Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Google auto-sexing chicken breeds. There's several decent articles about them. I say decent because none go into the kind of historical detail/selective process to get to where they breed true, but some good basic info.

Need to creat an autosex silky so we know which are hens right off the bat !

 

[BY Bob]

I found the Welbar article. Basically they are descended from Welsummers and Barred Rocks. Welsummers are derived from a whole slew of chickens!
Both Welsummers and Welbars are now breeds not crosses - which I think means they breed true without introducing any other kind of chicken.
http://www.harislau.info/welbars

And here are the basics on the development of the Legbar.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legbar#:~:text=3 Use-,History,Rock with gold Campine birds.
One thing that I wasn't aware of was that the first auto-sexing chicken developed in Britain pre-WWII was a 'Cambar' - an auto-sexing Campine!

Did you see that @Ribh

 

[Ponypoor]

Has anyone ever heard bad news, and felt helpless about a situation? It’s not about the chickens or my horse. We are all healthy. (Personal issue, out of my control) I really am glad that I have an emotional support rooster on this issue!
Rant tax:View attachment 3042817

Sure have time makes it somewhat better, but still, thinking of it makes me sad all over again.

Hope Mr cuddly rooster-man can help ease the situation

 

[GregnLety]

^^^ insert my usual soapbox rant here^^^ just like my cousin… who has never seen my chickens but assumed that because it was raised on our farm it’s somehow not as good as what she is buying at Safeway… won’t eat my eggs because they aren’t commercially washed just say “no thank you” don’t accept the food and then toss it

I hate people like that

 

[RoyalChick]

So, after moving babies to coop last night, mid afternoon temps are colder than dawn temps this morning. Rain/snow last night/sporadically today. Babies popped TONS of feathers, but seemed cold, so....cardboard slid between the fencing and the 2 bricks holding the food and water out of the straw and shavings. Another piece between the fencing and the end of the nest boxes. Results: mad rush for the food, followed by preening party. It raised the temp just a smidgen, but they're certainly happier too. I think the ladies are as well: 9 eggs in the coop, 2 equal nests + 1 lone. most eggs I've seen in a day from this lot.

Hector has finally popped tail and shoulder feathers. Nox and Mera have a few edge of breast, back at base of neck and some middle low back just above tail feathers. The hobbit trio have the breast but not aby of the back...yet...likely tomorrow.View attachment 3042806
Figuring we got them at roughly a week old (store gets shipments on Mondays, we got on Wed), they're almost 3 weeks old.

Do they have a heat supply out there?

 

[BY Bob]

*Blush*

And a caveat that I've got a tension headache today, so it might not be up to scratch.

Here we go.

It no snows
No, it no snows
What is?
Me no know.
Is micecream?
But no tasty
Is paypa?
But no scrunches noisy
Is cold
Too cold
Shivers me limbers
Me limbers too
Is you puffy?
Me puffy, you puffy?
Me puffy
Puffy is goods
Me like puffy
mmmm
It no snows

Not bad for being in pain. You got me giggling!

 

[rural mouse]

Do they have a heat supply out there?

I've got the heat lamp set up and nailed in place. One day I'll be able to replace it with heat panels, but in the mean time: make sure the thing can't fall and the cord is restrained. Done.

 

[BY Bob]

Well, roosting time came and I had 2 missing hens. Baby is in her box on the porch shrieking her head off if anyone looks in her general direction. Holly is in the box in the coop. Both girls have chosen the 2 favorite spots everyone uses to lay. I snuck my hand under Holly and she has the egg she laid late this evening. I left it as when I felt under her again she bit and drew blood. She is a experienced and proven broody so I'm confident she is in it for the long haul. Bunny is sitting on nothing at the moment, if she makes it 2 days I will give her 2 golf balls. Holly may get 1 more egg placed under her tonight. I say this because it is perfect timing. In under a hour once I have the humidity adjusted just right I'm loading up the incubator. My turner holds 42 eggs, in the last 5 days I've got 4 1/2 dozen eggs. I know I can hatch a chick in the incubator and stuff it under Holly and have her accept it. I will also try that for Bunny. I have 4 Corona eggs going in, if any of those hatch I will give them to Holly to raise. I am praying the 2 Daisy eggs hatch as well and Bunny can be their momma.

Wonderful!

 

[BY Bob]

Has anyone ever heard bad news, and felt helpless about a situation? It’s not about the chickens or my horse. We are all healthy. (Personal issue, out of my control) I really am glad that I have an emotional support rooster on this issue!
Rant tax:View attachment 3042817

I sorry this is happening to you.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

You know, after thinking the situation over, in a little bit I'm going outside to steal Holly's egg from her and replace it with the 4 Corona eggs I have. If and when the chicks start hatching in the incubator I'm going to say a good 75% of them will be black. I desperately want a feather footed Corona daughter. If I give her eggs to Holly there will be no chance of me having a mix-up when they hatch. And we all know in most cases a proven broody hen does a better job at incubating then the best incubator. I can not leave Holly's egg with her as she always produces feather feet so if there were a Corona chick to hatch with feathered feet and Holly's hatched as well I could not be 100% sure who the momma is.