Gideon's Got a Girlfriend! Gideon's Got a Girlfriend! She Isn't Pleased!

[speckledhen]

I tell you, sumi, I will be thinking about repopulating next year and I've about decided that I want only good old-fashioned homestead type heritage breeds who forage well. My favorites are the Barred Plymouth Rocks so they will be the mainstay, then the dark, black-red Rhode Island Reds and for my third breed, I'm going to probably skip the Ameraucanas I love in favor of Brahmas. They lay well, large roundish eggs, they do well in heat or cold and are mild-mannered hens, generally, though mine were never at the bottom of the pecking order. In fact, my Buff Brahma, Caroline, who is 5 1/2, is head hen in the main flock. Everywhere we moved her and Miranda, they pretty much took over, LOL. Great "salt of the earth" hens, they are.

 

[sumi]

I'll keep that in mind, thanks! Brahma... sound like a type of cattle we get here, I'll remember it! LOL I think I'll probably do what so many people do and get one or 2 chickens of a few different breeds. DH likes RIR, we both like the Blue Orps, we need reliable egg layers, not just pretty chickens! Though I'd love some pretty coloured eggs too. I'm going to have to look for a nice big yard with a house on it at this rate!

 

[overthetop]

Well, Gideon fans, he has gone to his new home in South Carolina. His new mom is going to take wonderful care of him, I can tell already. So, I guess this will be the end of our Gideon thread, unless overthetop (Karla) wants to continue it or start her own for him. She promised to send along pictures of Gideon with his seven new hens when he is settled in. I know he will be happier without Daddy Ike chasing him down all the time. Thanks to Karla and Michael for giving Gideon a fabulous new home!!

Oh, no Speckledhen - this is definitely NOT the end of the Gideon thread! We have big, BIG news...... Gideon's gonna be a daddy!!!

Lena (the golden laced Wyondotte) went broody back earlier in December. I took her eggs from her for a few days, but she seemed determined, so on December 13, we finally decided to let her have a few eggs to set on. A few turned into 6 by the time she got done stealing other girls' eggs who were still laying in the same next box with her before I partitioned it off so they could not get in there with her (our nest boxes are pretty wide). So today - New Year's Day is day 20. Just this evening Michael and I moved Lena and her eggs out of the chicken coop and into a lovely nursery pen in our garage (yes, I know I maybe should have done this days ago, but she was doing fine in the chicken coop with the other hens and Gideon).

When I picked up the eggs to put them into the box with her to carry them all into the garage, at least two of the eggs were PEEPING!!!!! Oh my God - I am so nervous!!! About 1/2 hour later when we went out into the dark garage to check on her, we heard peeping coming from UNDER her!!!!

Gideon is going to be so proud!!! And I must post recent pictures of him - I cannot believe how much he has changed since these early pics you posted - he is now all filled out and a beautiful cream color with lots of splotches of his mama's brown! And his tail feathers are magnificent!!!!
And he is such a sweet boy - every morning I give them treats and I sit out in the run with them for a little while just watching everyone - sometimes I feel a gentle tugging at my sleeve (literally) and it's Gideon, just saying "Hi, hey, pay me some attention, will you!"

Anyway, back to Mama Lena and her eggs - the funny thing is, none of the six eggs are actually Lena's eggs - she has 3 Easter Eggers (which if they hatch will make those chicks 3/4 EE, I figure counting Gideon's 1/2 EE); 1 Polish, 1 Buff Orpington, and 1 other brown egg, but we don't know who the mother of that one is......

(that is just too funny!!! how often do you get to say "we don't know who the mother is"????)

So we might have a baby by morning.... Pictures to follow, I promise!!!

I guess this really warrants a new "Gideon's gonna be a Daddy" post, but I just wanted all you Gideon followers to see it here first!.....

 

[speckledhen]

Chicks are coming! Chicks are coming!



Wonderful news, Karla! Congratulations to you and Gideon. Can't wait for the pictures!

 

[overthetop]

I cannot believe it! Not only did we find babies under Mama Lena this morning - they were already all dry and fluffy and adorable!!!
The oldest three eggs she acquired were from the Easter Egger, the Polish, and the Buff Orpington, and those are (I am pretty sure) the shells that were left opened.

The chicks are 1) totally yellow; 2) totally black; 3) yellow with a black splotch/stripe down her head/back. Now who's whom in that mix?

Here's the first baby pics - just hours old:

 

[Little Peep]

OMG! lucky him and you and her ha ha ha!

 

[speckledhen]

I'm as pleased that Gideon turned out to be the gentleman his dad, Isaac, is, just as much as that he's a new proud papa! Congrats on the new babies!

 

[drumstick diva]

speckled hen you just seem to crank out one great roo after another- so glad Gideon has such a great home.

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks for the compliment, but all I do is keep only good-natured roosters and breed from those. All the butt-heads are culled.

 

[overthetop]

Well, I thought Gideon, now the proud papa deserved a new post - here is is, complete with pictures of him and his new family........
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/734863/gideons-a-proud-new-papa
(I hope this worked)