Euskal Oiloa ( Basque Thread)

[Arbutus Peregrine]

I know this is a thread about Euskal Oiloa but Id like to rant a little bit about something that's been bothering me for some time now.. Well to start off, I seem to always hop on my smart phone before bed and do research and stroll around and I seem to run across articles on raising chickens and how to house them. Stuff like watering systems and what types of materials to use when building pens and nesting boxes and etc.. It seems like most of these articles are always telling me to find the cheapest ways possible to house your birds, why?! Like for instance I was reading a couple articles that was telling you how cheap they got out of building their chickens pens and they used recycled garbage and then they show this junk heap they call a house and I just want to scream! Why is this? Chickens deserve the best too. We love them, so why not give them the best. They make us happy and feel us with joy and they serve a valuable purpose. I mean, I know cats and dogs serve and purpose too but if you had them in house with two screen doors held together with rope and bubble gum it would be considered neglect. But it seems to be fine to have your poultry trolling through mud jumping under water logged particle board with mold and spores growing all over it just because it was cheap and free to obtain. I love my birds and I want the best for them. I love to build them little castles and build playgrounds for them to be entertained. Maybe its just me?? I get fresh eggs everyday, they clean my yard of bugs they aerate my land with scratching and produce fine fertilizer. I guess its one thing if you want to recycle because that is a good thing to do but not make it look so bad a homeless man wouldn't crawl into it. And don't get me started on nesting boxes. I want my little queens to hop into something with style to lay their eggs and not a bunch of milk jugs hot glued together. I guess what I'm trying to say is if you love your birds show them you love them. Don't be cheap! Ok, I feel better now.

I love this! And chickens have a big expense up front (their housing) but then what? They’re so cheap after that. Even if you need a vet but that is rare. Other animals are so expensive their whole life long! So quality housing makes sense to me!!

 

[Arbutus Peregrine]

Quote:

Yeah, but say 'E' with the pronunciation of 'end', not 'L'. To say 'U', try with 'oo' (of google). SKAL- OI- 'LL' (with the sound of 'paella')- O ('got') - A ('that').

I say: “ay-oo skal oh-ee-lo-uh”
Espero que sea correcta!

 

[GaryDean26]

I say /eɪ ju skʌl, ɔɪ loʊ ʌ/

eɪ = Egg
ju = Use
ʌ = Hot
ɔɪ = Boil
oʊ = no

Yo sé que no lo digo tal como se lo dice in País Vasco.

 

[Arbutus Peregrine]

Okay, I promised CR that I would post photos of my crazy homemade nest box. In her genetic mini series, she had inserted a photo of this nest box in Liberia:




I thought it was pretty cool looking, so I starting thinking about what I could use to build my own. Here is the finished result:



I used cornstalks for the base and the teepee shape. I was going to lash the stalks together at the base, but that wasn't working out so well, so I put some little strips of wood underneath and nailed them down. I used Virginia creeper to weave in and out of the vertical cornstalks. We don't really have much Virginia creeper, so when I ran out, I dug out some old raffia that I had, and crammed some extra cornstalk pieces in the gaps.

I brought the new "box" out there yesterday evening and filled it with shavings and a fake egg. For a few minutes, they were absolutely terrified. The spotted Basque hen was the first to stick her head in (sorry for the extremely blurry photo taken through chicken wire):



Soon after, one of the hens gave the nest box a little peck. It was like they had discovered a giant candy bar! I had noticed the stalks were somewhat sticky. I hoped that by morning, they would just climb in and lay an egg, but they were so excited to eat this strange object. 24 hours later, they had done very little damage (a couple of woodpecker-like holes). And I did find that someone had kicked out the wooden egg, so they must have gone in there. If need be, I can replace some of the stalks with wood. I don't expect this box to be a long-lived functional object. But it was fun to build!

Most amazing nest box ever!

 

[Arbutus Peregrine]

Things get weirder here all the time. I think I only have 2 Basque hens.

When I hatched, it was a big mix of eggs, including olive eggers, wheaten ameraucana, and blue marans. Only one wheaten ameraucana hatched, but there were no birds that looked like a wheaten ameraucana. I assumed this splash bird came out of that very blue egg, and that the breeder had somehow mixed them up:



I've been getting a gorgeous blue egg occasionally, and always credited this splash.


Now, I am fairly sure my strangely-shaped "Basque" pullet is laying that pretty blue egg. Remember this weird hump-back pullet?





I realize she doesn't look like a wheaten ameraucana, either, but I think she hatched out of an Ameraucana egg. She was in the nest today, standing and straining, so I hung around to collect her egg. I did not see the egg drop out of her, but she was the only one in the box, and a couple of minutes later there was a beautiful blue egg, still wet.

This would also explain my earlier confusion, when I announced that 6 Basque eggs had hatched, and then later changed my mind and said there must have been 7 that hatched. It would also explain this rare form of Basque hen!

Now if I could only explain why she doesn't look like a wheaten ameraucana.

They are so cute!

 

[twinflower2]

Hi! I’m new to the basque page. I managed to pick up one of these cuties from a local with an assortment of rare hatched eggs from Greenfire Farms!
Here are it is! Marshmallow/ Kirby!
It was first to hatch and promptly curled around it’s barnvelder brood mate’s eggs and peeped them out of their shells! Very snuggly, likes being held once you’ve got it in your hands and someplace safe. I think it’s a Marraduna but if anyone else knows for sure I’d appreciate it!

 

[Arbutus Peregrine]

Hi! I’m new to the basque page. I managed to pick up one of these cuties from a local with an assortment of rare hatched eggs from Greenfire Farms!
Here are it is! Marshmallow/ Kirby!
It was first to hatch and promptly curled around it’s barnvelder brood mate’s eggs and peeped them out of their shells! Very snuggly, likes being held once you’ve got it in your hands and someplace safe. I think it’s a Marraduna but if anyone else knows for sure I’d appreciate it!

I think the only variety in North America is Marraduna. It may turn out pure white. I hope more are imported to increase genetic diversity here. Yours is super cute!!

 

[Arbutus Peregrine]

Here are my first Basque. I got five cockerels and two pullets. They develop very fast and are just as smart and friendly as reported! Sergio is on my head, Pancho (white one) on my shoulder, and the photo with just two is Bonnie and Betty White! Very happy with them

 

[Arbutus Peregrine]

Here they are now at 12 weeks!

 

[Greylight]

I know it’s been a couple of years since there was activity here but I am looking for some Basque pullets and I am having a hard time finding them. Anyone have any info?