Breeding to the Standard

[BantyChooks]

Mutt bantams. The cockerel on the box, Seargent Pepper, is Luna x Flash. The black birds in the back are Georgia x Flash. The brown-black one with muffs is an accidental Pebbles x Luna.

 

[BantyChooks]

 

[BantyChooks]

Silver Ameraucana with a Buff Chantecler chick.

Sgt. Pepper

 

[BantyChooks]

Buff Chantecler update:
Hatching season is officially over for 2019. It's been a rocky start for them, but I think I have enough to work with. One hen, Amy, refused the rooster's advances so consistently that I never got a single fertile egg from her. The other I got five chicks from. I had quite a few issues with hatch rates and survival of the chicks that did make it out. My hope is that the cockerels from the other hen (Melody) will be more insistent with Amy so I can get some chicks off her. I am going to be repeating the same Rory/Melody cross next year as well, assuming one or both of them don't manage to kick the bucket, of course.

The Peaches fared much better. I ended up selling most of the chicks I hatched due to high demand for them, but the few that I kept I'm very pleased with. I took one cockerel to the open class of a local fair—though not one associated with the APA, obviously—and placed best in show. The judge specifically commented on his vigour and well–filled-out breast. He's a looker, for sure. I'm also impressed with his feather quality. He's nearly waterproof, and his feathers don't get frayed either.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Ah, I've been overlooking this thread for a while! Missed seeing your lovely birds! Those Buffs have such a gorgeous color to them, especially the male!!

Sounds like you've had the same trouble with Amy as I've had for two years now with my Dorkings. I just want to hatch a few Red x Silver Gray babies (hoping for some passable Red pullets from the cross since I only got one the year I got the variety, and she's got a wonky leg to top it off), but my Silver Gray hens just turn their beaks up at Darwin, my Red rooster, for some reason! Picky girls!

 

[BantyChooks]

Ah, I've been overlooking this thread for a while! Missed seeing your lovely birds! Those Buffs have such a gorgeous color to them, especially the male!!

Sounds like you've had the same trouble with Amy as I've had for two years now with my Dorkings. I just want to hatch a few Red x Silver Gray babies (hoping for some passable Red pullets from the cross since I only got one the year I got the variety, and she's got a wonky leg to top it off), but my Silver Gray hens just turn their beaks up at Darwin, my Red rooster, for some reason! Picky girls!

Those stinkers! I'm hoping it's just because they weren't raised together, and not because their offspring will have the same issue.

 

[BantyChooks]

Buff #3 is probably going to be a cull—she has a crooked toe and a comb sprig. The others all seem decent thus far.

 

[BantyChooks]

Natasha in full maturity. I can't seem to quite capture it in photographs, but he has a set and look to his body that is quite attractive and decently balanced, in my opinion. He is handling winter well and has managed to secure a post as a valued pet—an uncommon attainment for a rooster around here.

It will soon be time to start organizing breeding pens and setting eggs. I have nearly completed a cabinet incubator build, which should make it significantly easier to set in larger batches.

 

[BantyChooks]

The bantams have begun to lay! I have three eggs from Georgia and one egg from Melody. They are going in the new cabinet incubator on Saturday.