Illinois...

[chickendreams24]

Now that I have this mystery pullet I so wish I had kept the white sport roo from earlier this spring. I found him a great home with a little girl that loves him so I wouldn't ask about getting him back or it would break her heart. Still the idea of breeding the two of them to see what transpired would be really cool. He also seemed very typey to me.

 

[Faraday40]

Now that I have this mystery pullet I so wish I had kept the white sport roo from earlier this spring. I found him a great home with a little girl that loves him so I wouldn't ask about getting him back or it would break her heart. Still the idea of breeding the two of them to see what transpired would be really cool. He also seemed very typey to me.

Please post a pic of your mystery white orp. I'd like to see what she looks like compared to her sister. I'm keeping Oopsie-daisy mainly for her outstanding personality. She's such a doll & expects everyone to cuddle & give her treats. She still sleeps on the top roost - which I've never seen in a young pullet before. Normally, pullets are slightly jumpy and stay away from the older hens until they begin laying.

I also like Oopsie-Daisy's shape but she seems small like Brick. I may try a breeding with Brick - to see if mauve barring comes out &/or Moose (the lav orp) to see if she has any lav genes & to get his size. Moose is already taller than my knee while Brick looks shorter than most of my orp hens. Of course, the hens prefer hanging around Brick because he's a gentleman, calls them over for treats, & stands guard near them - even when it's raining causing his fluff to droop. Actually, when it's raining, I catch him standing guard under the slide. He really dislikes getting wet.

Speaking of getting wet. DD decided to join a group of friends to help with local stream monitoring.

On Sat they collected macro invertebrates.

DS was too young, so we went for a walk instead.

Later they looked more closely at their creatures. A Boy Scout Troop was nearby, so DD started showing them all the wigglies under the microscope. (Just like a little teacher!!!)

Last weekend the group was collecting zebra mussels in a different preserve.




I wanted to join in..... but of course DD would die of embarrassment. I'm just happy she's taking an interest in such things.

 

[cavemanrich]

Now that I have this mystery pullet I so wish I had kept the white sport roo from earlier this spring. I found him a great home with a little girl that loves him so I wouldn't ask about getting him back or it would break her heart. Still the idea of breeding the two of them to see what transpired would be really cool. He also seemed very typey to me.

Just take your hen to that little girls house.. Tell her that hen wants to be there for a sleepover.

I know its funny but it is a real solution for what you want to accomplish.

 

[chickendreams24]

Lol so funny! And it would probably work when the pullet is old enough but still just priceless.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

Predators are out and about. Falcons have my bantams hiding today and had a bantam cochin chick disappeared yesterday. Tis the season.

 

[MeepBeep]

Predators are out and about. Falcons have my bantams hiding today and had a bantam cochin chick disappeared yesterday. Tis the season.

Yeah, the other night I had the windows open and just outside my fenced yard area (maybe a few hundred yards from the house) a group of coyotes let loose into song the other night, must have been celebrating a kill... So although I have seen single coyotes around the property, it's clear there is a pack of them in the area now and they are working the area around the house as the weather changes... My daughters have also commented about all the hawks they are seeing on power lines and in the sky as we drive around... Tis the season for predators to fatten up...

 

[Faraday40]

'Tis the seaon. x3

So glad I have roos. Mine spend less than 50% of the day outside. Often I go out back to find the grass empty & all of bravest huddled inside the covered run with a roo standing guard at the door, while the pullets are all hiding in the deepest part of the coop.

 

[MeepBeep]

Yep, tis' season the season, I just had to take care of a possum that attempted to breach the coop through the dog door that accesses another sectioned off part of the same building, the dog caught it in the act and drove it up the tree next to the building, I did the rest... I like the dog being able to get into the building if the weather turns, but I guess I might have to re-think that or better isolated and secure the 'dog' section of the coop building so if a predator does gain entry it doesn't have easy access to the coop section...

 

[kristip]

Hey there...going out on a limb here... We are right on the Monroe/ Orangeville IL?WI border... my daughter has committed to 4h... we are trying to find some quality winter hardy bantams for her. Prefer a rose comb, clean legged and not white! Not serama small either!
Might be asking a lot but that is my daughters dream list ( think RIR, Wyandotte or Rock bantams)

thanks
Kristi

 

[Faraday40]

Hey there...going out on a limb here... We are right on the Monroe/ Orangeville IL?WI border... my daughter has committed to 4h... we are trying to find some quality winter hardy bantams for her. Prefer a rose comb, clean legged and not white! Not serama small either!
Might be asking a lot but that is my daughters dream list ( think RIR, Wyandotte or Rock bantams)

thanks
Kristi

My DD's in 4H too & I fully agree that you should start with a breed she likes & get quality birds. (DD doesn't actually show the birds, but gets into the poultry sci experiments.) Although we didn't need purebred birds for her projects, we found that it's very easy to sell a purebred & often get our $ back to cover project expenses. Was not the case with mixes.

We have a couple bantams but do not breed them. @ChicagoClucker has some adorable bantam cochins that I've been drooling over. (Seriously, if our coop wasn't full, I'd be over there buying some!) Your 4H extension office may also be able to put out your request & send it others within your county. Finding someone local is always great! There may be poultry shows & animal swaps that you could attend as well.

While at the state & county fairs, DD met a few poultry people & after talking with her & seeing her interest, they offered to help her get started in their breed. People are often generous toward 4H kids & want to pass along their love for a particular breed. It gave her a lot to think about & seeing the variety of breeds made the breed decision a tough one.

PS- You may want to look at Dominiques. Very sweet, intellegent, social, & a heritage breed. They have barring with a rose comb. Our LFDom isn't too big, but Doms come in bantams as well.