Ideas on how to differentiate eggs?

[thndrdancr]

Anyone have any ideas other than separating everyone on how to tell whose egg belongs to which hen. I especially need to watch this spring/summer because I have a blind cameo hen and know not to breed her. I don't think she lets them mate her anyway because it terrifies her but just want to make sure. Food coloring on her bottom perhaps?
Since she can't see, she is easy to catch.

That is if she makes thru winter, being on ground in this weather can't be fun! Brrrr

 

[KsKingBee]

How about powdered chalk like is used in string lines? It comes in blue and red colors maybe a few others too. I bet you could put it in a puffer and powder her bottom.

 

[thndrdancr]

That would work I think. I got her from a friend who didn't realize she had gone blind. I was supposed to pick up her other cameo at same time but the bird went spastic and I didn't want her breaking her neck. So missed the chance for a free cameo hen.

My friend just told me this was was "calm". It took me a couple days to realize the poor dear has the blind gene and I don't have the heart to put her down.

I try to take her out in the in the summer as I have time but it's a pain as she has to be babysat. The guineas want to terrorize her, the males think she is new meat, and if it gets sunset she panics and tries to fly up. Sigh. I wonder at her quality of life but she finds food and water quite well by listening to the chickens eat. Long as she seems content I will take care of her.

I swear I run a retirement home for disabled and over the hill birds!

 

[KsKingBee]

DW has a BO hen like that, she finds food and water but I think putting her down would be better as she does get picked on quite a lot not to overlook the lack of grooming issue.

I have heard that Cameos have some blindness problems, yours is the first I have heard of first hand. I don't think I would breed a bird that may have genes causing blindness.

 

[Garden Peas]

DW has a BO hen like that, she finds food and water but I think putting her down would be better as she does get picked on quite a lot not to overlook the lack of grooming issue.

I have heard that Cameos have some blindness problems, yours is the first I have heard of first hand. I don't think I would breed a bird that may have genes causing blindness.

I thought it showed up periodically in all the sex-linked colors?

 

[DylansMom]

DW has a BO hen like that, she finds food and water but I think putting her down would be better as she does get picked on quite a lot not to overlook the lack of grooming issue.

I have heard that Cameos have some blindness problems, yours is the first I have heard of first hand. I don't think I would breed a bird that may have genes causing blindness.

My Cameo BS started to have some vision problems at about 12 years of age, she's 19 now and still not blind, but she def. has trouble with her depth perception. My friend has a Peach that is really bad and is not even 3 yet, and we all know the Peach came from Cameos.

 

[DylansMom]

I thought it showed up periodically in all the sex-linked colors?

I'm not sure about Purple, I don't remember ever hearing about blindness in Purples.

 

[Garden Peas]

Are you on UPA forum or a UPA member? I just went and searched "blind" (not sure if you can use search function if not member? Worth trying anyway) and found a couple old posts which said it turns up in purple and peach as well as cameo... used to be called the "death gene" or "cameo death gene." Because the blind birds died...

Apparently it is fairly rare. Affected birds should not be bred, of course.

 

[DylansMom]

Are you on UPA forum or a UPA member? I just went and searched "blind" (not sure if you can use search function if not member? Worth trying anyway) and found a couple old posts which said it turns up in purple and peach as well as cameo... used to be called the "death gene" or "cameo death gene." Because the blind birds died...

Apparently it is fairly rare. Affected birds should not be bred, of course.

Me? Or the OP? If me, I've used that forum occasionally.

 

[Garden Peas]

@connerhills , can you tell us about the cameo death (blindness) gene? Does it turn up in purples? Or just in cameo & peach?

Is it becoming more rare and getting bred out of the birds? Or does anyone know?

Thanks!