Calling all Penedesencas Owners/Breeders

[Hangtown Farms]

That's one of the reasons I want them...heat hardiness. As you know, we can get up to 117-119 some summers but typically only get to 112-114. Nonetheless, I usually lose 2-6 hens every summer to heat stroke despite best efforts. I'd love to try again this winter. Thanks for your help.

who did you try? I just got rid of most my adults but am growing a bunch out
I raise crele and black , also white empordanesa

 

[dtimoth]

Last year I tried contacting Myflybabies several times over a three month period by email and phone messages, but they never responded. As well, I ordered from Gabbard, and they never delivered and gave me a refund.

 

[dtimoth]

That last post should have read about Gabbard that they never delivered the Penes but gave me a refund. They did send the filler chicks I ordered.

 

[ronott1]

Last year I tried contacting Myflybabies several times over a three month period by email and phone messages, but they never responded. As well, I ordered from Gabbard, and they never delivered and gave me a refund.

My Partridge Penes and the Wheaten are from MyflyBabies. They had a fertility problem last year and did not have fertile ones until March. Then they had a hard time filling orders. They did get them to me but I ordered mine the first day they were allowing orders to go through.

That last post should have read about Gabbard that they never delivered the Penes but gave me a refund. They did send the filler chicks I ordered.

A lot of people had fertility problems. The winter was harder on them--It may have had something to do with the big combs.

We will get some to you. You need them in Arizona.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Widget Creek there used to have Partridge but I believe they lost there rooster.

 

[jlynnp]

I cannot wait to have a few here in TN. I want some nice birds to take to the fairs so people can see the breed. I do not know of anyone here in TN with them.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

I cannot wait to have a few here in TN. I want some nice birds to take to the fairs so people can see the breed. I do not know of anyone here in TN with them.

Me neither. Dirty Ankle Acres has them in Virginia though.

 

[dtimoth]

It's too bad about the fertility problems around the country. My problem with Ourflybabies was in 2012 (they actually emailed me back about nine months after my initial emails and phone inquiries) and with Gabbard last June (2013). It's okay, I don't hold grudges, but I'll keep looking for other breeders in the meantime. You're right about needing Penes in Arizona. I've lost even the hardiest of breeds here during the hottest parts of the summer. In our 110+ summer heat I have misters on a few of the coops between noon and 4pm, I change their water 2-3 times a day, and they always have a rotating free range system, so they can find their own cool spots in the shade. I'll be planting a few more trees this fall to increase the shade cover.

 

[dtimoth]

Okay, here are the autopsy results on my Pene eggs and others:

* All eight of my own Sptizhauben eggs were fertile. Two did not hatch but were fully formed, probably died on day 20, 21 or 22.
* None of the Cream Legbars I bought locally showed any embryonic growth. All were infertile.
* Five of the ten Wheaten Penedesenca eggs I got by mail were fertile, but had died at various stages. I would estimate two were at about days 16-17, two about days 9-10, and one at about day 14.

Again, I probably would have had a better hatch rate if I had calibrated the incubator better, although clearly it wouldn't have made any difference with the infertile ones.

Ron, I agree with you...we need these in Arizona! I'm not aware of anyone here who has them, which is strange, given that we have such hot summers. I regularly check Craigslist for them, but my searches never result in anything. I'll relish the day when I'm able to get some Pene chicks. Thanks for the encouragement.
Dallen

 

[ronott1]

Okay, here are the autopsy results on my Pene eggs and others:

* All eight of my own Sptizhauben eggs were fertile. Two did not hatch but were fully formed, probably died on day 20, 21 or 22.
* None of the Cream Legbars I bought locally showed any embryonic growth. All were infertile.
* Five of the ten Wheaten Penedesenca eggs I got by mail were fertile, but had died at various stages. I would estimate two were at about days 16-17, two about days 9-10, and one at about day 14.

Again, I probably would have had a better hatch rate if I had calibrated the incubator better, although clearly it wouldn't have made any difference with the infertile ones.

Ron, I agree with you...we need these in Arizona! I'm not aware of anyone here who has them, which is strange, given that we have such hot summers. I regularly check Craigslist for them, but my searches never result in anything. I'll relish the day when I'm able to get some Pene chicks. Thanks for the encouragement.
Dallen

Definitely calibrate the incubator. I would try for just under 100 degrees for the first 18 days. 35 to 40% humidity works well with Penedesencas. CLs are similar for humidity because of the thick bloom on the eggs. Make sure the thermometer reads tenths and find one with the smallets accuracy rating, like +- less than 3. That should be accurate enough.

Contact the breeder of the CLs and let them know about the fertility. They likely know there was a problem and should give you another set to hatch.

Chicken fads are weird. People are on the Marans fad for dark eggs. I hear that Martha Stewart is claiming that Marans eggs are healthier than other eggs. Quite silly since eggs are only as good as the feed that the Hens eat. There is a person from Red Bluff that lost more that 15 Little Peddler line Marans last summer when it was 115 one day. Those were selling in the hundreds per bird for day old chicks.

I did not lose any chickens last year--I live about 150 miles south and the temps that day were about 5 degrees less but my Penedesencas only had shade. No misters or other special things. They are amazing and very under used currently.

I hope we can change that!