Ideal Dozen Again

[3KillerBs]

 

[3KillerBs]

My other birds released the 5 survivors from the integration pen yesterday evening, knocking the lid off despite the bricks.

They are mingling fine with minimal harassment.

I was able to get a really good look at them tonight as they roosted on the edge of their pen -- and a few photos that I can't upload right now because of my very slow internet. I have 1 Delaware, 2 California Whites, and 2 SLWs left -- one of which is single-combed (normally a flaw, but what I wanted for my Silver-Laced Australorp(ish) project).

 

[3KillerBs]

Possible trouble continuing with this bad-luck batch.

My dearly-hoped-for surviving single-combed Silver-Laced Wyandotte *might* be a boy. The problem is that I have no idea what sort of comb to expect from a single-combed SLW.

I have finally identified the white chicks now that they're 5 weeks old.

1 California White. Note the big, Mediterranean-breed comb. California Whites are sex-linked so she has to be a girl.

2 Delawares

This one has been obvious as a Delaware for a while.

But this one has very few markings and only became clearly Delaware in the past week as I spotted barring on a few wing and tail feathers. The marks on the neck are *barely* visible in good light and hard to tell from the dirt (I think someone perched above her and pooped on her).

And here's the other Silver-Laced Wyandotte for good measure. I'm not worried about the purple-red comb. The SLW girl in my flock (whom I can't breed because she lays wonky eggs), looked just like that as a chick.