➡I accidentally bought Balut eggs: 2 live ducks! Now a Chat Thread!

[Conan]

Just discovered Ideal also has Iowa Blues, a breed I discovered a couple years ago but had forgotten about.... I may have to place an order with them at some point

Probably not this year though or at least not until later in the year.

I want to get a couple more kennels set up so I can keep a few separate flocks as my coop isn’t big enough to add a ton more birds.

Or I may just focus on the brabanters and production birds and wait to get Iowa Blues until I can find a good breeder. I’m sure hatchery quality ones aren’t great.

There's an Iowa Blue thread. I'm also really interested in the breed, they sound neat. I'd like to try them one day. There are some folks on the thread that breed and sell if you want to take a look.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/iowa-blues-breed-thread-and-discussion.469317/

 

[ShrekDawg]

There's an Iowa Blue thread. I'm also really interested in the breed, they sound interesting. I'd like to try them one day. There are some folks on the thread that breed and sell if you want to take a look.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/iowa-blues-breed-thread-and-discussion.469317/

Thanks!! I’ll have to check that thread out!!

They do seem like a fascinating breed and I feel like if I try them, I would like to get some from a good breeder to make sure I actually get a good representation of the breed.

Normally I don’t mind hatchery stock, all of mine are hatchery currently, but I feel like because they’re such a niche breed a hatchery might not do them justice.

Although I suppose I could always try some hatchery ones first and get breeder birds later on if I really like them. I may order some brabanters and sexlinks and maybe add some of the Iowa Blues just to try.

But this is all just hypothetical for now.

I don’t even know if I’m going to order from Ideal. Cackle has some birds I want to try too, although not as many as Ideal, and I hear they have very good quality stock for a hatchery, and I also love my birds from Meyer and would like more, although they don’t have as big a variety as the other two hatcheries, so I don’t know.

ETA: Cackle also has a couple sexed OEGB varieties which is a definite plus if I go that way.

 

[FortCluck]

We are watching IT the second one. I'm so tired but want to finish it

 

[ShrekDawg]

We are watching IT the second one. I'm so tired but want to finish it

I’ve never seen either of those.

 

[Kiki]

We are watching IT the second one. I'm so tired but want to finish it

Have you got to the part with the old granny in the apartment yet?

 

[BantyChooks]

This is all excellent information and very helpful so thank you for this!!
So when you say the crow and pitch is proportionate to their size... does that mean they have a high pitched squeaky pipsqueak type crow!?

I figured they would not be able to fight anything off and wouldn’t even expect a standard rooster to but I guess what I meant by protect them better was more so just potentially being more aware of threats and sounding the alarm more often than a standard rooster might? But I guess it probably depends?

They do sound like perfect gentlemen though.

But it is good to hear that standard roosters can be great too! Because honestly when you were describing the bantams, they sounded perfect and I wanted to get one because I was terrified of potential aggression in a standard sized rooster and wanted to avoid it but it sounds like it might not even be an issue?

It seems like it maybe depends highly on the individual rooster though and their upbringing.

I have been avoiding handling the chicks so that they aren’t overly familiar with me and potentially aggressive.

Also, if I do keep one, it would likely be added to the flock of adults along with any pullets so maybe that would help curb any aggression to me or the hens as opposed to if I gave him his own separate flock?

I’m not sure which one, if any, I plan on keeping yet. I know for sure I have a RIR cockerel, a Welsummer pair, and a Barred Rock cockerel, and I may potentially also have an EE cockerel and either an Australorp or Andalusian cockerel (can’t tell them apart atm). A couple others I thought may be boys but now their combs don’t look red so idk.

It's not super high pitched, but it's distinguishable from a LF rooster's crow.

I don't think I've observed any difference in the awareness of OEGBs vs standard breeds.

Honestly, the ball's pretty much in your court when it comes to aggression, IME. Breeds give general trends and influence which methods one uses. They don't deliver the final stamp on the results. If you read the rooster article linked in my signature, I won't have to clutter up this thread with more ramblings on my theories and the techniques I follow.

 

[NanaKat]

You guys can quit it with this shit. I never once said it was his responsibility to build it or that he should fix the doghouse. But my parents have nixed every single idea I have had for a coop or location and refuse to even take me to buy the supplies to build it. And yes, I DO need them for that because I don’t have a car that can fit that stuff in it. I have told them numerous times that I will buy everything and I will build everything myself if they don’t want to help. Doesn’t seem to matter. And yes, I probably should not have gotten the eggs before I had it built, I know that’s 100% on me, but I had no way of knowing they would drag their feet so much on this. I know I usually do procrastinate on everything/don’t do what I say, but I DID NOT want to procrastinate on this. In fact, I have been trying to get this thing built since before the eggs even hatched because I wanted to avoid this exact situation. But they refuse to do it. I can’t exactly build anything with no supplies....

And he put the fence in that spot without talking to me so yes it is going to need to be moved. I’ll move it by myself if I have to.

And I will gladly fix the doghouse myself too. Never said he should fix it. Just that it needs to be fixed. Since he doesn’t seem to think so, I WILL probably end up fixing it by myself.

My animals are the one thing I am responsible about and care about more than myself. I would have had this thing built months ago if it was up to me. But it’s not.

That said, since they do seem to refuse to help, I’m going to have to come up with something different.

The doghouse may just have to do for now.

Find a friend with a pickup or go rent one for the stuff.

Good, good, and good! I still want some LF hens too so always good to hear from others with mixed sized / breed flocks. What is the temperament of the OEGB cross boys? I had a little game cockerel years ago and would like to get another one eventually.

Never have had problems between the Bantams or the Large fowl.

Little is growing. Whatcha think? Cockerel?View attachment 1995144

Pullet

4 weeks old & Fuzzy has the bigger comb.

Pullet

View attachment 1995166 View attachment 1995167

Pullet. The neck feathers have round tips as do those on the back.

I would love to see pictures if you have some

I'll get some in the morning.

 

[FortCluck]

Have you got to the part with the old granny in the apartment yet?

Yeah she needs a plastic surgeon for her sagging

 

[FortCluck]

I can't believe I'm hatching chicks again

 

[FortCluck]

I’ve never seen either of those.

I watched the first one so I had to watch the second one. It was hilarious. We laughed the entire time.