Euskal Oiloa ( Basque Thread)

[skylinepoultry]

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Your on the list Reereechickens! Im so excited. Cant wait to start sending out.

 

[skylinepoultry]

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I had been uploading pictures from my phone because I dont get on the computer that much. I took some pictures with my camera today and they still dont look as crisp as your pics and Im using a Nikon D5000! What type of camera are you using?

You dont even need an incubator with them gurlz. I might be enlisting your gurlz for next seasons chick hatch,lol....

 

[skylinepoultry]

 

[skylinepoultry]

 

[skylinepoultry]

 

[gootziecat]

How fast do the roos grow out for butchering?

 

[skylinepoultry]

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Honestly I don't know. This is my first year with them. Claire would have better experience with this question than me. They seem to grow descently fast but I've been letting mine free range constantly and they are super active. I can feel muscle build up on them at 5 months that's not half bad. The females seem pretty heavy for their age too. They do excellent in confinement and grow faster I've noticed with a good supply of rooster booster and scraps.

 

[Skeffling Lavender Farm]

We have never butchered one

they are too friendly! We have always found homes for the extras because of the looks and temperament. They aren't bad for thickening up and maturing, not as fast as the black penedesencas (we do them at 16 weeks plus, they are our fastest growing standard-no wonder since they are a meat breed), they are hefty, about same as Cuckoo Marans-maybe a week or two slower (say 20-22 weeks for EOs), definitely faster than Wyandottes/Ameraucanas etc (we don't do them til 26 weeks+). The EOs do suddenly really widen up and really look mature around 8 months too. All the above is totally free ranging with 17% grower pellets and scratch. Hope that helps.

I'll have to look up the camera type. I honestly don't know. I got it for Xmas 18 months ago. It was driving me crazy focusing on the ground instead of the chicken for the last year or so, I messed about with the settings the other day and think it is better! I have hundreds of out of focus Euskal heads nosying at the camera lens! Those last two pictures are cropped too, so I guess they are clear. I love your pics, I am enjoying them throroughly!

Eta Ha missed your post in there skyline!

 

[skylinepoultry]

The roos seem to get big a lot faster I've noticed. So far it seems the hens grow about the speed of my Wheaten Marans. Males are definately faster in growth. I've got this one roo that seems like he is constantly on watch around the borders. He always warns the others of everything. He's definately a soldier. He always rounds everyone up when it starts getting late in the day. I'm looking at him right now and he is by his self in the field watching and walking the wood lines. He is a big help!
This breed just amazes me eveyday. He keeps every mixed free ranging breed I got out in line, males too! I think I'm gonna name him Sarge. He is not much on petting like the others but what a watch dog he is. Its funny because when he comes in with the others when I start throwing scratch, he stays at my back and waits till everyone has ate then he gets a couple scraps and heads back out. He makes me feel comfortable when I'm gone and they're still ranging. Sarge it is.

 

[Skeffling Lavender Farm]

Cool rooster! Sarge is a good name! They certainly are taller than the females by 4-6 weeks old. Roos are top dogs in the mixed rare breed Bachelor pens as adults, almost automatically, but not bullies at all.

I found especially last year, our first year of having so many Basques hatched in many batches and mixed in in with other pure breeds, but the EO roosters of each group/coop were the ones guarding the pop door sitting on the door step waiting for us to close them up.

They have good instincts!