Derperella, the (weird) Faverolles, & Friends

[Nambroth]

I just realized I sound a bit short here. I don't mean it that way. I am just very concerned about disease, and its spread. I'm also still hurting over losing Tibbles.

I pulled a dozen of the most recent eggs (we ate some-- hatching eggs just never occurred to us). I pulled mostly Willow (EE)'s eggs, and a few of Chickadee's and Moa's (barred rocks). Other than Coho, they are my three sweetest hens. The problem with my girls is that I don't know their genetic history, as they are from a hatchery. Anything that hatches would be a barnyard mutt. If it turns out we are disease free, I am very torn on if I want to try another full cochin or take a big gamble with my own eggs and get a real mix. I know that the line Trousers comes from are gentle giants. I have no idea what kinds of roosters my hens would throw, though. If I had had a cochin hen under Trousers, I'd be exited at the prospect, but I don't.
This is all assuming we are disease free.

These are hard choices for me. I'll leave the eggs on the counter until I learn more.

 

[CountryGeorge]

I took a class on incubation and brooding a couple of weeks ago and the man running the class said eggs keep the best at around 55 degrees and six days is optimum but you can go as long as 14 before incubating. Any longer and the yield will be less. Store them pointy end down so the air pocket doesn't get disturbed and they go into the incubator the same way.

George

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I just realized I sound a bit short here. I don't mean it that way. I am just very concerned about disease, and its spread. I'm also still hurting over losing Tibbles.

I pulled a dozen of the most recent eggs (we ate some-- hatching eggs just never occurred to us). I pulled mostly Willow (EE)'s eggs, and a few of Chickadee's and Moa's (barred rocks). Other than Coho, they are my three sweetest hens. The problem with my girls is that I don't know their genetic history, as they are from a hatchery. Anything that hatches would be a barnyard mutt. If it turns out we are disease free, I am very torn on if I want to try another full cochin or take a big gamble with my own eggs and get a real mix. I know that the line Trousers comes from are gentle giants. I have no idea what kinds of roosters my hens would throw, though. If I had had a cochin hen under Trousers, I'd be exited at the prospect, but I don't.
This is all assuming we are disease free.

These are hard choices for me. I'll leave the eggs on the counter until I learn more.

It's a very respectable position to take in this situation, and I commend you for it. Don't worry too much about sounding short. You do what you think is best.

 

[artsyrobin]

Quote: i would think getting another roo from his line, since you know their personality- its a hard decision and i know you will make the right choice for you and the girls- hugs hun

 

[Nambroth]

I took a class on incubation and brooding a couple of weeks ago and the man running the class said eggs keep the best at around 55 degrees and six days is optimum but you can go as long as 14 before incubating. Any longer and the yield will be less. Store them pointy end down so the air pocket doesn't get disturbed and they go into the incubator the same way.

George

Thank you. That works well as my upstairs is around 54 this time of year.

 

[Tomtommom]

I would get a bird from the same line. There's a lot of 'ifs' involved like you said, from hatching your own and it could take a while before any chicks would show health or behavior issues. You've been through too much to have to deal with that. You may be able to choose an adolescent, that has already shown potential to being a good predecessor.

Of course, there's always the risk that his health issue was a genetic one that only now started showing and the rest of the breeder's line may carry it too. That risk seems a lot less than hatching your own, still.

I suggest you name him 'pants'..

 

[drumstick diva]

People please give Fud Lady a chance to grieve. To keep telling/asking her to hatch eggs and so on is very insensitive. It seems like some people have an agenda of their own and expect Fud Lady to carry it out for them. Many times she has said she DOESN'T HATCH eggs and her reasons why.

Trousers was probably very sick long before he showed symptoms, very likely it made him sterile. IF she hatched some eggs and had extra chicks, it would be a circus on here of people saying they wanted a chick and didn't care if it had Mareks etc.

Just like they wanted chicks from Derperella and somehow didn't pay attention to Fud Lady's feelings on that - tho they can quote almost every line she wrote about everything else.

I am fully expecting someone to tell her to round up his feathers because there might be a chance to clone him. If Fud Lady wants suggestions she will ask for them. Peace/love/chickens

 

[NovaAman]

I don't think anyone is trying to be insensitive... I think most everyone just wants her to have another Trousers, or even his offspring. I personally want more fun rooster and Derp stories.

Raising chicks can be so much fun, but I find it so much more fun when a HEN is going on about doing it. Yes, they aren't as friendly... etc... etc... BUT I have also not had a roo yet here that was aggressive either that was hen raised. Even my faverolles who passed away after protecting his girls, his offspring are the BEST boy wise. I just gave his last two boys away to a lady who is going to use them for her flock protection... Her roo was starting to be seriously people aggressive... BUT what I mean is, I think that's what we are all hoping would happen. Fud Lady would end up with a roo for her girls that is just like his papa, but a fun combo of either the bar codes, or one of others and Trousers. But if only a hen would do the hard part..

I don't know how the dynamics of Mareks vac's would work then on hen hatched/raised chicks... Can you keep them with the mom after vacs-ing them? I also understand that you can have re-occurences of Mareks symptoms on birds that have had Mareks and survived... I've not had any of mine vacs for it. Maybe I am doing an injustice to my birds. But all my birds come from my birds. I hope I never have it here, and I hope I never have to sit and wait for a definitive answer either. It was hard enough waiting for an answer about what killed my hens this past year after the seriously crap summer we had. Well anyway. Starting to get off track...

Gonna post a goober funny pic to bring up the spirits, because who doesn't love odd ball birds? Obviously WE here in the Derp Club do, otherwise we wouldn't be here...

Two hens... brooding together. One mutt chick and 3 faverolles babies are under these two... OR should I say, a full grown black serema hen... or... OK... 4 babies, under a serema hen, under a bantam cochin hen.... yeah...


See the serema peeking out from under the wing? Her tail in the top hens face? LOL. The serema is Ekta, and the bantam cochin is Skeeter. Skeeter is the uber mom! Not kidding. Jeez, can't you tell, she's willing to brood a full grown hen along with the chicks. They brooded together for 3 weeks. I decided to just leave them since they were perfectly happy to do it this way...


Teeny Tiny Black chick and one of the faverolles babies makes an appearence. The chicks hatched Friday.

 

[kitmarlowescot2]

Could you buy a Marek's vaccination kit or something, and talk to the lady who hatched Trousers, and ask to set aside a few eggs of his sisters maybe this summer ? And incubinate them in her incubators, and after they hatch, ask her to vaccinate those chicks as soon as they hatch and then choose a rooster from those chicks ? Or if any of your friends are going to order any chicks from a hatchery this year, to add on a extra cochin rooster that is vaccinated, have him raised with the other chicks till they are grown and then take the young cochin rooster home to your flock ?

You can order Marek's vaccination to vaccinate your own chicks at home, http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=574

Also how to vaccinate your own chicks at home with Marek's vaccination
http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=574

 

[SS Farm]

Nambroth, I am so sorry about the loss of Trousers. I completely know what you went through. I had nearly the same experience with a dog! I know dogs and chickens are different, but love and attachment are the same. We do what we do for the comfort and well being of the animal. I will say making the decision to end the suffering was the right one for me (and apparently for you as well), but it was THE single hardest thing I have EVER had to do in my entire life!

You have my sympathies and prayers for peace.