Bantam chickens.. a friendly discussion about all pure and mixed breeds.

[chickens really]

what breed(s) of goats? LOVE goats!

I got a 5 month old fainting goat Doe and a 10 week old Nigerian Dwarf/Fainting goat wether.
Named them Fancy and Ozzy..

 

[chickens really]

I think I know what killed my Pullet Rosebud. I think she was internally laying or egg bound. She had a distinct smell to her the day we put her down. Her hatch mate just laid her first egg two days ago. I'll never know for sure, although that's what I'm thinking. Better than thinking Mereks was her issue..

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Whoa! I love the show pics you shared! Shows are really fun to just go and look! I can't get over how tiny the Japanese bantam egg I saw was! And I think the other egg was a bantam cochin egg. Wow! Can't wait to see what my girls' eggs look like!
You know, I made a mistake with the OEGBs I photographed. I waited for what felt like hours to meet the owner of those birds because they were incredibly beautiful. I'll upload another photo here...wish I'd taken more. I loved the Lemon Blue color! When I finally met the owner, I insulted him unintentionally by asking if they were Dutch! They were OEGBs without the dubbing--like yours! I didn't mean to insult... I have never seen Dutch in-person except for my hatchery Dutch (which I'm learning are probably OEGB crosses). He didn't really want to talk to me after that. There were no Dutch at the show. The first photo was a Serama! The show was probably more than half Seramas!! I loved that Serama!!

Aww, well, I'm sure he understands that not everyone is an expert! I had something similar happen last year at the Ohio Nationals. I was looking over the only 4 Dorkings entered and critiquing them to my mom, who came with me, when I looked over and saw someone standing nearby looking a bit frustrated. I never actually spoke to him, but I suspect he was the owner of those birds, and I had just been talking about how their conformation was a bit off for Dorkings when I noticed him. Whoops! Needless to say, I got real quiet and we moved on after that.

Sadly I only seem to have gotten one photo of the lemon blue

I have a soft spot for Lemon Blues, too. They were the first OEGBs I saw in person at a show and the three hens that were there were so charming and friendly. If I didn't love FSDWs so much, I probably would have gone for Lemon Blues just based on that experience.

That looked like a GREAT show you went to! Where was that?

That was the Central Indiana Poultry Show. I go there and to the Ohio Nationals every year now. The nationals are in a week and I'm stoked!!

One of my "Dutch" (from a hatchery) girls has green legs and feet. She's the only one out of all the "Dutch" that I got to not have slate legs and feet. She is a fantastic bird and a favorite from day one. Here she is with her sister. Does anyone know about green legs and feet? From what I'm reading, it's a sign of being crossed with OEGBs. I'm not intending to breed, but I like learning as much as possible. I've been trying to learn a lot about Dutch. I love the ones I got from Strombergs...whatever they are! Here are some photos of my Dutch. Can you share your opinions on colors? I know the Blue Splashes...but are the others Light Browns? THANKS!!View attachment 1951037 View attachment 1951038 View attachment 1951039 View attachment 1951040 View attachment 1951041 View attachment 1951042 View attachment 1951043

They look like Light Browns to me. I have heard it's pretty common for hatcheries to cross in OEGBs to the Dutches, though I don't know what the reason is... The yellow legs shouldn't have come from OEGBs, as they're meant to have white skin, but it does pop up sometimes like any other recessive gene can. One of my OEGB pullets has yellow skin, too, which unfortunately means her parents are both carriers. But that's okay, they're more pets than anything anyway.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Isn't it perfect in every possible way? Not to be the bearer of bad news, but....Eagle Nest all the way! All I have to do is share a photo of her tiny sky blue eggs, and you'll be hooked. Also, best rooster award belongs to this little man.

Welp, shoot, I guess I'm pretty much decided then that I'm going to have to get chicks through them in the spring. Any advice on when the best time is to pre-order from them?

I dont understand youre problem. Hens do well without a rooster. Is it important to have mille fleurs? If you don't mind having mix breeds you probably can find nice chickens for little money. There is of course more to it. They need a coop and run (or free range) an food. But keeping chickens is not expensive if you compate it with other pets/animals. And a self made coop with second hand materials is just as good as an expensive new coop from the shop. Ik only takes more time, a few tools and some study.

I believe @Rubysword 's problem is not that she wants Mille Fleur D'Uccles specifically and nothing else, but that she can't have roosters where she lives. Here in the U.S., it's very difficult to find bantams that are sexed or female only without paying a LOT for them (such as through Mypetchicken.com ), and rehoming cockerel chicks before they're crowing and causing problems with the neighbors can be pretty difficult.

I think I know what killed my Pullet Rosebud. I think she was internally laying or egg bound. She had a distinct smell to her the day we put her down. Her hatch mate just laid her first egg two days ago. I'll never know for sure, although that's what I'm thinking. Better than thinking Mereks was her issue..

Like you said, it's hard to say for sure, but at least that can offer a bit of peace of mind to consider that there were other possibilities besides Marek's.

 

[Rubysword]

I dont understand youre problem. Hens do well without a rooster. Is it important to have mille fleurs? If you don't mind having mix breeds you probably can find nice chickens for little money. There is of course more to it. They need a coop and run (or free range) an food. But keeping chickens is not expensive if you compate it with other pets/animals. And a self made coop with second hand materials is just as good as an expensive new coop from the shop. Ik only takes more time, a few tools and some study.

Welp, shoot, I guess I'm pretty much decided then that I'm going to have to get chicks through them in the spring. Any advice on when the best time is to pre-order from them?







I believe @Rubysword 's problem is not that she wants Mille Fleur D'Uccles specifically and nothing else, but that she can't have roosters where she lives. Here in the U.S., it's very difficult to find bantams that are sexed or female only without paying a LOT for them (such as through Mypetchicken.com ), and rehoming cockerel chicks before they're crowing and causing problems with the neighbors can be pretty difficult.







Like you said, it's hard to say for sure, but at least that can offer a bit of peace of mind to consider that there were other possibilities besides Marek's.

Yeah, as @pipdzipdnreadytogo aptly put, the issues aren't basic chicken keeping knowledge/budget, and my family had standard chickens for a long time, it's that I don't have the money to buy sexed bantams and don't have the ability/inclination to rehome or process roosters.

 

[Arbutus Peregrine]

Aww, well, I'm sure he understands that not everyone is an expert! I had something similar happen last year at the Ohio Nationals. I was looking over the only 4 Dorkings entered and critiquing them to my mom, who came with me, when I looked over and saw someone standing nearby looking a bit frustrated. I never actually spoke to him, but I suspect he was the owner of those birds, and I had just been talking about how their conformation was a bit off for Dorkings when I noticed him. Whoops! Needless to say, I got real quiet and we moved on after that.

I always like how you do your posts as multiple replies in one post. I have to figure that out! I'll give it a try here!

I saw a bit on the Ohio Nationals with that movie "Chicken People"--have you seen that film? I've seen it a few times over the years and just love it! I think I'll try to go to the Ohio Nationals someday. I went to some horse shows as a young person in Ohio. Really enjoyed it. I'm glad you know your Dorkings! I know when I have been at horse shows and am critiquing horses, I learned to be smiling and be ready with something positive and unique to say about the horse I was critiquing! There is always something good! We are probably all guilty of being caught like that...it's part of the fun at shows. What I wonder about is what is it about certain people who (like me) who can stare at animals all day and learn and compare/contrast... I always wonder why our minds work that way?! I don't even want to show but I do this all the time! I had pet-quality Australian Cattle dogs from shelters who lived to be 17 and 19. I fostered a ton of herding dogs in that time. I knew everything a breeder would know about genetics, behavior, confirmation... so weird! Not a bit of interest in showing or breeding. I think that the by-product of showing and breeding is what's hard for me. I don't have the space to house and no stomach for the culling. I sometimes imagine that if they were meat birds it would be easier because I could be feeding people!

I have a soft spot for Lemon Blues, too. They were the first OEGBs I saw in person at a show and the three hens that were there were so charming and friendly. If I didn't love FSDWs so much, I probably would have gone for Lemon Blues just based on that experience.

Boy all that man's birds were gorgeous but I guess I just hadn't really seen the lemon blues in-person before! And that pair was stunning. The dark features of his other birds and the Creles (sp?) were also AMAZING! I've seen your photos, though, and your birds are super gorgeous! They are really charming and friendly!

That was the Central Indiana Poultry Show. I go there and to the Ohio Nationals every year now. The nationals are in a week and I'm stoked!!

I wish I could go!! I hope you take and share lots of photos!!

They look like Light Browns to me. I have heard it's pretty common for hatcheries to cross in OEGBs to the Dutches, though I don't know what the reason is... The yellow legs shouldn't have come from OEGBs, as they're meant to have white skin, but it does pop up sometimes like any other recessive gene can. One of my OEGB pullets has yellow skin, too, which unfortunately means her parents are both carriers. But that's okay, they're more pets than anything anyway.

I kind of love that the girls have different colored legs! The one with green legs is my friendliest bird and has been all along! You call them yellow legs? If that is what they are then I will call them yellow legs. My cochins definitely have yellow legs!

 

[mymilliefleur]

I'm a bit late to the thread, but I thought I'd share a few pics of my adorable little d'Uccles.

 

[Arbutus Peregrine]

I think I know what killed my Pullet Rosebud. I think she was internally laying or egg bound. She had a distinct smell to her the day we put her down. Her hatch mate just laid her first egg two days ago. I'll never know for sure, although that's what I'm thinking. Better than thinking Mereks was her issue..

That is so sad. I had a neighbor last year with a hen with that issue. I don't know how you avoid or treat that. RIP Rosebud

 

[Arbutus Peregrine]

I'm a bit late to the thread, but I thought I'd share a few pics of my adorable little d'Uccles.

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AWESOME!!!! Ohhhh these are so beautiful and happy!!! Thanks for the photos!

 

[mymilliefleur]

I think I know what killed my Pullet Rosebud. I think she was internally laying or egg bound. She had a distinct smell to her the day we put her down. Her hatch mate just laid her first egg two days ago. I'll never know for sure, although that's what I'm thinking. Better than thinking Mereks was her issue..

Sorry for your loss! I've lost a few birds to internal laying and it's frustrating because it's hard to treat, but at least it's not contagious.