FERN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[speckledhen]

Note to self: Check around corner for Flying Fern before going through door with pan of oatmeal again.

 

[M To The Maxx]

Bad Fern!!!! You need to send her to me right now!!!

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
She'd better watch it or she may find herself in a box on her way to Florida! She is very special to me, though, since the first time Ivy almost died and we saved her, the egg Fern came from was one of the first ones Ivy laid after that bout of egg issues/infection. Now, Ivy has gone through another relapse and come out on top and is laying again, so maybe there will be another bad girl BR in our future.

 

[popcornpuppy]

Wow, Fern sounds like such a trouble maker compared to Sage. Sage is as dark as Fern and from the looks of it, just as large. (My Ideal Rocks have heavy white barring and don't look as dark as your girls.)
Sage is such a sweetie and I can't imagine her sister being fresh like that. If I bend over to pet my chickens, Sage will jump up on my shoulder. She has never propelled herself through the air though.

 

[speckledhen]

Fern is a shoulder-jumper, too, on occasion. Her mother is an Ideal bird and has very thin, uneven, faded-out-in-places, barring. Lexie, also an Ideal girl who was raised with Ivy, has cockerel-like coloring, very wide white bars and is quite small for a standard BR hen. At least Ivy has the proper size on her. I like the ones who are a couple generations removed from the hatchery. My Amanda has very nice barring, the best of my girls, and proper size. Dutch's sire, Hawkeye, came from McMurray.

 

[popcornpuppy]

I have to get some pics for you tomorrow, but I wanted to show you my Ideal roo, Big Bopper. He is getting the same treatment as Ike. He was a bloody mess the other day from where the girls have picked at every single point on his comb. And the big dummy stands there and lets the girls take turns. He is a gentile roo, but does not like Spike trying to mount his girls. Is it a guy thing to let the girls pick their combs? Or is it a girl thing to pick at the boys combs?

 

[speckledhen]

I have no idea what possesses these hens! They get plenty of protein and have a huge pen and often freerange. No idea what the deal is with them.

 

[kathyinmo]

Do I have Fern's first baby? Well, about to have .... she is zipping, STILL ! ! She is taking her sweet time! Noisy one, that one is! If she ever decides to come out of hiding (in her egg) ... I will post a picture!

 

[Bantimna]

Kathy beware of the Fern chicks!

 

[speckledhen]

Kathy, I'm excited about Fern's baby! Yes, that is the only egg of hers ever incubated that you have! She is a chunky girl, decent barring, considering how her mama's is. I'll be thrilled to see what she throws! Ivy, so far, has only thrown pullet chicks. Would be nice if Fern had the same trait.