Euskal Oiloa ( Basque Thread)

[ChestnutRidge]

Speckled Sussexes used to be my husband's favorite because they are so friendly, but yesterday he was telling me earnestly that he really likes the EOs. We have them outside now in their own little coop and run. They've been out there for a week and are four weeks old now. If you go into the run and sit down, you will be covered in EOs. Literally. Yesterday, I had two on my shoulders, two on my thigh, and two on my arm all at once - and there are only 6 of them! I was sort of freaking out - "Can you get them off me!?!?" but he thought it was hilarious. They are very curious. My wedding ring took a lot of pecks as did a tiny mole on my arm. When you go in, they come running! We don't have treats with us usually now, although yesterday I was giving them clover from the yard, but we did hand-feed them a lot when they were very small and in the brooder inside. I have to say that their personality is the most outstanding thing about them - and it is such an important trait.


Loving my EOs.

Thank you, James!

 

[Maggiesdad]

Just wait 'til they hit POL, you won't go near them without your welding helmet and gloves!

When they weigh 6 or 7 pounds and are that insistent, it's a whole 'nother story...

 

[ChestnutRidge]

Oh, dear!

Not sure I am looking forward to that... I need to look into some chicken armour!

 

[ronott1]

Something like that happened to me yesterday. I have mine in a chicken hutch--I need to move some chickens out to get them outside. Yesterday I was checking on them(one hurt his foot so I put some medicine on it) and one jumped up on my shoulder. I turned around to talk to my wife and three of them jumped up onto my arm. The other other breeds as chicks did not do that. I don't hand feed them and they do this. I have been letting them play with a flock block with ultra kibble in it. They get it for a little while each day because I don't want them to have too much calcium so they know I give them treats. A couple of them sit on their roost and give me that side ways look when I walk up to them to see if I have the block with me.

They are just friendly i guess.

Ron

Speckled Sussexes used to be my husband's favorite because they are so friendly, but yesterday he was telling me earnestly that he really likes the EOs. We have them outside now in their own little coop and run. They've been out there for a week and are four weeks old now. If you go into the run and sit down, you will be covered in EOs. Literally. Yesterday, I had two on my shoulders, two on my thigh, and two on my arm all at once - and there are only 6 of them! I was sort of freaking out - "Can you get them off me!?!?" but he thought it was hilarious. They are very curious. My wedding ring took a lot of pecks as did a tiny mole on my arm. When you go in, they come running! We don't have treats with us usually now, although yesterday I was giving them clover from the yard, but we did hand-feed them a lot when they were very small and in the brooder inside. I have to say that their personality is the most outstanding thing about them - and it is such an important trait.


Loving my EOs.

Thank you, James!

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Am I correct in imagining the correct type for this breed would be... well...

I guess imagine a half circle, one end tilted up. About what angle should that flat side (the bird's back) be? Am I correct in thinking the bottom line of the bird should appear to be a full, round, well-filled circle?

Also, does anyone have any idea where the original rare breed hatchery in Canada obtained their stock?

 

[Maggiesdad]

pm sent.

Am I correct in imagining the correct type for this breed would be... well...

I guess imagine a half circle, one end tilted up. About what angle should that flat side (the bird's back) be? Am I correct in thinking the bottom line of the bird should appear to be a full, round, well-filled circle?

Also, does anyone have any idea where the original rare breed hatchery in Canada obtained their stock?

 

[ChestnutRidge]

Am I correct in imagining the correct type for this breed would be... well...

I guess imagine a half circle, one end tilted up. About what angle should that flat side (the bird's back) be? Am I correct in thinking the bottom line of the bird should appear to be a full, round, well-filled circle?

Also, does anyone have any idea where the original rare breed hatchery in Canada obtained their stock?

The rooster's stance should be very upright with thick thighs and a flat chest. The female's shape isn't exactly round, either. The Marraduna variety had more of an emphasis on egg production than meat. I don't have the poultry vocabulary to properly describe the shape, so I'm going to post some pictures which are not my own. I think type is pretty important. I think the female's tail could be longer, but her chest looks right.

I realllly didn't want to take people's images, so I picked two and then messed with them a bit. Now I'm wishing I had picked better pics if I was going to end up messing with them anyway...
So, if this is at all clear, type is more like this:

 

[buckabucka]

Okay, I definitely notice the friendly factor now. If I lift the lid on the brooder just enough to reach in and grab the feeder, a Basque will jump up on the edge of the brooder before I can close the lid. That forces me to set the feeder down and lift the lid to it's open position so I can free my hands and grab the escaping chick. The second the lid is open, 2 more jump up on the edge. I can see them eyeing the floor. I quickly grab one chick and set him back in the brooder, but by the time I grab the second one, someone else jumps up, again and again. They are crazy!

I believe it is only the roosters that are jumping up. I'm still holding out hope that I have one or two girls. They are 4 1/2 weeks old, and I still am not sure. Some have rapidly growing pink combs, big legs, and barred feathers around their neck, so I know I have at least 4 boys. One has no comb at all, but I see some barring on the wing, so I'm not sure with that one. Shouldn't the boys all be growing combs now, or do they grow at varied rates?

I'm hoping I will be able to tell in another month. The number of boys will determine whether or not I try to hatch again this summer.

Meanwhile, I haven't even had a chance to begin sexing the other 13 olive-egger type mutts in the brooder. If I open the lid to look at them, I spend all my time shuffling the Basques off my leg, hand, etc., trying to keep them from escaping into the house!

 

[Maggiesdad]

It will be easy to tell within another week, they really start differentiating at 5 weeks. I posted chick pics here , and there's 3 more links with more pics at the bottom of that page.

The girls can be barred, too. A tight yellow comb at 4 1/2 wks sounds like a pullet to me.

 

[buckabucka]

It will be easy to tell within another week, they really start differentiating at 5 weeks. I posted chick pics here  , and there's 3 more links with more pics at the bottom of that page.

The girls can be barred, too. A tight yellow comb at 4 1/2 wks sounds like a pullet to me.

Thanks for the link to your photos! Those are great . I'm glad to hear that the girls can sometimes have barring. Maybe I have 2 girls instead of one. I can't wait to get these birds outside! I am enjoying them in here, but they are too big, really. The mobile coop that DH is building has stalled for a bit, so I'm hoping to set up a temporary shelter in my carport.