Future plans for 2025! Breeding for large meaties, barring, lacing and EE

[DemeterAD9]

Down to 58. Culled the black LF mix pullet who had leg issues. I tried figuring out what was wrong with her but couldn’t find much internally. I did notice the tendons on the drumsticks looked thicker than usual and possibly bruised. Could be why she couldn’t walk or found it too painful. Poor thing.

Weighed 3lbs 1oz—>1lb 8oz skinned

 

[DemeterAD9]

Another new layer or two, laying a shade of green. For the life of me I cannot remember if one of these was collected yesterday or both from today. Either the blue EE pullet tripled the size of her first egg or someone else is laying, possibly both.

Anyways, another egg from Chunky, up to 3 decent eggs for hatching.

 

[DemeterAD9]

I had set 7 Chunky eggs and one OE egg under the legbar X broody on 7/31. They are due to hatch next Thursday give or take a day as I added the next two Chunky eggs she laid after I set the first 5. Candled and removed the duds yesterday and I am left with 2 Chunky eggs and the OE egg (hoping for a roo).

Egg comparisons! The diamond duchess lays green eggs that have been anywhere from 1-3 yolks and vary in size because of it.

Someone is laying olive eggs in the mornings before I get up. I would guess it is the blue EE with muffs (white EE’s daughter) but I wouldn’t think they’d be so dark with just an F1 generation especially since the dad was a BJG. Maybe it is one of the OE daughters? I’ve seen the silver one squatting.
Mystery olive eggs with the white EE’s light blue egg.

And the older hens are going through an egg size upgrade. The two BJGs are finally laying decent sized eggs and so is the one light brahma. The LB who lays speckled eggs has not laid in probably 2+ months, maybe molting? I think I may cull her anyways due to her previous infertile eggs I tried hatching.
Left to right, LF mix, LB, one band BJG and 2 band BJG.

 

[DemeterAD9]

After careful observation I’ve decided this chick from the bantam’s brood is most likely from the light brahma rather than the SLW. It would seem the SLW had another son with a sinlge comb this time who looks near identical to the BJG's sons. This one appears to be a pullet and has a nice pattern with more white coming through on her head. I wouldn't be upset if it ends up being male though.

Crested pullet from legbar X brood. Unsure if she is from the legbar X or the grey OE. Thought she was from the OE before the crest developed. So pretty!

The real OE pullet, pure black so far

Another crested pullet from the same batch, same deal as the other crested girl.

Cockerel who is a contender to keep, has a sister who looks identical minus the red shoulder patches.

Bantam's daughter with muffs, there's another w/o muffs

One of 2 white EE sons, the other has red shoulder patches coming in and I suspect this one will too at some point.

Tomato feeding frenzy, some hens look a bit rough.

The barnevelder pullet who just looks off, like her legs are too short or something. Likely to be culled due to her scruffy and runty growth.

 

[DemeterAD9]

Found a soft shelled egg out in the yard that I am pretty sure was dropped by the SLW. I was also out in the coop last night putting bands on a handful of pullets that I would be okay with getting rid of and coincidentally found a soft shelled egg who I believe was laid by the brown EE’s daughter. She got a band last night too.

Several of the young girls are checking out the coop and nest boxes. Caught the crooked toe barred/laced daughter in a nest box today, waiting to see if she actually lays anything.

Update: I think crooked toes dropped two soft shelled eggs (darker brown) and I found the membrane of another egg, likely from the EE X BJG.

 

[DemeterAD9]

It seems there is a third green layer, possibly the sapphire whatever from TSC. Lays about the same shade as the diamond duchess but has some spots. Also got my darker brown eggs, one from yesterday (darker) and one from today with a heavy bloom. Unsure if from the same girl but I suspect the crooked toe pullet. Hopefully her sister lays the same color as I was planning to sell this girl.

As a side note, if the barred/laced daughters are laying a near chocolate color I can’t help but wonder if the blue copper maran has that darker brown gene. Their mom lays a light brown egg, sometimes it’s paler due to the bloom like the double yolker from a couple days ago.

I’ve seen most the pullets squatting for the boys. Cream legbar, golden cuckoo, barred rock, and freebie EE are ones I haven’t noticed squatting. Lots of feathers are falling out lately. My blue copper maran’s tail curls are looking sorry. One BJG hen seems to want to go broody, she’s been sitting during the day but roosting at night. 3 eggs under the legbar X are due to hatch Thursday/Friday.

 

[DemeterAD9]

Looks like the barred/laced daughters do indeed lay the same color! The bloom makes them look lighter. Bonus pullet egg guessing from the black EE mix.

OE egg under the legbar X has pipped early. Hoping for a cockerel this time.

 

[DemeterAD9]

17 eggs today and 9 of them are from the pullets. Missing one dark brown egg for the day so that means there are at least 10 new layers. The 3 olive eggs are currently from unknown pullets, one of which may be the blue EE.

So far I know the leghorn, crooked toe, black EE X BJG, Chunky, and diamond duchess are laying. I suspect the blue EE, sapphire whatever, barred/laced daughter, and maybe the legbar to be laying.

Only ended up with one Chunky chick and the OE chick from the broody.

 

[DemeterAD9]

58 became 60 with the arrival of the 2 chicks.

Back down to 54 after culling the dark brahma, unbanded light brahma, double banded BJG and 3 black cockerels (1 SLW, 2 BJG) raised by the bantam broody who were 15 weeks old.

I felt bad culling the dark brahma as I really liked her but I know I made the right call. It confirmed my suspicions of her reproductive issues when I pulled this massive lash material out of her egg factory. The LB may have had a similar issue but I couldn’t find evidence. Both had a line up of yolks in varying stages of development.

Cockerels weight before and after
BJG son A 4lbs 3oz —> 2lbs 4oz
BJG son B 4lbs 9os—> 2lbs 9oz
SLW son 5lbs —> 3lbs 1oz

Hens, DB, LB and BJG top to bottom.
DB 6lb 8oz —> 3lbs 5oz
LB 6lbs 6oz —> 3lbs 3oz
BJG 5lbs 2oz—> 2lbs 9oz

And the banded bresse daughter lays a dark brown egg.

 

[DemeterAD9]

New eggs, so many green/olive eggers. Getting around 17 a day now.

Freebie black EE, has some brown spotting

Sapphire whatever, goldenish green, has some brown spots.

Newest unknown