Illinois...

[Faraday40]

Well since I ended up with all mottled, I am planning on it. With the way my luck has been going though, watch I will end up with 4 cockerels.

My SL is still in solitary, still limping and holding up his leg. I am wondering if he is hurt up where his leg connects to his hip joint. I tried feeling up there to see if there was any swelling, but I don't think there is. I don't see anything obviously wrong, like swelling, or a cut or break, so my fingers are still crossed and hope time will help him heal. First losing my GL boy, now this with the SL, I am wondering if any Laced project will be happening here next spring. Ugggg, well I still have my SL cochin bantams, (knock on wood.)

And that is my Blue Marans Bella and CCL Marie checking out the babies. I did put a caption with the photo, but I am inept when trying to post with my phone. I just think Bella is beautiful also and such a sweet girl. My Orpingtons are getting big and beautiful too. Thor, named because he is so large that when he jumps down from anything he makes such a loud thump, and Francesca and Sophia and Coco have such pretty underfluff, all of their chests need to fill out a bit yet except Coco, but she is a month older. And Thor is going to be a pretty busy man, if Al my SL doesn't recoup. I will be adding the GL, Partridge and Splash along with the other 3 girls. I might have to keep a splash male, just to help him out, of which I know I have the one for sure

That's a very nice blue marans! Hope she lays many nice, dark brown eggs for you.

I just got a HUGE blow a few days ago. My beautiful Bilele boy was fine at 9pm when I checked on him but dead, stiff in the corner with his eyes closed, at 8am the next morning. No wounds, no strange behaviors, nor previous symptoms. The only thing weird was how his comb was pale - almost white - when I found him dead. He was the only roo I was sure on keeping. He was big (about 65cm tall!) & gentle but looked terrifying. Without a male, I'm thinking of selling all the bielefelder pullets. (They are from 2 diff lines & just started laying, too!) My male/female ratio was way off. I hatched 8 females & only 2 males. I sold the extra male months ago, so now I'm out of luck.

RIP
This pic was taken less than 18hrs before he died.

I have 2 male blk/lav orps. I wanted a male lav orp, but ended up selling them b/c DD fell in love with a split. I admit the boy is a beauty, but he gave himself a limb back in August. The 2nd roo is here only because no one bought him. I'm still debating about processing #2, but the 3 boys worked as a great team to keep the flock safe - especially with all the hawk fly-bys. Not sure if #1 limping roo can handle the job.

The only good news is that I am now confident that Biele Boy's death was not contagious or environmental. It's been a few days & everyone else is still normal. Well, Cookie is sulking a bit & molting, but I think it may be hormonal. She's not as bad as last week when I took her chicks away.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

That's a very nice blue marans! Hope she lays many nice, dark brown eggs for you.

I just got a HUGE blow a few days ago. My beautiful Bilele boy was fine at 9pm when I checked on him but dead, stiff in the corner with his eyes closed, at 8am the next morning. No wounds, no strange behaviors, nor previous symptoms. The only thing weird was how his comb was pale - almost white - when I found him dead. He was the only roo I was sure on keeping. He was big (about 65cm tall!) & gentle but looked terrifying. Without a male, I'm thinking of selling all the bielefelder pullets. (They are from 2 diff lines & just started laying, too!) My male/female ratio was way off. I hatched 8 females & only 2 males. I sold the extra male months ago, so now I'm out of luck.

RIP
This pic was taken less than 18hrs before he died.

I have 2 male blk/lav orps. I wanted a male lav orp, but ended up selling them b/c DD fell in love with a split. I admit the boy is a beauty, but he gave himself a limb back in August. The 2nd roo is here only because no one bought him. I'm still debating about processing #2, but the 3 boys worked as a great team to keep the flock safe - especially with all the hawk fly-bys. Not sure if #1 limping roo can handle environmental. It's been a few days & everyone else is still normal. Well, Cookie is sulking a bit & molting, but I think it may be hormonal. She's not as bad as last week when I took her chicks away.the job.

The only good news is that I am now confident that Biele Boy's death was not contagious or

I am so sorry to hear about your poor Biele. He was a big handsome fellow. That is a great pic of him above. Its just crazy how they are fine one day and gone the next. We are both having a rough year, so it seems. Maybe you can pick up another male next spring. If not I am sure you wouldn't have a problem selling the hens. I hope Cookie's sulking eases a bit. Between the molting and missing the chicks, she must be miserable. Both of us have lost chickens and we both have 2 limping, hopefully our luck will change soon.

 

[Justso]

DANG IT! Sorry for your loss!!

RIP

 

[chickendreams24]

@Faraday40
I am so sorry about your Biele roo(I agree you should get another roo) and about Cookie missing the babies. I know it can make things all better but I hope it can help:

 

[chickendreams24]

Will try to get better individual pictures next time

 

[Faraday40]

@Faraday40
I am so sorry about your Biele roo(I agree you should get another roo) and about Cookie missing the babies. I know it can make things all better but I hope it can help:

Thanks for sharing.
I think our fav is the one in back on left. (Am I right?) Does it still have the touch of brown?

It's funny how they all feather at diff rates. In my 1st line, the slower to feather with stubby tails were more likely males. They're energy seemed to go into growing muscle rather than feathers. I thought the same would be true of all orps, but my current orps just can't be sexed until 4wks. (& only best guesses then) The feathering rate has absolutely nothing to do with gender. It's the comb, stance, & leg thickness combo.

 

[Faraday40]

Trouble Update:
While bringing the banty into the house, she flew up on my shoulder & as usual insisted she was parrot. I brought her inside this evening to introduce little Trouble to my sis. After I handed over the bird, Trouble snuggled up in my sister's lap & fell asleep. I couldn't believe it! That little bird is affectionate- but always on her own terms. She loves to be around me & on me, but not held & cuddled. My sis likes those tiny lap dogs, so I could see snuggling a banty. Perhaps Trouble could sense that.

Does anyone else have a snugly Sebright?

 

[chickendreams24]

You're welcome and yep that's the little EE and yes she still has a touch of brown. Two of the chicks have a comb that's bigger one being the male EE so I'm really hoping for a two to four ratio so we could keep them and not be over run with roos lol I don't want to stress out the flock as a whole aka over breed the girls. I have been looking at the leg thickness and comb mostly as they're all terribly curious so stance seems to be a moot point right now. Lol I would have had better individual pics but that bowl contained scrambled eggs and scratch and I didn't think about that once the first three figured that out it wouldn't be long before I was worried the others wouldn't get any. Lol so I brought them all out and then went... Now who still needs pictures taken? But then Mom called(and ruined a great picture as my phone was ringing and it kicked me out of the camera) and yeah lets just say it was a little slice of chaotic heaven. It's still pretty early obviously but I'm hopeful for that ratio. And I believe my Mom's favorite black orp chick, the one with lots of white on its face is looking like a pullet. hope so can't keep all her favorites if they keep turning out to be boys.

And our little sebright, golden laced, Lacey, is quite beautiful but rather aloof for the most part. She follows me around but isn't much of one for touching. Now one of our EE, Pebbles, is the one who loves to jump on my shoulder, she's a sweetie.

And just so I can brag the last pic is my silver laced wyandotte roo, Twitch. A bit of an attitude but he isn't attacking just charging and an occasional charge and peck but he never flares his hackles and never flogs and he never leaves a mark. I'm hopeful BC I want to hatch some little wyandottes this spring. But if not he will make a very big dinner

 

[ChicagoClucker]

The final hatch of the season has begun. 1st hatched Is bar

n 3 more pipped. Can't wait to wake up in the morning.

 

[MeepBeep]

I added a pic in the OP.
There were just the 3 last week. Just moved 11 more to the hatcher today

Liisa

Nice, I have five CCL due to hatch Friday and just set a dozen more CCL eggs last night...