BigBlueHen53: Just BukbukbuKAAWS

[BigBlueHen53]

Shame on me, I promised pics and haven't posted any yet. Well, let's see what I've got. Okay, here's some of the Moonys.

I think I see a cockerel in the following pic. And that's probably SweetMom, the lavender EE that helped raise them, hanging out with them.

 

[BoundlessLove]

Sweet mom is beautiful!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thank you!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm really tickled to say that the larger of my two cockerels is starting to hold his own against the OG hens. This afternoon at snack time he ate with all the others - until Dingbat aimed a peck at him! He dodged and she didn't get him. But instead of running off and hiding, he came right back. Good boy, he's getting braver! The smaller boy kind of edges into the group, but then moves away and goes off to the other side of the tree and wheelbarrow where he can't be seen. They're all becoming a more cohesive unit (first pic, below). The BA pullets look so mature and beautiful! Their combs are getting bigger and darker every day, it seems, and their feathers have that lovely iridescent green and purple sheen the breed is famous for. The Ameraucanas have it too, but it's more muted.

Below is a quick snap of the bigger, bolder cockerel. He's missing a tail feather, but he still looks manly next to this pullet! These guys are always in a hurry!

 

[SourRoses]

He's missing a tail feather, but he still looks manly next to this pullet!

Yeah it looks like he's growing a whole fresh new tail in judging by the shorter feathers below. It might be his last juvenile molt, or not...

Rooster before this one, well he matured rather quickly and looked full grown. He was breeding, had fathered 2 batches of chicks by 5 months old. So I rehomed him, as is my habit to keep progress rolling... But the day of transfer comes and this guy is looking at a cockerel with no tail at all left. I was like "I swear he has a nice one!" Apparently I didn't realize he had another juvie molt in him, embarrassing!

I think the black Am pullets I see in the picture above, look shinier than the Austras. Loyalty!
Love the beard on right-most pullet.

Ps... BA boggles my brain because Black Ameraucana should have the same initials

 

[BigBlueHen53]

BA boggles my brain because Black Ameraucana should have the same initials

I agree. How about BAm? Then how do we distinguish the black from the blue? Same problem with the black and blue copper Marans. Capital B for Black, b for blue?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I forgot to take pictures today but I'm real happy with the cockerels' growth and dwvelopment. They just get prettier every day! In fact today they got new names! Sticking with the Moony theme (which should please @The Moonshiner ), the big one is now Moon Shadow, and the smaller one is Moon Walker.

Shadow is really starting to be struttin' it. His confidence is growing, he's standing up tall and straight, and some of the girls are startiing to follow him around and hang out with him. One of the Aussie girls went into a very long and submissive squat today at snack time - not for a cockerel, but for one of the OG hens that happened to come up behind her by accident. The OG did not seem to notice, she was just trying to get around the Aussie! Anyway, I was pleased, as the submissive squat should mean I'll be getting eggs from at least THIS girl soon, and if SHE's in a laying frame of mind, hopefully some or all of her Aussie sisters will be, too. Any time, ladies! I'm about out of my eggie hoard!