California - Northern

[Meg2000000]

Looks like I need to raise the feeder and cover the top lol.


Excuse my typos. Sent from my iPhone.

Bahahhahaa

 

[Happy Chooks]

Oh oh and I have a questions. I have a BO that is feathering very very slowly compared to her other same aged flock mates. I call her Turkey because her neck is just about bald. No wounds or anything. I think they are almost 6 weeks old. The rest are feathering pretty good. But she almost reminds of a Naked Neck! Should I mark her somehow for not breeding in the future? Slow feathering (compared to their hatch mates) is not good for a high quality heritage stock right?

In some breeds, slower feathering is desired. Like heritage BR's, the slower they feather, the better the barring. I have an English Orp that feathered in so slowly that not only did I and a bunch of others think she was a male, but she got nicknamed Ostrich.

I wouldn't worry about culling for slow feathering. She may fill in more beautiful than the others.

She went from this (this was after she feathered in some - her back is still bare and no tail, bare neck/chest too):



This is her sister at the same age, roughly 3 months:



And this is what she looks like now:



Can you believe a hawk tried to grab her yesterday? All it got was a bunch of feathers.

 

[Meg2000000]

Happy Friday guys!! I took pictures of my mini flock today and thought I'd share

Basques are first:
Chema (looks like he's on a time out lol):

Freckles:

Blue:

Spots:

Here's my Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks:
Large Marge:

Chalky:

Tiny Tina:

Ok I'm done clogging up the thread (for now!) haha

 

[ronott1]

Quote:

That is one beautiful Orpington! The Hawk's eyes must have been bigger than it's stomach!

The only thing I have heard about slow feathering is disease resistance but that may only be true in certain breeds and of course it may not be true at all.

Along with some heritage breeds being slow feathering, some take 18 months to fully mature...You have to be in it for the long haul.

Ron

 

[Happy Chooks]

Someday I hope one of them goes broody - I could shove a lot of eggs under their fluffy butts! They are 2 1/2 now, and so far have never been broody.


Meg...........nice flock! I like the coloring on Spots.

 

[zooweemama]

In some breeds, slower feathering is desired. Like heritage BR's, the slower they feather, the better the barring. I have an English Orp that feathered in so slowly that not only did I and a bunch of others think she was a male, but she got nicknamed Ostrich.

I wouldn't worry about culling for slow feathering. She may fill in more beautiful than the others.

She went from this (this was after she feathered in some - her back is still bare and no tail, bare neck/chest too):



This is her sister at the same age, roughly 3 months:



And this is what she looks like now:



Can you believe a hawk tried to grab her yesterday? All it got was a bunch of feathers.

That is one gorgeous bird!!

 

[zooweemama]

So my heritage Buff Orps pullets at 16/18 weeks- are not totally done feathering in? They get fluffier and bigger still?

 

[zooweemama]

Happy Friday guys!! I took pictures of my mini flock today and thought I'd share
Basques are first:
Chema (looks like he's on a time out lol):

Freckles:

Blue:

Spots:

Here's my Silver Penciled Plymouth Rocks:
Large Marge:

Chalky:

Tiny Tina:

Ok I'm done clogging up the thread (for now!) haha

I really do like their colors and patterns! such a pretty flock!

 

[Happy Chooks]

So my heritage Buff Orps pullets at 16/18 weeks- are not totally done feathering in? They get fluffier and bigger still?

They will, but they will not get as large (or as fluffy) as the English Orps. 2 completely different body types between English Orps and American Orps.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Here is a visual comparison of American vs. English Orps:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/386051/the-imported-english-orpington-thread/9500_50#post_9403075