Colorado

[Ashdoes]

The Creams are difficult, because you have to pick which faults you want to deal with, and they have a lot of faults right now. I'm not up for such an in depth project, so we're getting back into Cochins for next season, and I'll be done breeding Creams. I'll prob keep quite a few females, and do CochinxCream Legbar and full Cochins. That way we have two separate egg colors, and only a Cochin male.

 

[Pozees]

I love Cochins

 

[Ashdoes]

I love Cochins

Same here. We got our first from a woman in Falcon, and they're just beautiful, quiet, happy birds. Very simple, and that's what I love about them. Still waiting for her to repost chicks, hopefully she does soon.

 

[trsturself]

Our cochin is my favorite bird. I love them. We added 2 frizzle bantam cochins to the flock with our last couple batches of chicks. They are getting really cute. I would love another LF cochin but we'll have to see where we end up to see if we have room in our flock.

 

[maggiemo]

Back to processing chickens...Long Shadows Farm does chicken processing, non USDA but great people.

 

[Pozees]

Where is Long Shadows Farm?

I am borrowing back a pair of LF cochins from Mayah as soon as I get their housing done, and I have Shy's bantam eggs in the incubator right now. I'm kind of thinking along the same lines as you, Ashley, although I will probably hang in with the Cream Legbars a little while longer. Time will tell. I will ultimately have to make some choices before next winter unless I come into lots of time to build more coops and runs - not likely LOL. I am trying not to make decisions based on a difficult week, which I am having right now, just really busy, lots of things happening at once, but all good stuff so just plugging through and hoping for the best

I just checked the hatcher and have a White Bresse and a Salmon Faverolle pipped

 

[megshenhut]

samsr I agree with Mtn Margie, and Percheron chick, how wonderful! I agree, a good broody is worth her weight in gold! I just had a young RIR hen decide she was broody, so last night I gave her 3 eggs, a RIRxSS mix, a shipped Light Brahma and a shipped Black Jersey Giant - if they all hatch I will be able to tell the chicks apart LOL.

I've been looking at juveniles all week, growing out 10 RIR right now, and also the 5 Welsummers that I hatched from shipped eggs, 2 pullets and 3 cockerels. The pullets are impressively good sized, only one of the males seems to be keeping up with them in growth rate, megshenhut is that what you experienced with yours as well?

Pozees, I think it is unusual that the males seem to be smaller. I don't remember my cockerels being smaller. I would love to see some photos of them. If you are keeping a cockerel to go with the 2 pullets I would not be too hasty to get rid of the 2 smaller ones yet. They might catch up. Not so much with welsummers, but I definitely know with my ameraucanas, the cockerels take a long time to put on a decent shape. I had 6 that I hatched last August and it seems like they are still changing and definitely still filling out. Of course your two smaller welsummers may not have what it takes early on.

 

[megshenhut]

Pozee, if you end up with several Favorolles, I'd love to know your assessment of them. They are the absolute cutest as chicks ever. I love them, but I found that they don't do well in a mixed flock. I got 3 hatchery chicks a few years back and they are so laid back that they were tormented with the flock. Mine 3 ended up living in with my bantam flock because they were so picked on. I also found them to be horrible layers, but very pretty birds.

 

[maggiemo]

Where is Long Shadows Farm?


I just checked the hatcher and have a White Bresse and a Salmon Faverolle pipped

Berthoud http://long-shadow-farm.blogspot.com/p/processing.html

You have White Bresse? Are you going to sell those?

 

[Pozees]

megshenhut I will try to get some pics this weekend, I am very interested in what you think - I've never raised Welsummers before, and have no idea what I'm looking at.

The SF came from a woman on the other side of the mountains, and I have seen pics of the chicks and totally agree, they are the cutest ever as chicks! I don't know whether I'll keep any, but if I do I will let you know how they make out here. I'd like to keep a little of everything, but you know how it is, space, time, money ...

maggiemo I have 7 eggs in the hatcher, I expect 4-5 to hatch. Out of 9 shipped that's enough to make me really happy, and I'd like to keep one or two and sell the rest. If someone wants all of them I'll get in touch with the gal I bought the eggs from and see if she will sell me some more. She told me this breed does particularly well hatching out of shipped eggs, and so far I have to agree, when I left for work this morning one was hatched and 3 others pipped, so I'm pleased so far.

I drove up to Berthoud last year, and OMG I would live there in a heartbeat! It is beautiful!