Euskal Oiloa ( Basque Thread)

[mzstre]

It sure is quiet! Where is everyone?

 

[ronott1]

It sure is quiet! Where is everyone?

I am here!

I had a soft shell pullet egg yesterday, so I mixed some Food Grad DE into their feed today.

Bye!

 

[1muttsfan]

I am in and out too

 

[ApronStrings]

I just finished reading the past 400+ posts that have occurred whilst I have been MIA. My EO flock is busy growing. I have been setting every egg that the girls lay. (Skyline genetics). Also bought some eggs off another NPIP farm and hatched out a few (Greenfire genetics). We currently have 28 babies in the brooder and the hatcher and incubator are still running. Just put 8 eggs into lockdown. I have a virtually never ending staggered hatch a going on! I will be growing out babies and selecting for type this winter. My goal is to have a 50 -80 strong Marraduna Basque EO flock here in Florida. I currently have White Orpington, RIR, and barred rocks. Half of my WO flock will be going to another farm here in Florida. The others (minus 3 hens and 1 roo) are also spoken for. This is freeing up much needed space as many of the EO chicks are feathered out and ready to move out of the brooder. The wonderful lady who has tended our farm while we went galavanting across the USA, has fallen in love with the EO's (doesn't everyone?) and has offered to take any rooster culls to use on her 15 acres for bug control. I have also promised another sweet lady at least 6 pullets that don't meet my cut. She has some that I sold her out of my initial Skyline hatch. Two of her girls have gone broody. One just recently hatch out 8 babies! The other is still sitting. I am selecting for broodiness, but its just to early in the game to do so as I'm such an egg snatcher! I will see next spring who wants to set...

I will post pictures next month. This month I am really limited to my android because we have a Pumpkin Patch set up on our other place next to the highway. We can't leave it unattended due to pumpkin smashing teenagers! Thank goodness for travel trailers! The hours that I spend at the farm are all consumed with chores (and mostly in the dark). I love looking at everyone else's EO's. Keep em' coming.

 

[Maggiesdad]

Herro!

 

[JerryR]

That is very very cool ApronStrings!

I haven't taken the plunge and gotten any Euskal Oiloa's yet because I'm pretty much at capacity with what I've got right now. But, hopefully next spring.

A couple of the things that really intrigues me about them is that they are good layers, great foragers, and friendly. I hope when you are selecting that you keep selecting for good laying and foraging ability, besides how they look. To me, how they perform is more important. I assume you will be selecting for these traits, since you mentioned broodiness, another function trait. That is good for my farm too.

My family and I go down to Palm City FL from NC every once in awhile. Maybe I could buy some stock from you some day!!!

Keep up the good work and keep us updated.

Jerry

 

[ApronStrings]

Hi Jerry. You are absolutely correct. The traits you mentioned seem to be very strong in the Eos. One would probably have a hard time selecting against said traits. Any and all mean or overly aggressive animals on my farm go to freezer camp. Hens that don't lay well (that can't be contributed to moult or broodiness) don't live on my farm very long. And for foraging skills, well they are THE most eager to exit when the coop door is opened! My other breeds will hang back casually. The EOs place more value on one single bug than an entire bucket of feed! Come next Spring I should have some that I may part with. Thanks for the encouragement. The birds are very rewarding as most here will attest to. CHEERS YA'LL!

 

[buckabucka]

I still wish mine were friendly, but they are certainly nice chickens to have around. I'd like to hatch some more in the spring. I only have two girls suitable for breeding, but that is just as well, as I am trying to stick with my self-imposed 50 chicken limit (we're at 41).

Update on the corn crib! Unfortunately, it has failed as a nest box because the chickens are so busy snacking on it. I was excited to see digging around inside, only to discover that they were hollowing out all the stalks that make up the floor. They are even stripping the bark off the Virginia creeper vine! I'll have to make the next one out of hardwood, or perhaps steel .

 

[1muttsfan]

My main man EO roo, Big Fella, is certainly one of my favorite birds. I dont handle my roos at all, but he is friendly and personable, and a great flock boss. Yesterday a little EE hen got into the wrong run (his) and when I went in and caught her she started screaming - Help! Murder! Big Fella absolutely Erupted out of the chicken coop, feathers all fluffed and squawking in fury - until he saw it was me. I still got a dirty look, but I think it was for disturbing his dinner.

 

[MonsterClucker]

My main rooster, his name is Macho.

Perfect name for him! This guy is lucky I need him for a future breeding project. He is almost "perfect" looking. But he attacks me about twice a week at least.
I think he's not used to me wearing jeans. Since its been cooler I'm wearing jeans again. He will attack my legs. And he's done it a few times while I've been on the phone walking around in the chicken area. Or even just around him and the girls. He dosent like me being on the phone.

It's kind of funny to me. The way his neck flares out! And how he charges! It cracks me up!

But for now he's safe from the stew pot....

Or maybe not....


This weekend ill have 18 new EO babies to choose new breeders.

How important is temperament to you guys???
I would like to breed in traits that people would be happy with when I plan on sharing down the road.

To me a slightly aggressive rooster is not that bad if you have predator problems. I do wish someday I can actually have a rooster that will protect his hens even if it means his own life... But that's just IMO.


What are some of the traits that are important to you guys in your EO breeding projects?