Euskal Oiloa ( Basque Thread)

[skylinepoultry]

Say cheese

 

[skylinepoultry]

She's like, where's my treat.

 

[skylinepoultry]

Group 2 chilling out on this hot humid day.

 

[Skeffling Lavender Farm]

Cute! I can't tell you how many out of focus closeups of Euskal oiloas faces I have. They are so nosy try to see the camera and what you are doing with it! Nicely baking hot here, not too humid. Just got home from work and let them out to dustbath! I prefer to be here when they free range since my gingernut went missing. Got home today to 2 EOs hatched under my chantecler broodies and and 3 lavender Ameraucanas chicks, 2 Lavender orpingtons and a partridge chantecler. 2 last eggs pipped! Either Euskal or Orpingtons, both look similar and the E/L before the O has rubbed off!

 

[skylinepoultry]

Quote:
Lol, don't cha hate that when the initials wipe off. Its been a bit humid here but not to to bad. You excited about the little chicks hatching? I've never had Chanteclers. Do they go broody often?

 

[skylinepoultry]

 

[Skeffling Lavender Farm]

Yes very excited. Lots of colours shapes and sizes! The Chanteclers are the friendliest line I've had now from John Blehm (have had some unfriendly lines and nearly gave up on them) I think the most broody breed I have, the cochin in them. Broodies are laid back not vicious and seem to be quite communal. Switching nests every so often. These are just a year old and I only let them sit this second time, though when they go broody 70% of them go! And they pluck their bellies bare!

Main attraction is how well they lay in the depths of winter, have leghorn, wyandotte in them too and cornish for meat!

Love your cockeral, he looks nice! Good yellow legs too.

 

[gootziecat]

Do these birds ever go through a phase they think people are scarey? And do some of them make pets and like to be held.

I don't think I have gotten a clear picture of their rate of lay. I've probably read and forgotten, but are they good winter layers?

Thank you.

 

[flnatv]

I don't have a bator right now

(hopefully will by the end of the summer)
I don't want to add to my flock until next spring, but I am interested in have a few to try out.

If anyone purchases eggs from Tennessee on the west side of Nashville, please let me know... maybe I can have them hatch a few for me.

I think they are unique and if they are nice... I'm sooo in for some.

 

[Skeffling Lavender Farm]

I have had some kind of ignore me then at 2-3 weeks go really friendly, leaning on your hands, coming running. Some are like that much earlier too. I have had 2 flighty ones and they were brooded elsewhere and came back to us as we had a bad incubator and got zero chicks due to temp spikes etc (Brower top hatch!) I'd never had any go though that phase though I know the ones you are taking about where at 2-4 weeks they have the freakout stage! My hubby calls them Klingons though I have a wheaten Ameraucana too who could cling for her country! The EOs love to be held and they seem to be attracted to humans from the start. Some of them are more fidgety than others, and will peck fluff off you etc but I have some that I have fed worms to when gardening from a few weeks old, that will sit as long as you have them there. My roosters seem less fidgety and hunker down for a cuddle any time you let them up on your knee.

Rate of lay is "Pretty good" for a heritage breed the standards say255 a year and on average we seem to get 3-4 eggs a day for four 1- year-ld and one 3-year-old hens. In Jan-Feb we had a couple of weeks of 1-2 eggs per day from 5 then we moved their light closer (they were downstairs in a dim bank barn) and they went back up to 3-4 with days of 5 for 5 hens (same thing happened with our lavender ameraucanas!). Since it warmed up here were are getting more 5/5 days! Nice to get 2 dozen hatching eggs a week from 5 hens! The eggs are big and XL, only larger ones here are my lav orpingtons eggs. Black penedesencas almost lay same size and frequency as these but the EO eggs are fatter/rounder and shiny. The only breed that lays better here in winter are the chanteclers and the orpingtons are close too as long as you don't move them (they stop for a month then!!) I would try these if you get the chance.