Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[rural mouse]

And a lovely topknot also! I wonder what the mix is for her. What colour eggs is she supposed to lay?

I still think the mix is mottled cochin bantam x mottled houdan. Anything NOT mottled will come out black (split to mottled). And cream eggs fits the houdan too.

 

[Ikslo]

A new layer!

 

[RoyalChick]

I still think the mix is mottled cochin bantam x mottled houdan. Anything NOT mottled will come out black (split to mottled). And cream eggs fits the houdan too.

So bantam explains that she is small?
The Meyers website says ‘medium sized chicken’ with hens weighing 3.5-5 lb. That isn’t bantam sized. My Legbar ladies are that sort of size.

I just looked up Mottled Houdan - she looks just like those - but with very feathered legs!

 

[Ikslo]

Tyler just found three more!! I think these are all from the first o e. We just couldn’t find where she decided to lay them!

 

[Sylvester017]

I read that if you take a pan, fill it with water, then take canned cat food, smear it on a board, set the board upside-down over the pan. It will attract the yellow jackets and they can't fly back out.

Rats would love it too... a free meal w/ water too Sorry... I'm rat conscious since we caught so many this year! Nice idea though.

 

[drstratton]

A new layer! View attachment 4210199

Love that chocolate color. Marans?

 

[Sylvester017]

As a new 1st year beekeeper, that is my understanding also.

My girls love all of my flowers, but I think these white with yellow centers are their favorite dahlias.

View attachment 4210049View attachment 4210050

How nice to provide them a flower garden. Did you research all that to choose what to plant for them? Does it affect the honey taste?

 

[drstratton]

Rats would love it too... a free meal w/ water too Sorry... I'm rat conscious since we caught so many this year! Nice idea though.

We have mice, but thankfully we've never had any rats.

 

[drstratton]

How nice to provide them a flower garden. Did you research all that to choose what to plant for them? Does it affect the honey taste?

I've done a lot of research. We will be planting white & yellow sweet clover in our old horse pasture and Butterfly Weed alongside Rocky Mountain Bee Plant in our old paddock. We will also be planting white Dutch clover in front of the Apiary. We have catmint, hyssop, lavender, sage, Joe Pye weed and many others.
The honey we've taken off has been smooth and not too sweet. So, if it does, it's in a good way.

Tax

 

[Sylvester017]

I was doing some research on the Noirans and found a place in Quebec that sells then and has posted that their life expectancy is '10 to 12 years'. I'll let you all know in a decade if this is acurate!

https://meuneriemaska.com/en/produits/noirans-laying-hen/

I wonder what crossbreed was used to make a Noirans... especially since there doesn't seem to show any Copper hackles... a black Australorp maybe which would definitely increase egg production? I love the tints that glisten on black feathers