Euskal Oiloa ( Basque Thread)

[CackleJoy]

I'm still trying to figure out the boys. I've been able to weed out a lot of the polka-dotted pantaloons via extreme culling but there are stills some faults cropping up. Both my boys are young, not even close to mature so my thoughts are inconclusive.

By the way, I generally have no idea what I'm doing. Totally welcome breeding pointers or tips on how to choose good stock!

For fun I will post a photo of our first cockerel from Skyline stock. He died of unknown causes but I got one pullet off of him and she is in the mix now too. I think the color depth is interesting, there is a huge improvement found by adding the imported cockerel. This is the Skyline boy -



These are the two boys I have kept as breeding stock for this year. They are GFF x import






The first two photos (of improved stock) are of the better cockerel. The bottom photo is of my least favorite cockerel, he is lighter in color and has spots on his chest and some faint spotting in his fluff. I suspect he carries the MF gene so I hope to get rid of him soon.

 

[CackleJoy]

This girl isn't as rich in color but I like her shape and that her tail feathers only have a thumbprint of black.

 

[Maggiesdad]

*snip*
By the way, I generally have no idea what I'm doing. Totally welcome breeding pointers or tips on how to choose good stock!

Hi CackleJoy! I still plan on getting back to you - It's been crazy busy around here! Just set 73 more this past Sunday.

The ALBC has three great PDFs that are as good a place as any for getting started learning how to select. The feathers are just that - feathers.. it's what's under the hood that makes a bird. The front 40 pages of the APA SOP deal with this, too. Handle your birds, a lot. Learn how they feel and how the flesh lays on their breasts, legs, and thighs. If you process and eat your extras, it only helps develop your understanding of their structure.
Keep notes and and always select for vigor. And little things like who's first up and at 'em in the morning, and whose last to go to roost.

 

[mzstre]

Hi, all! It's been a while since I've popped in here. I just joined the NABHA - happy to see an official group!

Does anyone know what happened to Meg, the woman who imported some new Basque a couple of years ago? I see that she hasn't been on BYC for quite some time. Does she still have the Basque? If not, does anyone know who has the flock? I lost my Basque cock and need to find a good replacement. I don't mind hatching and growing them out - I have lots of patience.

 

[ronott1]

Hi, all! It's been a while since I've popped in here. I just joined the NABHA - happy to see an official group!

Does anyone know what happened to Meg, the woman who imported some new Basque a couple of years ago? I see that she hasn't been on BYC for quite some time. Does she still have the Basque? If not, does anyone know who has the flock? I lost my Basque cock and need to find a good replacement. I don't mind hatching and growing them out - I have lots of patience.

No, we have not had contact with her in quite some time.

Cacklejoy is you best bet for some of her blood line.

 

[CackleJoy]

Hi CackleJoy! I still plan on getting back to you - It's been crazy busy around here! Just set 73 more this past Sunday.

The ALBC has three great PDFs that are as good a place as any for getting started learning how to select. The feathers are just that - feathers.. it's what's under the hood that makes a bird. The front 40 pages of the APA SOP deal with this, too. Handle your birds, a lot. Learn how they feel and how the flesh lays on their breasts, legs, and thighs. If you process and eat your extras, it only helps develop your understanding of their structure.
Keep notes and and always select for vigor. And little things like who's first up and at 'em in the morning, and whose last to go to roost.

73 eggs! All EOB?

Thank you for the tips. I've heard that saying about building the barn before it is painted.

Perhaps you can tell me what you are looking for when you are handling your birds.
I look for a straight keel and as they develop I like to see a deeper & wider chest. I don't know if that is correct but it looks nice I've also noticed that the males develop quite large thighs as they get older. We have yet to eat any - I had to empty the freezer of all our Cornish X's before we process more. Perhaps this will be the year as our freezer is finally down to 2 roasters.

We also try to weed out the split chests, split wings, and wrong color of legs.

I'm afraid all the chickens beat me out of bed

I would probably be culled for laziness

were I a chicken. With 4 children I'm up at 6 but certainly not outside right away.

I should probably print out the pdf's so I'll actually read them, and re-read them. I find online reading to be hard on the eyes. The trouble is that I don't have a mentor or teacher of any sort. My husband's family did layers and meat birds but always bought hatchery and never learned about proper breeding. It was my hope to take a couple birds to the chicken show this year and get the judge to help me out. However, there was an avian flue outbreak and I, being paranoid, didn't take any birds.

 

[CackleJoy]

Hi, all! It's been a while since I've popped in here. I just joined the NABHA - happy to see an official group!

Does anyone know what happened to Meg, the woman who imported some new Basque a couple of years ago? I see that she hasn't been on BYC for quite some time. Does she still have the Basque? If not, does anyone know who has the flock? I lost my Basque cock and need to find a good replacement. I don't mind hatching and growing them out - I have lots of patience.

I'm hatching away now

Will post updates as per viability soon. Got a slow start this year, thanks to a fence hoping Ameraucana

. Had to EAT EOB eggs for a couple months. The last hatch I put a few eggs in and they look fine. No AM influence!

The Ameraucana was properly punished. I wanted to kill him but instead we put him in a 10 x 10 dog pen and covered the top with shade cloth so he can't hop out. The 10 x 10 is inside a giant 30 x 60 run where all the egg layers get put. So if he somehow escapes he can't do any more damage. I imagine him trying every day and saying "Foiled again!" whereas I, in my imagination laugh maniacally. Yes, chickens do make one crazy!

 

[kathleens1979]

Hi! Is anyone interested in a small group of EOs? I hatched 7 this spring. They are now 7 weeks old. I bought them from a breeder in Minnesota, but I'm really concentrating on my Icelandic flock, and just don't have room for them. I would prefer local pick-up. I live in central Illinois (Peoria area). I don't know if they could be shipped- I have never shipped birds before. I think they are adorable. They are very friendly!!! I'm not sure male/female ratio- I think maybe 2/5 (based on what Flat Rock Farm estimated earlier when I posed pics). Rather than selling them, I'd really be more interested in egg trades. I am open to offers of any kind of poultry eggs for consideration. If you have an offer, please PM me.

 

[RFR of CA]

Of those four only one is a pullet (the all yellow one). She is cute by the way. Would love to have her but I am in CA

 

[kathleens1979]

Of those four only one is a pullet (the all yellow one). She is cute by the way. Would love to have her but I am in CA

Uh oh!!! Is it the combs or the coloring that tells you? I was worried once I saw little combs popping up, but I kept hoping...