Euskal Oiloa ( Basque Thread)

[skylinepoultry]

OOOOOOOOKKKKKKKKKKKK...........I got the ones picked out that I want!!!!! LOL....

Those are Great looking pens and BEAUTIFUL birds. I'm not sure I would know how to feed birds in a nice clean good-looking pen...When I built my new barn...I didn't want to put anything in it because it was the first new barn I had ever had and I didn't want anything messing it up. Are you building 2 more set-up just like that one????? Mike

Mike, thanx! I know what you mean. Kinda like getting a new car. Gotta let the new wear off then you can drink a soda in it,lol.. When I get everything finished I'll be taking a ton of new photos of our new facilities. Actually I have to build two more breeding pens just like this one but 16 feet longer and a barn on this side of the field. And its gotta be done before December. You cant tell it from the photo but these breeding pens are in the middle of the woods with another 6 foot tall fence going all the way around everything to keep the predators out. We live at the foot of Frog Mtn and there's a ton of chicken eating creatures drooling to get in these compounds.

 

[FROMWHITEDOGHILL]

I may have to send you some Great Pyranees dogs!!!!! I have a friend that had 'Bears' get into his Turkeys. My older dogs are teaching a couple of puppies for him now. They can't whip a bear obviously, but they can make it unpleasant for them to come around. They keep all the wild hogs away from our place!!

 

[MonsterClucker]

Thanx!  Its a little bit of a mess right now. I just got the auto waters put in and I gotta get the heat tape ran down all the pipes before winter time rolls in. I have a feeling winter time is gonna be a mess here in the south this year.

That's nice at least you get 3g. What service do you have?T Mobile or AT&T? I don't even get 2G! Lol the reception out here sucks!

 

[skylinepoultry]

I may have to send you some Great Pyranees dogs!!!!! I have a friend that had 'Bears' get into his Turkeys. My older dogs are teaching a couple of puppies for him now. They can't whip a bear obviously, but they can make it unpleasant for them to come around. They keep all the wild hogs away from our place!!

I love a Great Pyrenees. Your right about making a bear or something else think twice about coming around. I had one before we moved out here but he just wanted to wonder and eat my chickens,lol. Had to get rid of him. But thats ok because I'm raising German Shepherds now. I'll be getting a female in October since I'll have more time to spend with it in the winter months. I got my boy last October and he is doing great around the birds. My wife heard hogs running through the woods a couple months ago. She came in screaming telling me to get the gun,lol. Ive never seen a wild hog but you can hear them running and snorting at night sometimes. We always her Coyotes howling almost every night. Kinda spooky when its dark and you cant see a foot in front of you and you hear them howling.

 

[skylinepoultry]

That's nice at least you get 3g. What service do you have?T Mobile or AT&T? I don't even get 2G! Lol the reception out here sucks!

We have Verizon and we got lucky because theres a tower off 411 HWY which isnt too far from us. Phone service is great over here but forget about anything else. The worse is when your watching a good show on satellite TV and a rain comes in and knocks out the TV,lol.

 

[Dahlisgrams]

Thanx! Its a little bit of a mess right now. I just got the auto waters put in and I gotta get the heat tape ran down all the pipes before winter time rolls in. I have a feeling winter time is gonna be a mess here in the south this year.

I'll bet those auto waterers come in mighty handy in the South. I haul a lot of water but at least it's not too far. Winter should be interesting. I think it's going to be funky everywhere though. We're overdue for a hurricane up here and the last one we got, Irene, was NOT a real hurricane, in my humble opinion.

Those sure are some beautiful birds. I'm curious. What are some of your main criteria for choosing breeding stock? Do you worry mainly about type? How great a factor is leg color in your program? I read a post a while back that you were hatching large numbers and keeping the best but I suppose my question is how picky do I need to be initially when I can't hatch large numbers right away. I still have several small coops and pens to build, much to hubby's chagrin. lol Maybe I'm overthinking it. Wouldn't be the first time!

I really like these birds and am working toward a breeding program so I'm reading everything I can. Obviously experience only comes with time but I'm definitely open to suggestions!

 

[skylinepoultry]

I'll bet those auto waterers come in mighty handy in the South. I haul a lot of water but at least it's not too far. Winter should be interesting. I think it's going to be funky everywhere though. We're overdue for a hurricane up here and the last one we got, Irene, was NOT a real hurricane, in my humble opinion.

Those sure are some beautiful birds. I'm curious. What are some of your main criteria for choosing breeding stock? Do you worry mainly about type? How great a factor is leg color in your program? I read a post a while back that you were hatching large numbers and keeping the best but I suppose my question is how picky do I need to be initially when I can't hatch large numbers right away. I still have several small coops and pens to build, much to hubby's chagrin. lol Maybe I'm overthinking it. Wouldn't be the first time!

I really like these birds and am working toward a breeding program so I'm reading everything I can. Obviously experience only comes with time but I'm definitely open to suggestions!

My mass hatching program had gotten delayed to to other works but I did manage to hatch off a good bit. Maggiesdad and others are proof that the genes are in here. Its just a matter of hatching off enough to cull. Of course yellow leggs are a must but if it doesnt have yellow leggs dont toss it because it may be holding something else. Since our gene pool is so so small I'd hatch off as many as possible and just have fun. Its all about the enjoyment of the hobby. I'm living proof that it can become a job instead of a hobby thats fun. Thats why I downsized dramatically so I could enjoy them again, (chickens in general). The Marradunas are some of my favorites with their unique personality and traits. I'm pretty sure by the time the smoke clears there's gonna be a bunch of different lines of Marradunas with different characteristics. Mine is that funny personality that makes you wonder if theyre more intelligent than you think. And let me stress the hardiness of the breed. Vitality is through the roof with these guys. I've never ever since day one have had a sick Marraduna Basque.
Oh I know what you mean, I get my surprise to do list once a week

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Just remember everyone, have fun and lets enjoy this really ultimately rare bird. Hopefully someone is working on getting all the Basque over here, WINK WINK to the south.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

My beautiful red Basque hen





Now for my two lighter colored females~




Perfect match, no? ; )



Enjoying some time out of the run

My Ducks and Geese were not too sure what to think of these new 'crowers'...



This 'Lemon Crele' boy is going up on Craigslist tomorrow. Also have a white Basque boy that I'm going to try and rehome.

The girls gave me two lovely eggs today. Pretty sure my red 'gal is laying the dark brown eggs.


Enjoy


~ Aspen

 

[skylinepoultry]

Either you have small hands or those are some big eggs you got there Mrs Fluffy Puffy. Are you getting rid of that Rooster in the Pic you just showed?

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

skyline - If you are talking about the lemon crele boy, yes I am. The two bigger boys I have are getting the job done. I am curious to see how he turns out, but need to cull down to as few birds as I can before winter. My feedbill is already insane.

Hehe!! I do have small hands, but they are laying fair sized eggs as well. ; )

~ Aspen