not as meaty as ones I have produced in the past (using different parents), both parents being a lighter type. This years hatching was mainly to produce more layers (as we have an Indian Game cock to father meat birds) but unfortunately produced almost entirely males instead.

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