Minnesota!

[Bogtown Chick]

I can't be sure Foxy. But I think those might be OEs. Olive eggers. I think Minnie mixes her Ameraucanas with Marans alot for those birds. Anyhow that's what I believe you have there. Fingers crossed you have hens and beautiful Olive eggs on the way.

**Jealous**

Any shiny saddle feathers or hackle feathers? Elvis was pretty glossy at that age already. This was the roo from Minnie I rehomed. Maybe this little comparison on how his feathering looked. He was mating pretty early on too at about 6 or 7 weeks.




Feathering early on. Note the slower tail growth typical for roos. Large shanks.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Welcome Jen Minnesota. I'm over by Leech Lake.

 

[holm25]

BC you r the closest person that lives to me that I know of!! There r a few peeps that havent said where they r from but your an hour away from me! Why am I happy to have people close to me??

 

[Minniechickmama]

These are from Minnie's eggs, so you could get some of your very own black EEs next spring! Both of the black ones are EEs, one also has feathered legs.

@Minniechickmama any feeling on the gender of the EEs? The one in the clover is the clean legged one, the one looking at the camera in the third photo is the feather legged one. Would a cockerel be trying to crow by now? I haven't heard a peep out of either of them yet.

You are one lucky dog! All pullets! Maybe, that is. One of the black ones may be messing with us. The Welsummer is easy, the males and females color out differently, but I see no sign of cockerels in that bunch! The two black could quite possibly be pure Ameraucana if their legs are black. I haven't even got those good of odds in sexes this year! I have one group that is all cockerels, so I am now wondering if I sold a bunch of pullets from that group when they were younger. The boys are being such jerks right now, I really need to put them out in the pasture to mellow out.

I cleaned two pens last night and moved some more birds from the brooder. One pen meant pitching it out into the run, only to now have to pitch it into a wagon to haul to the honey/compost pile. In this weather? What a royal PITA!!!

 

[gofeedthegirls]

Im

I'm in N Minnesota over by Virgina/ Gilbert area. Where are you from

Im way over to the west of you. 70 miles from Canada and 40 miles from ND. Thief river falls area. Welcome!

 

[Minniechickmama]

Welcome, Jen! I am down in SE MN a bit north of Rochester.


Bogtown, I did have some I was crossing with Marans to make the Olive Eggers, but only one Marans hen this year and for some reason didn't get many to hatch from her. Last year I got all these lovely barred birds from her, and all were males like that. This year, I have a little Barred bantam hen I put with a White Silkie then with a Salmon Faverolle and hatched a few, all the barred chicks are males. So obviously both of those crosses are sex links. The only pullet I have from those bantams is all black and I may keep her just for fun, just like her mom. I may get some more Marans in the future, but for now I am happy with the Welsummers to give me dark eggs. I might use one of my older Wellie hens in the EE pen next year and that Marans hen I still have. They will be sired by a black Ameraucana, so I expect I will still see a lot of black in that next generation. Next year I plan to only take orders for hatching eggs though and the only hatched/live birds will be those that are excess, running this as a business the last couple of years by myself is more than what this aging body and mind can keep up with and still take care of the two-leggeds living inside the house

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Oh Gosh Minnie: You know so much about genetics. You make me dizzy. LOL. Very cool though with the sex link trait you picked up.

If I get a few that go down with puppy training I'll probably be ringing you about replacements next spring. Although I'm hoping the pup leaves my little Dixie-Super Silkie Hatcher alone for that. She tends to watch that little bird...makes me nervous.

 

[FoxyChicken]

Wow, that is one shiny bird Bogtown! Neither of mine are that shiny, but they are getting some iridescence. I just can't believe that I may have hatched out all pullets! I should buy a lottery ticket!

 

[FoxyChicken]

Greetings from the North Shore Jen Minnesota!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

You are one lucky duck on that, Foxy! Wowee. And good for you!