Arizona Chickens

[NoSkiveez]

Wow. We sure do have an active group. I haven't even caught up on all the posts yet!

AZDreamer - bummer on the hatch.

Brittany - cute chicks!

Lately, we've been trying to get as much done outside as possible before it gets too hot. We scheduled another bulk trash pick up and are working on more tree trimming. We have a horrible cluster of date palm trees that have probably never been trimmed that we are working on. Its a snake haven *shudders*.

Today I went to the doctor. I injured my eye pretty bad yesterday. I ended up with a laceration to the cornea. My porch was a mess and I told my husband if I had to look at that mess any longer I would gouge my eyes out. Well, in the process of cleaning it, I nearly did gouge my eye out. I'm still seeing double vision but good news is my vision should gradually get better over the next few weeks. My eye looks pretty evil. The white part is filled with blood.

I'm planning on thinning out a few birds from my youngsters. And probably some of the older birds too. I just need to figure it out.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
No, there is actually a gene for the blue eggshell: O for oocyanin, the chemical that causes the eggshell to be blue. It is formed in the liver, circulates through the blood to the shell gland where it is secreted as an eggshell. The-Coop has some old discussions on egg colour that are pretty interesting. Other than the blue egg gene, there are a TON more egg colour genes (at least 13!)

It was my understanding the color was heavily influenced by the shape of the crystals...ie the blue ones have "impurities" much like some "different" colored gemstones do, which changes the shape of the molecule and how it reflects/absorbs light.

...although that sounds fairly like the laymans description of what you just described. Maybe.



ETA: you are talking genes, I am talking atomic structures and resulting optics...LOL.

I NEVER argue with the gene gurus.

I'm still very much a newby on understanding the biochemical stuff. Problem is I can't figure out if I need to start reading cellular biology or organic chemistry. Probably both. One of my majors was earth science, and I really enjoyed mineralogy and petrology, and the formation of crystals. Back then I avoided all life sciences as best possible--to the extent of avoiding courses related to fossils whenever possible.

However, I am not sure that there are any crystals in the eggshell pigment.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

TT! :

The little black poop under the mama hen is a fresh-from-the-egg baby.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_.../AAAAAAAAB50/DrMNKKNklAQ/s640/orpingtons2.jpg

TT! -- I absolutely love this picture - your BO hen is beautiful - I love the different shades on her feathering. Those babies are so cute and I bet they'll be gorgeous when grown. I've never seen a lavendar orp before.

Arizona Dreamer --- I'm sorry about your bad hatch. I've ordered eggs shipped eggs twice - 1 batch had zero hatch and the other did pretty well - you never know what kind of handling the eggs are going to endure on their way to you.


Turkey Breeder -- I wish I was closer too - I love fresh tamales. Our neighbors make them each Christmas and give us a dozen - Yummy! Let me know next time you are visiting your brother and also have some extra tamales. I can stop by your brother's house and buy some from you.



Just for fun - and since I had 3 broody hens all at he same time, I bought some inexpensive eggs from someone on craigslist to try my hand at hatching chicks again. I put 12 eggs under my 3 broodies (3 under each frizzle and 6 under a small Ameraucana). Tossed one at day 14, since it was clear. On day 17, I removed the 11 eggs and put them into my homemade incubator for hatching. I wanted to watch them hatch and was planning to raise them up with chicks I had ordered online. Out of the 11 eggs put into the incubator, 10 hatched.

Mixed breeds - probably RIR/EEs - I gave 5 to a friend and kept 5.

A few days later, my MPC order arrived: 3 Black Copper Marans, 2 Welsummers, 1 Speckled Sussex, 1 Red Star, 1 Easter Egger and 7 Easter Egger Bantams (pic includes the 5 chicks I kept from my hatch)

My large EE chick with 6 of the EE bantams - I was surprised at how little and cute the banties are - I'm also thrilled at the colors - I hope the little silver one (probably splash?) is a female

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
No, there is actually a gene for the blue eggshell: O for oocyanin, the chemical that causes the eggshell to be blue. It is formed in the liver, circulates through the blood to the shell gland where it is secreted as an eggshell. The-Coop has some old discussions on egg colour that are pretty interesting. Other than the blue egg gene, there are a TON more egg colour genes (at least 13!)

Hee hee, you said "colour".

?? That's the way I always spell it (unless I am quoting). Literary license.

 

[stevensonm]

Not gonna make coffee thsi morning. DW is really down today better stay home with her.

 

[mclevinson]

Quote:
Not bringing her with? Thats too bad. I'm sorry shes feeling so down, but hey, I would too. Bouncing back takea a while. Please convey my best.

 

[stevensonm]

I will tell her thx

Quote:
Not bringing her with? Thats too bad. I'm sorry shes feeling so down, but hey, I would too. Bouncing back takea a while. Please convey my best.

 

[Mandymooligan]

I sold two more of my chicks yesterday. Two frizzle roosters. I knew they were of no use to me and that they had to go. Both got great homes where they will have girlfriends to breed when they are old enough. the new owners were excited to have them and they both sold within an hour of listing them. They were 4 weeks old and I sold them for $8.00 each. Sounds good right? Then why do I feel so sad when I go out to the coop and they are not running up to me with their little wings a flapping? Do ya'll feel a touch of sadness to see them go?

 

[Tanichca]

I just sold my silkie rooster, and i am not sad to see him go. I couldnt breed him, i couldnt catch him (he was a sweety though

)
Im going to the Astronomy Day at the UofA today with the boy scouts and my cousins... anyone else thinking of coming?

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

I'm playing hooky from the farmers market today

Overslept, but this is the first weekend in a while I've been home, in good health, without crazy winds going on - so I'm going to make the most of it. TO THE COOP!!!!