New Year Hatch w/Connie,Wickedchicken6,BantyChooks,penny1960,CapricornFarm,Auroradream26 & Rubysword

[OneMountainAcres]

here he here he! just married all the birds together and I have a ton of pix to share! Loosing sun light so Ill sort thru them after feeding. Here is a quick @BantyChooks sneak peak.
View attachment 1395841

@BantyChooks is gorgeous!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

@Auroradream26 - what a beautiful pullet. mild mannered and manageable. Content and tame. Doesn't run away or try to flee when being held. Now that all of the birds are housed together, her and Ruby are peas in a pod. Kinda funny how they are glued to each others hips. All the other birds flock together but the twins have a private club for "members only".

gorgeous dark highlights that are eye candy to witness in person. Hard to capture a moving subject with the camera. Photography does not do any justice for showing off the beauty of this magnificent creature.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

View attachment 1396800
@Auroradream26 - what a beautiful pullet. mild mannered and manageable. Content and tame. Doesn't run away or try to flee when being held. Now that all of the birds are housed together, her and Ruby are peas in a pod. Kinda funny how they are glued to each others hips. All the other birds flock together but the twins have a private club for "members only".
View attachment 1396776 gorgeous dark highlights that are eye candy to witness in person. Hard to capture a moving subject with the camera. Photography does not do any justice for showing off the beauty of this magnificent creature.
View attachment 1396789View attachment 1396793 View attachment 1396796View attachment 1396802

I am absolutely stunning! I can't wait to see the babies I make lol.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

@Rubysword - you're bird is a pistol. Stubborn as a mule but beautiful as a sunset.

Ruby thinks she is an eagle. All she wants to do is fly. The opposite of her twin.

Feathers don't have those dark highlights as much as Aurora but some slight speckling never the less.

Also her tail feathers are lighter. You can scroll up to my previous post and witness the slight differences.

She almost resembles a Hawk. Especially with her need for flight behavior. She is soft as silk.

The bad news is... we had to clip her wings yesterday. For her own safety. She wouldn't stop flying. Almost made it on top of the barn. So she lost her wing tips to save her well being.
The decision was made to clip long after these photos that were taken yesterday afternoon. She escaped so many times until the point we were losing sunlight on the final escape when she almost left our property, that's when the shears came out. I would rather have a clipped bird than a missing bird.
They will grow back with the fall molt. Hopefully she will put some weight on and make it harder to fly so high. I have never seen a chicken that could fly. Most make it up 4 to five feet. Ruby went over 10+ when she almost made it up to the barn gutter.
Incredible bird, high energy and ambition.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

@Wickedchicken6
Your cross is almost a perfect Barred rock. Nothing wicked about her. Soft as a butterfly and gentle as a summer breeze.
But she hates posing for the camera!

We took over 25 pics of her because she is "twitchy". Hyper and doesn't hold still. But not in a nervous way, just high energy.

Even changing the shutter speed to compensate for the quick movements, it was hard to get a clear shot at certain angles. Almost like she drank a pot of coffee before the photo shoot.

The Barred Rock classic pattern is predominate. Even the under belly. Just a little too dark to be a show bird. She is show worthy, but wouldn't be Blue Ribbon material. Red, in the least- white.
Amazing specimen.

Note the branding/banding- our entire stock is colored coded. Age/health/job description. "Blue & Black" is coded for the Backyard Chickens New years hatch batch. Even though I know these birds like the back of my hand, I had to color code them because @Wickedchicken6 looks like my Barred rock group. If it wasn't for Wicked bird, I probably would have not color coded the group.
Everybody thank wicked for the jewelry!

 

[Wickedchicken6]

@Wickedchicken6
Your cross is almost a perfect Barred rock. Nothing wicked about her. Soft as a butterfly and gentle as a summer breeze.
But she hates posing for the camera!View attachment 1396983 We took over 25 pics of her because she is "twitchy". Hyper and doesn't hold still. But not in a nervous way, just high energy.View attachment 1396984 Even changing the shutter speed to compensate for the quick movements, it was hard to get a clear shot at certain angles. Almost like she drank a pot of coffee before the photo shoot.View attachment 1396986 The Barred Rock classic pattern is predominate. Even the under belly. Just a little too dark to be a show bird. She is show worthy, but wouldn't be Blue Ribbon material. Red, in the least- white.
Amazing specimen.View attachment 1396990 Note the branding/banding- our entire stock is colored coded. Age/health/job description. "Blue & Black" is coded for the Backyard Chickens New years hatch batch. Even though I know these birds like the back of my hand, I had to color code them because @Wickedchicken6 looks like my Barred rock group. If it wasn't for Wicked bird, I probably would have not color coded the group.
Everybody thank wicked for the jewelry!
View attachment 1397002 View attachment 1397008

You are very welcome! I don't mind a few rings myself.

Those are beautiful birds you have there Connie!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I know what you are thinking! How can I post a Canadian Chicken without posting it's pair!
@BantyChooks use to say- "I'm still the cutest". She can now say- The Handsomest. I really never saw this coming. Scrolling back all those pages ago and watching the transformation of this young cockerel.
It looks like a different bird all together. If I didn't photograph the entire development of this bird, it would be impossible to say that this is the young adult version of that tiny little penguin chick. Without futher adue, The most handsome roo on our property- @BantyChooks the Rooster:

I totally see Black Jersey Giant green feathering. My only guess would be my BJG mated with 1 of many Mottle Java Cockerels that were sent to freezer camp. Banty is sporting leg bands, courtesy of your sister from south Canada..

Banty is not accustomed to wiping his feet prior to the photo op. You can raise a "Northie" in the south, but you can't remove the Northie habits I suppose. We don't have the snow to keep the dirty specs washed away I suppose.

Check out them waddles!!!!! That beautiful black beak. Whiskers sticking up with the comb. The mottling. I LOVE THIS ROOSTER!

Long green & black tail feathers! BEAUTIFUL MUT!

I've decided to call him a "MOTTLED GIANT" instead of mut. Seems more appropriate. In the near future, I will breed him with a Pure BJG & M-java to witness the stronger genetics of his cross breeding.

I received a warning from the State department that if I was to breed Banty with Wicked, it might be a conflict of interest with our Country's diplomatic relationship with the Canadian Government.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

@penny1960
What more can I say? Your bird has me creating threads left & right asking questions about this unique specimen.
The current question brought to forum is WHAT SEX?
By now I should not be asking this kind of a question. If I have been handling and caring for poultry for over 17 yrs, I should know how to sex a 5 m/o bird.
This one has me and hubby scratching each others heads.
Pretty/handsome- depends how you look at the features.
Characteristics of a rooster of the head and neck.

Long luxurious neck feathering/comb--ears-waddles say I'M A BOY!

The body shape suggests girl. Except that one feature that is exceptional-

The yellow leg is slightly fatter than the whiter leg. But the hardest thing to photograph is @penny1960 's yellow drumstick and thigh. It is much larger than the lighter leg. The bird walks kind of funny. Kinda like a pirate with a peg leg.
I might need to upload a video to explain better.


This photo says Rooster-

This side of the bird has brown spots and green highlights.

Which is the lighter leg side of the big if you are following.

It was an overcast day yesterday. Couldn't use the flash with the shutter speed setting we were using. We were concentrating on relocation of the birds, not perfect photos. Quickie pics were taken after marring all the birds and banding them. No more tractor housing. They have a private residence now. At least before these current plans change.

Well there you go.. @penny1960
Video soon enough.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

So after dark last night I had my first BYC Batch scare. 9-ish O'clock we were done scooping a big batch of barley grain into buckets and before we went in I made my rounds to make sure all of the hatch doors were secure. @CapricornFarm Cockerel was missing! I freaked out. I looked all around the tractor and no where around. I cried out my chicken call... and a bunch of other roos called out but no Capri..
Finally after scouring the grounds I made it to the railing under the tree by our sundeck where my free birds sleep. Capricorn was snuggled next to Pinky the Barred Rock (Wicked's mommy). Made himself at home.View attachment 1358893
So I suppose I should use this as an opportunity to show off Capricorn's color changes. Note the golden pattern emerging out of the greenish blackness. I'm assuming nothing anymore on whom the father was. View attachment 1358894 Remember, this hatch occurred during an extremely heavy rooster population. I'm confused completely who daddy could be. All those males have been gone for some time now.
Capricorn has a little of everything in him. Splashed/dashed/smashed..
I put him back in the tractor and secured the lid.View attachment 1358903
The Barred rock Pinky was on death's door 1 year ago or so when she was ganged up on in the big egg house. She was pecked naked (thus the name pinky). We brought her out to live or die with the free birds to live her final days in peace. Since then her coat has recovered so beautifully, and is thick and luxurious. Protected nightly by our collie dog on duty. Without Pinky, there would be a different Wickedchicken. Everything happens for a reason.
I have a few more pix to share. I'll update soon enough. Was taking a little break away from the grandson. Have him for the next 5 days. Back later.

I haven't seen a rooster with such vibrant yellow splashes.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I know what you are thinking! How can I post a Canadian Chicken without posting it's pair!
@BantyChooks use to say- "I'm still the cutest". She can now say- The Handsomest. I really never saw this coming. Scrolling back all those pages ago and watching the transformation of this young cockerel.
It looks like a different bird all together. If I didn't photograph the entire development of this bird, it would be impossible to say that this is the young adult version of that tiny little penguin chick. Without futher adue, The most handsome roo on our property- @BantyChooks the Rooster:View attachment 1397027 I totally see Black Jersey Giant green feathering. My only guess would be my BJG mated with 1 of many Mottle Java Cockerels that were sent to freezer camp. Banty is sporting leg bands, courtesy of your sister from south Canada..View attachment 1397033 Banty is not accustomed to wiping his feet prior to the photo op. You can raise a "Northie" in the south, but you can't remove the Northie habits I suppose. We don't have the snow to keep the dirty specs washed away I suppose.
View attachment 1397039 Check out them waddles!!!!! That beautiful black beak. Whiskers sticking up with the comb. The mottling. I LOVE THIS ROOSTER!View attachment 1397040 Long green & black tail feathers! BEAUTIFUL MUT!View attachment 1397041
I've decided to call him a "MOTTLED GIANT" instead of mut. Seems more appropriate. In the near future, I will breed him with a Pure BJG & M-java to witness the stronger genetics of his cross breeding.

I received a warning from the State department that if I was to breed Banty with Wicked, it might be a conflict of interest with our Country's diplomatic relationship with the Canadian Government.

She, er...he is a beautiful rooster! (Did you hear that Banty...you sexy rooster you!)

The government? Little 'ol us from Canada? We wouldn't hurt a fly, would we Banty? (Try to look innocent!)