Belgian Watermaal

[CastielH]

I officially have a second pullet laying! I think the dark days and lack of light are what took her so long but Pipsqueak has been keeping us in eggs with an average of 5-6 a week, and with Derby laying now we're averaging 7-9 (Derby just started a few weeks ago so her body is still figuring stuff out).

The birds have been handling the cold really well and we didn't have any slowing of eggs or frostbite which is always good to see! I'm starting to plan out my first breeding pens and it's nerve racking. Any tips from the more experienced breeders?

 

[kurby22]

I’ve been too upset to say anything, but I lost Alfredo last week. We found him laying in the feeder like he fell fright off the roost bar dead. I’m devastated, we just loved him so. I’d had him in with my black, cuckoo, and white Watermaal projects so I popped all their eggs in the incubator. Hoping we get at least a couple babies from him

Sounds like you have some very good layers! Yay! I would not call myself experienced, but as a first attempt, I just went with simple. Best traits and desired variety. I picked my best typed rooster and then looked for my most charismatic hen with the best type. I’d say your very best trifed comb boy would be a good start as a breeder boy. Since those seem to be the toughest to get right and are so key to the breed. My experience at the shows I’ve been to is they are keying in on comb a lot, and lighter frame/weight from the d’Anver, before caring about the color and such. I was afraid to start too, and then I realized I can’t know what the best decisions will be till I see what they make—so might as well just start somewhere and go from there!

With my d’Anvers, I used my very best rooster and covered all the hens just to see what popped out and I’m pretty happy with the babies and have a good idea what my next move is now that I’ve hatched some babies from him. So that’s my plan with my Watermaals, Hatch everything and see what happens…and what might be hiding in their background potentially. I had lavenders and whites pop up from my mottled rooster that I didn’t know I’d get! It’s fun and I’m trying to stay focused on the fun so I don’t stress about perfection or doing it “right” Can’t wait to see babies!

 

[CastielH]

I’ve been too upset to say anything, but I lost Alfredo last week. We found him laying in the feeder like he fell fright off the roost bar dead. I’m devastated, we just loved him so. I’d had him in with my black, cuckoo, and white Watermaal projects so I popped all their eggs in the incubator. Hoping we get at least a couple babies from him

Sounds like you have some very good layers! Yay! I would not call myself experienced, but as a first attempt, I just went with simple. Best traits and desired variety. I picked my best typed rooster and then looked for my most charismatic hen with the best type. I’d say your very best trifed comb boy would be a good start as a breeder boy. Since those seem to be the toughest to get right and are so key to the breed. My experience at the shows I’ve been to is they are keying in on comb a lot, and lighter frame/weight from the d’Anver, before caring about the color and such. I was afraid to start too, and then I realized I can’t know what the best decisions will be till I see what they make—so might as well just start somewhere and go from there!

With my d’Anvers, I used my very best rooster and covered all the hens just to see what popped out and I’m pretty happy with the babies and have a good idea what my next move is now that I’ve hatched some babies from him. So that’s my plan with my Watermaals, Hatch everything and see what happens…and what might be hiding in their background potentially. I had lavenders and whites pop up from my mottled rooster that I didn’t know I’d get! It’s fun and I’m trying to stay focused on the fun so I don’t stress about perfection or doing it “right” Can’t wait to see babies!

I'm so sorry for your loss! Hopefully you'll get some beautiful babies from those eggs to carry on his legacy.

 

[kurby22]

I'm so sorry for your loss! Hopefully you'll get some beautiful babies from those eggs to carry on his legacy.

Thanks. I hope so too. At least one baby with a trifed It’s so hard to lose the special ones. :-(

We are headed to another show tonight! This one is close by so we are showing a bunch of birds It’s weird that I had forgotten to register Alfredo so he was getting out of this show…and now I don’t have to scratch him :-(

Please share what you decide to do for breeding cages when you decide

 

[CastielH]

Pipsqueak has decided I'm taking too long and she's going to hatch these eggs herself and lord help any human or cockerel who tries to take them from her because they will be screamed at by the worlds angriest little broody.

 

[kurby22]

View attachment 3737048
Pipsqueak has decided I'm taking too long and she's going to hatch these eggs herself and lord help any human or cockerel who tries to take them from her because they will be screamed at by the worlds angriest little broody.

Aren’t tiny little broodies scary?? They are some dedicated mommas Love it!

 

[CastielH]

Aren’t tiny little broodies scary?? They are some dedicated mommas Love it!

She certainly thinks so, and I'm not going to be the one to tell her otherwise!

 

[fluffycrow]

View attachment 3737048
Pipsqueak has decided I'm taking too long and she's going to hatch these eggs herself and lord help any human or cockerel who tries to take them from her because they will be screamed at by the worlds angriest little broody.

So adorable ! What a cute little momma she is. Will you let her sit?

 

[CastielH]

So adorable ! What a cute little momma she is. Will you let her sit?

I will! I want broodiness in my birds (for now at least lol) so it's a trait I want to encourage, and they've been laying in the little box my mom made me build for cold nights to lock them all in so they won't freeze which has a door so I can keep her separated from the others if needed. Just need to see if she'll keep broody now! She's on two eggs and if she holds overnight I'll probably give her back one or two that I collected over the last few days to increase the odds of not having a single chick hatch.

 

[kurby22]

I will! I want broodiness in my birds (for now at least lol) so it's a trait I want to encourage, and they've been laying in the little box my mom made me build for cold nights to lock them all in so they won't freeze which has a door so I can keep her separated from the others if needed. Just need to see if she'll keep broody now! She's on two eggs and if she holds overnight I'll probably give her back one or two that I collected over the last few days to increase the odds of not having a single chick hatch.

Sounds like the perfect place to go broody! I love having broodies...just need a good place for them to safely raise the babies. I have 4 silkies and 6 cochins...and they LOVE to be broody, so I am okay not having a broody watermaal haha.