Back from Africa & took some chicken pics-heavy!

[danischi24]

Some of you might remember that I was going to South Africa last month. Anyway, I'm back now & I took some photos of show chickens there. I enjoyed myself, saw family, attended weddings,turned down proposals & looked at lots of horses & chickens. There's a woman who has show birds near to where I grew up & I went to visit her. She has started reviving many breeds so most are still a work in progress though still the best that the country has to offer. Being a silkie person, I took special interest in them. Some of her hens are very nice though the cocks aren't of the type I prefer. All European breeds are bred to the UK SOP but American breeds are bred to the US SOP. All silkies except the last hen are from her grow out pens & still very young. I took photos of her Australorps, Silkies, Partridge Brahmas & Light Sussex.

And my ancient silkie/game hen, 14 years old & still on the family farm:

 

[bald k9]

WOW look at the feathers feet on that rooster!!!

 

[ChickyLaura]

Very cool! I was thinking the same thing about that rooster! And a 14 year old chicken - amazing!!!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
+1

The silkies are gorgeous! Thank you for posting them!

 

[danischi24]

I wish you could see that partridge silkie's feet feathers-they are as good as the brahma & she is a quarter his size! She was raised in my house & was my doll in a time that other youngsters had to make do with plastic

I'm amazed to see her & another one a few months older, still alive. The flock has free ranged now for more than 20 years.

 

[Gardengirl 2011]

Beautiful! I like the silkies too. I had one as a pet and named her pigpen because she was pure white until she took her dirt baths. I got the biggest kick out of her~~she'd greet me at my car when I got home.

 

[cabincrazyone]

Are those African chickens knowledgeable in Voo Doo rites, or don't they survive the ceremonies?

 

[GammaPoppyLilyFlutter]

Does that silkie in the second picture have a royal blue beak?

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
All Silkies have blue beaks.

 

[danischi24]

Anyway, that's his earlobe. You can't see silkie number 2's beak
No, these chickens aren't owned by the natives thank goodness so there's no voo doo'ing. Voo Doo is from further north though, here we have witch doctors or sangomas. My nursemaid growing up was a sangoma on the side.