Brabanters and Spitzhaubens--The Differences PIC HEAVY!

[flitter]

My Spitzes have turned out to be terrific egg layers! Their eggs were small at first but are getting larger now. With 7 hens, I've been able to count on 5-7 eggs per day for the last couple of months.They laid all winter! Just bragging a little!

 

[EweSheep]

Just great news! They are good egg layers for that I do know LOL!

 

[EweSheep]

Will be posting a wonderful article in the FB and Spitzhauben club!

 

[hallerlake]

Mopsy, my lap chicken has died. I was saving Brabanter eggs to sell, but I guess I need to incubate them instead. It happened very fast. She was fine in the afternoon, puffy looking in the evening, and dead in the morning. What kills so fast?

 

[EweSheep]

So sorry, Hallerlake, sometimes it just happens. Sudden death could be ranging from heart attacks, frights or slamming themselves against the wall, breaking their necks.

 

[hallerlake]

Fortunately, a friend had room in her incubator for the 8 or 10 eggs I had on hand. I have Spitz and Spitz/Brabanters in my incubator. I was making chicken noises at the eggs this afternoon, and a couple of them started rocking. Yes, i'm the crazy chicken lady who clucks at eggs.

 

[anderson8505]

There is a st pattys day hatch along....

 

[allen wranch]

Keeping my fingers crossed for your eggs.

Robin is correct about sudden death. I have had completely healthy birds drop dead for no reason. Necropsies usually show heart problems. Now I just accept it as part of raising chickens.

 

[hallerlake]

Keeping my fingers crossed for your eggs.

Robin is correct about sudden death. I have had completely healthy birds drop dead for no reason. Necropsies usually show heart problems. Now I just accept it as part of raising chickens.

I know it's part of raising chickens, at least in theory, but it's my first loss. I'll get used to it in time.

 

[allen wranch]

Your first loss is always the hardest, and you never really get used to it. It just gets a little easier to accept; and when you don't know what the problem was, it is harder.

Case in point...
After I looked at my emails this morning, I went outside to check on my birds, fill feeders, etc. I found one of my Spitzhauben roosters dead on the floor. He was fine yesterday, wasn't thin or acting sick at all. No idea what was wrong?????

It was also a learning experience for my five year old granddaughter. She is spending the week-end with me. She had lots of questions about death, what I was going to do with the body. "Can I touch him?", etc. I told her about the "Rainbow Bridge" . It is timely, because yesterday her parents had the family dog put down because of bone cancer. Charlotte doesn't know about it yet. Hopefully I helped her a little when her parents tell her about Rex. Sigh...