Illinois...

[Faraday40]

I processed a couple of cockerels and one had 3 testicles

I can't say I've ever seen that. (Reminds me of "The Simpsons" Do you live near a nuclear power plant? LOL)

 

[cavemanrich]

The heritage don't have the double breast. They have more flavor though.

I'm glad you are pointing this out.
The BB whites are like the CX of the chicken poultry.

 

[Molpet]

I can't say I've ever seen that. (Reminds me of "The Simpsons" Do you live near a nuclear power plant? LOL)

Braidwood is about 25 miles as a crow flies, downstream too
I live next to high power lines though.

 

[Tortoise]

Time for some updated chick pics! (about 10 days old.... give or take since this hatch was scattered over several days)

blue laced orp blue orp


Buff Colombian orp bred to lav orp (2 diff chicks)


2 black orps


black orp bred with laced orp (2 diff chicks)


Leghorn x Orp mix


2 seramas

Oh so cute. Blue and/or Blue laced and Buff is what I would love to end up with. As the weather gets a little nicer i get the bug more and more. Can't wait to get mine.

 

[Molpet]

I finished processing the 2 overdue cockerels yesterday. So last night moved some birds around for breeding and relieve overcrowding.
This morning a coop I had moved a new boy into and taken 2 hens out of (Dinners coop)
.... had a dying hen. Of course I initially blamed the new roo, but she is light, and water belly. She is a white cx mix and I think she was from 2017.... so far they have started popping off at 18 months from heart conditions. I am sad that she died, but I was expecting a couple to go... last 2 days were in the 50's and they seem to pop off with the the temp swings in the spring. Last year I lost 6 in the spring.
Since the white cx mix seem to have issues, while the barred and black don't, I am using 2 barred boys this year.. I have 2 white boys as backups.
So I am down to 51 hens .... I think

 

[Faraday40]

I finished processing the 2 overdue cockerels yesterday. So last night moved some birds around for breeding and relieve overcrowding.
This morning a coop I had moved a new boy into and taken 2 hens out of (Dinners coop)
.... had a dying hen. Of course I initially blamed the new roo, but she is light, and water belly. She is a white cx mix and I think she was from 2017.... so far they have started popping off at 18 months from heart conditions. I am sad that she died, but I was expecting a couple to go... last 2 days were in the 50's and they seem to pop off with the the temp swings in the spring. Last year I lost 6 in the spring.
Since the white cx mix seem to have issues, while the barred and black don't, I am using 2 barred boys this year.. I have 2 white boys as backups.
So I am down to 51 hens .... I think

Sorry you lost some of your breeding hens. It's sad that those CX don't live long.... but I guess that's one of your goals: Breed a meatbird that can live long enough to breed. The crazy weather this year doesn't help.

 

[Faraday40]

I finished processing the 2 overdue cockerels yesterday. So last night moved some birds around for breeding and relieve overcrowding.
This morning a coop I had moved a new boy into and taken 2 hens out of (Dinners coop)
.... had a dying hen. Of course I initially blamed the new roo, but she is light, and water belly. She is a white cx mix and I think she was from 2017.... so far they have started popping off at 18 months from heart conditions. I am sad that she died, but I was expecting a couple to go... last 2 days were in the 50's and they seem to pop off with the the temp swings in the spring. Last year I lost 6 in the spring.
Since the white cx mix seem to have issues, while the barred and black don't, I am using 2 barred boys this year.. I have 2 white boys as backups.
So I am down to 51 hens .... I think

Sorry you lost some of your breeding hens. It's sad that those CX don't live long.... but I guess that's one of your goals: Breed a meatbird that can live long enough to breed. The crazy weather this year doesn't help.

 

[BReeder!]

It's been hectic here and only going to get more hectic it looks like... more to come on that more hectic part at a later time. Wife has been sick for the past few days and I was out off town Monday-Thursday for work. I went ot to the coop this evening and scooped what appeared to be 5+ lbs of poop. Only 3 eggs today because the hens have not been getting out everyday to get their needed amount of sunlight. I also found their feeder empty, which concerns me because it's never completely empty. They have a scratch block so they were still able to eat something I guess.
With the weather turning there's a lot of yard and garden work that needs to get done and a new run needs to get built around the shed coop.
The quail are getting huge (for quail at least). I need to cull most of the males this weekend. I will be sure to take pics for those interested. I also need to finish the quail cages in the shed so I can get them out of the sunroom now that the weather is getting warmer.
There's sho much to do, and just two hands to get it done...

 

[Molpet]

It's been hectic here and only going to get more hectic it looks like... more to come on that more hectic part at a later time. Wife has been sick for the past few days and I was out off town Monday-Thursday for work. I went ot to the coop this evening and scooped what appeared to be 5+ lbs of poop. Only 3 eggs today because the hens have not been getting out everyday to get their needed amount of sunlight. I also found their feeder empty, which concerns me because it's never completely empty. They have a scratch block so they were still able to eat something I guess.
With the weather turning there's a lot of yard and garden work that needs to get done and a new run needs to get built around the shed coop.
The quail are getting huge (for quail at least). I need to cull most of the males this weekend. I will be sure to take pics for those interested. I also need to finish the quail cages in the shed so I can get them out of the sunroom now that the weather is getting warmer.
There's sho much to do, and just two hands to get it done...

Hope the DW gets well soon.
I know what you mean about"just two hands". Just me and ten acres . bit of a mess

 

[Molpet]

well moving 5 birds to relieve overcrowding didn't work like I thought. Last night a turkey hen moved back into that coop. She was hatched there and was the last to join the turkey flock. Sometimes she would spend the night in dinners coop during the winter. She seems to be staying and is yelping a lot... like her mom did when she was get ready to lay. Should have turkey eggs in a week or so.