6+ Mapuche Huastec hatching eggs

These eggs come from a pair of Snowy Nikkeis. The parents are both white, but the roo is of an undescribed mutation known as Mother-of-Pearl, while the female may be recessive white- it is unknown. The two pure white birds have offspring of many different colors, including a blue and gold, black, birchen, copper-necked, etc. This is not a standardized breed at all, so much as it is a race of birds known to a specific area of South America. This pair produces about 20% white offspring, with many other colors.

The Nikkei/Mapuche Huastec is a breed originating in the late eighteen hundreds from Japanese Jittoko, Japanese White Silky, and Crested Mapuche Founders. This breed is as unique to South America as the Plymouth Rock is to North America. There is info on various threads if you search BYC, such as this one: http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=387218

The eggs are a large white or off-white, and they lay very regularly. For the small size of the bird, the egg is huge. The males often have an extra toe, and the skin is black or slate. The comb can be single, pea, or walnut, sometimes a strawberry or cushion- very inconsistent.

There is a minor crest in these birds, as is consistent with most birds from this region. The crow is a bit of a chuckling cry.

Whoops...hit 'submit' without adding all of my other pics!

My roo:



My hen:

Many of these pics are of the stock that produced my birds- not my pics.











When a bird from Mapuche stock is all white with a downy patch under its eyes and on its face (not a beard, per se) it's called a Nikkei as a nod to the Japanese ancestry way back in the history of the breed's Jittoko foundation with native South American stock.

...good luck with that...we know you!

The sheen of the Mother of Pearl mutation makes me think it's related to the Lavender gene in its behavior, and in its manifestation. As the bird ages it goes from the palest of grey to this iridescent pearly grey dilution- very different from anything I've experienced before. It's enough to stymie the best, as two white birds consistently produce all different colors of offspring, with gold, black, etc.  ...and I can't explain it.

Theories, anyone?

...I'm addicted! I can't help but try to see/hear/smell/touch/do new things!! I love all of the cool birds...and next up will be eggs from the Raraku Rapa Nui!

(off to go look up Toppy gamefowl...)

I'm always buried in waiting lists and sometimes don't contact folks, so you have permission to nag me when you're ready- I've gotten several orders for later ship dates via pm, so you're not alone.

Thanks!