Euskal Oiloa ( Basque Thread)

[Flat Rock farm]

After much deliberation I have decided to stop working with the Basque and will be selling most of my flock (except for a couple of my favorite pullets). I have the foundation quad available and will be setting up a trio of my latest generation youngsters. I'm NPIP AI clean bit will not be shipping these birds. Will have them at Gilmanor. If interested and located in Virginia or able to pick up please send a PM.

Tru, I am sorry to hear that

 

[Laingcroft]

Tru, I am sorry to hear that

It's been a wild back and forth for the past few months. I have three relatively new breeds that need a lot of dedication (Basque, Cream Legbar and SFH) along with three additional breeds that are already established but need more supporters (Black Langshan, Rose Comb Rhode Island Red and White Dorking) on top of which I decided that I can't ignore my favorite breed, the breed of my heart, the Mottled Houdan. I finally had to accept that I could not work with all of the first three breeds. I definitely didn't want to get rid of the Legbars and figured the SFH were pretty easy keepers --- they don't have, and probably won't ever have a SOP --- so it came down to the Basque by process of elimination.

However, I just spent two frigid hours outside feeding and observing the flock and decided that it would actually be the SFH to go. I've already put so much time (on 4th generation) and effort into the Basques. I'm still seeing one white chick per hatch and one or two millefleur, but a lot fewer than before. I've eliminated the black breasts, white legs and double spurs. The girls are slightly darker and a lot more consistent, but there still room for improvement. Also, Golden Boy is a heftier bird compared to the SFH cockerels. Granted they are younger, but their frame (height, length, depth) just isn't as big as the Basque. There are also a bunch of problems I see in the SFH -- one of the five hens is obnoxious, another has curled toes (she was never going to be part of the breeding program), one of the two cockerels looks like he is developing secondary spurs and the other looks like he might have split wing on one side. And I'm just not up for starting from square one yet again.

So, I've changed my mind for the final time; it isn't the Basque that will go, it is the SFH. I am still selling the foundation quad of Basques, but that's because the younger birds are an improvement over their predecessors and I only have so much room and $$$ for feed.

 

[ronott1]

It's been a wild back and forth for the past few months. I have three relatively new breeds that need a lot of dedication (Basque, Cream Legbar and SFH) along with three additional breeds that are already established but need more supporters (Black Langshan, Rose Comb Rhode Island Red and White Dorking) on top of which I decided that I can't ignore my favorite breed, the breed of my heart, the Mottled Houdan. I finally had to accept that I could not work with all of the first three breeds. I definitely didn't want to get rid of the Legbars and figured the SFH were pretty easy keepers --- they don't have, and probably won't ever have a SOP --- so it came down to the Basque by process of elimination.

However, I just spent two frigid hours outside feeding and observing the flock and decided that it would actually be the SFH to go. I've already put so much time (on 4th generation) and effort into the Basques. I'm still seeing one white chick per hatch and one or two millefleur, but a lot fewer than before. I've eliminated the black breasts, white legs and double spurs. The girls are slightly darker and a lot more consistent, but there still room for improvement. Also, Golden Boy is a heftier bird compared to the SFH cockerels. Granted they are younger, but their frame (height, length, depth) just isn't as big as the Basque. There are also a bunch of problems I see in the SFH -- one of the five hens is obnoxious, another has curled toes (she was never going to be part of the breeding program), one of the two cockerels looks like he is developing secondary spurs and the other looks like he might have split wing on one side. And I'm just not up for starting from square one yet again.

So, I've changed my mind for the final time; it isn't the Basque that will go, it is the SFH. I am still selling the foundation quad of Basques, but that's because the younger birds are an improvement over their predecessors and I only have so much room and $$$ for feed.

That is a very good choice!

I might need to get some hatching eggs from you!

 

[Flat Rock farm]

Oh Tru I am SOOOOO happy to hear that.

I am partial to EO's and can't imagine them not being part of my flock.

 

[Laingcroft]

The young'uns are soo funny. First time encountering snow and they just don't know how to deal with it. The cockerel just wants to follow me wherever I go and the girls prefer to huddle in the mud near the tractor barn to stepping on snow. Funny part is they can walk ON the snow until it softens.



Lil'cock wondering what I'm doing over by the silkie tractor.




And a picture of Golden Boy...just because

 

[Maggiesdad]

They look good, Tru!

If that boy on the left is hetero, you could unlock some gorrias...

 

[Laingcroft]

I'm not sure yet whether that one is a male or female yet. Wattles and comb look like a boy but they haven't changed in weeks. No sign of saddle feather of sickle development either. The light boy has bigger comb and wattles but paler and is starting to develope sickle feathers.

This batch came out of my reddest hen.

Skyline gold hen with yellow legs x Mardun (hetero cock w/double spurs on yellow legs from GFF) sired

F1 Red necked hen with lighter body -- less gold more "pinkish" hue crossed back to Golden Boy sired

BC1 Reddish hen crossed back to Golden Boy --- resulted in this hatch BC2

I'll be crossing these to each other and the pale cockerel back to his dam.

The original foundation stock are going to be sold. Hoping to eliminate the white in the sickle feathers and deepen color in the hens, make them even more uniform and eliminate those random black spangles from millefleur. Also would like to see the white sports stop cropping up. Have had one in every hatch.

 

[naturespace]

Tru, the boy that MD pointed out as hetero... What do the tail feathers look like? If they are like the other cockerls then I would say boy, if they are like the pullets I would say boy. Of course that's just a guess.

Edited. if they are like the pullets I would say GIRL.

 

[Laingcroft]

Nothing but bigger wattles say boy to me. The lack of sickle feathers and barring in the tail, coloration, lack of saddle feathers starting to develop and attitude still say pullet, but I'll know one way or the other eventually

 

[Peep-Chicken]

I want these birds! I them.