Thank you ronott1!
100% agree with you about the rooster.
Am very disappointed to be sure... but hope the right someone wanting some very lovely egg color comes along.
Here's a photo just taken of a few of the chicks in the incubator: You can easily see those are some big, dark eggs.
It has been a very long, very bumpy road for us just getting quality FBCM. We have been doing everything in our own small flock strictly by the book (genetically wise) and doing all the careful gene testing, and test mating that should be done, sorting out extended black, copper modifiers and such. BCM are wonderful birds, but do require effort. We have a male we like, but have been looking high and low for a well balanced female, and have had no luck.
Ironically, a few days after purchasing those eggs, a friend recommended a different, foundation line of old Wade Jeanne that had full testing (with no white in the feathers) and also been worked with for 10 years for type and color. Have these lovelies in the incubator right now. Nearly as dark as those eggs were, so, hoping for a good hatch...
I rarely get the opportunity to post, but enjoy catching up with this thread.
Anyone Sonoma County/ Napa County (or nearby) interested in a small flock of backyard, very dark egg layers, French Black Copper Marans/ Wheaten chicks?
The chicks are still hatching in the incubator as of now. There are 6 chicks, with more possibly on the way by tomorrow. (Possible up to 15.) I would like them all to go as a grouping ASAP, if possible.
The eggs were sold to us as French Black Copper Marans, so we were surprised when we peeked in the incubator window, and saw a blonde Wheaten chick! So, alas, in our breeding program, no matter how dark the eggs, we can not use this line… so I was hoping to find a happy new local home for them, rather than cull these VERY dark egg layers. They still have value for a nice home flock, to darken an egg basket, or for olive eggers. Very dark egg layers are not easy to come by in our area, and this line came from back east. Quality Cottage Hill and old Little Peddler lines are in the genetics. They are in the French style, having feathered shanks.
The chicks came from VERY dark eggs. Most approx. a terra-cotta red 7 level or slightly darker on the Marans scale (one or two is perhaps a six). The seller's hens are at a lighter time in their laying cycle right now (Most supposedly lay 8's with a few 9's.). So, when they start to lay eggs, these chicks could potentially lay extremely dark eggs, as their sires (large flock) came from solid 7's- 8's.
I emailed the seller, and she then explained there had been an exceptional Wheaten male added in for size and egg color many years ago as she wanted a very dark egg flock. The grandfather cock bird came from an egg so scary dark, it looked nearly black. She has worked with her birds for over 10 years, and the chicks seem vigorous and have good size.
Her flock in photos are extraordinarily beautiful. They have exceptional body type, nice color, and the hens copper hackle color. They would be excellent for a home flock that wants exceptional egg color, but I honestly cannot recommend breeding them to sell chickens, unless the Wheaten gene is mentioned. Value is in the dark egg color basket. should think some with correctly colored shanks/ coloring could have the ability to be shown.
I would just ask for the reasonable price originally paid for eggs. If anyone is interested, please PM me.
P.S. I would also give you the broken egg shells so you could compare the egg color hue and depth from the hens in the future.
I'm justgladhe isnt suffering. i trued giving him a few daysbut he just got progressivlyworse and he prolly wouldve got dehydratedtoday while i was at work so i guess that was best. i went into wprkearlier and kept having ti pull myself together and not cry
I just set Silkie Eggs from @CALI CHICK 's flock. It is a test hatch to see if they will hatch ok here. We had a nice visit today and I got to see Her place with the chickens and grow out pens.
Took some pictures of my 9 & 14 week old, Belgian d'Anver chicks today. These guys are very addicting! I have extra cockerels that would make great show/showmanship birds for 4Hrs.
Chocolate Mottled (dun) and Mille Fleur pullets~
Black Mottled pullet~
Solid Khaki and Khaki Quail pullets~ Only known solid Khaki d'Anver according to Boggy Bottom Bantams!
It has been a very long, very bumpy road for us just getting quality FBCM. We have been doing everything in our own small flock strictly by the book (genetically wise) and doing all the careful gene testing, and test mating that should be done, sorting out extended black, copper modifiers and such. BCM are wonderful birds, but do require effort. We have a male we like, but have been looking high and low for a well balanced female, and have had no luck.
Ironically, a few days after purchasing those eggs, a friend recommended a different, foundation line of old Wade Jeanne that had full testing (with no white in the feathers) and also been worked with for 10 years for type and color. Have these lovelies in the incubator right now. Nearly as dark as those eggs were, so, hoping for a good hatch...
i want some. serama babies
anyone close to lassen/plumas county that could hatch eggs if i can get my birds laying? on that subject idk why they arent. they have layer, fresh water and oyster shell idk whay else to do. the other coop is on purina flock raiser because of the younger ones
My youngster with the bad leg had finally had the dead foot drop off. It has healed well and it seems to be getting around OK. It is eating well and seems to be enjoying life. It hops on the one foot when it wants to get somewhere and balances well. I am seriously considering trying to rig a prosthesis. The "stump" is flared at the end so I think that will help to keep something on. I will have to research it. I forgot who posted it but the link here on chicken prosthetic did inspire me. The pictures on that article didn't show it being work by the chicken though so I need to look for more.
Posing next to a Sobe bottle for size reference
Flared end on the stump...hoping it makes it easier to attach a prosthetic
Best buds. These are hatch mates for the same egg source (LuvinBlue)... the the mottled is much bigger
Jason - sorry for your loss of such a sweet looking doggie family member. When I had to put my Finny down, my life took a huge down turn. It wasn't all about the dog, but the thing that kept me getting out twice (at least) a day was gone. The chickens have given me back that motivation to be outside and I'm am so grateful for them and this community!
Kudus to the human baby hatching, too!! She looks so sweet and a great name!
Sorry about the peeps struggling with health issues - hope they all recover!! I got the flu a number years ago and still haven't recovered, so I really hope everyone recovers!!
Re: the silkie with wry neck - sorry that you had to cull. I am so not looking forward to dealing with my sweet brahma cockerel and even my little runty didn't get culled. It is HARD, so you are totally NOT a bad person. It takes courage and resolve even when you are doing the right thing to end the suffering!
I'm looking forward to seeing the chick leg prothetic!! It's great the chick is doing well!
I wish I could have chocolate colored eggs, but not whole flock - good luck placing them!!
My youngster with the bad leg had finally had the dead foot drop off. It has healed well and it seems to be getting around OK. It is eating well and seems to be enjoying life. It hops on the one foot when it wants to get somewhere and balances well. I am seriously considering trying to rig a prosthesis. The "stump" is flared at the end so I think that will help to keep something on. I will have to research it. I forgot who posted it but the link here on chicken prosthetic did inspire me. The pictures on that article didn't show it being work by the chicken though so I need to look for more.
Posing next to a Sobe bottle for size reference
Flared end on the stump...hoping it makes it easier to attach a prosthetic
Best buds. These are hatch mates for the same egg source (LuvinBlue)... the the mottled is much bigger
Wow, the forecast went up - 105 in Davis. It sure is nice right now.
My biggies put themselves to bed last night - I've been picking them up and putting them on the roost bar - so glad they figured out the ladder and can fly up to roost! So proud!!
Just got back from the Ice run. One estimate has it at 105 in antioch. Its already warm. I should be getting rid of the fosters this week.
Im just loving my new chicks. One of the CLB Cockerels has decided he likes to be held and picked up. The Delaware looks on like its jealous and it will climb into the hand with a little coaxing. I think its lonely a little because they others have friends within their breed.
I'm a little worried that my Pitas are both male. Ones legs seem thick and the others comb is trying to keep up with the CLB males. (which even at this age is starting to jut out fast)
Chicks can be addicting.
I made the mistake today of letting the fosters into the big run. Well they were immediately set upon by everyone but that wasnt the worst part. They are only 3 weeks younger than my buffs and it became very difficult to tell them apart as they are close in size enough that when the fluff out they look almost the same.
I thought one of them was one of mine so I coaxed it back out of the little coop and had 3 buffs out in the run it became quickly apparent which were the bottom of the over all pecking order so I put her back but with 4 of them running in the run it became confusing because some were braver than others and once picked at started picking down the line at their coop mates.
