Had an interesting find in the quail cage today. Quail eggs are small to begin with, but this one is about 1/4 the size of a quail egg. Can't wait to crack it open, but still trying to figure out the best way to do it.
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Here's what hatched last night & this morning.
All are orps; left to right: blue, lav, 2 laced, & a black in front
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My blues this year look very dark. They look almost black at hatch but then some feathers grow in which also look like a light black. As the feathers get longer, the edges stay dark but the rest gets lighter.
Here's what my blue looked like in March & now:
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I think I may also have hatched a mauve on Saturday from Jewel's egg. I won't know until some feathers grow in, but it's possible that Jewel is a very dark mauve. Her mom is Oopsie (who's a mauve) so it's possible. Her blue babies are the ones I mentioned above.
Ups and downs.....
We're going through some major flock changes right now. Last week, I sold Oopsie to a nice couple. They bought a black orp pullet from me earlier & really love her. They wanted another chicken & were going to buy my Welsummer hen. The Welsummer's sort of skittish & I didn't think that bird would be a good fit for their docile flock. Meanwhile poor Oopsie squats for all the roos & was bald-backed from over mating. She's such a gentle, sweet hen and I realized that she'd be happier in a flock without roosters. I admit I cried a little, but I know it was the best thing for my baby. Here's a pic I took the day we sold her.
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Mr Dummy (my spectacular, perfect rooster) has been having difficulty walking. He's had a limp for the past few years but it really never prevented him from doing normal rooster activities. I've seen him just laying about this past week, so I know his leg is causing him pain. Last night he stopped walking all together. He didn't come over to me when I had treats. I kept him in the garage today & he's not really eating/drinking. I'm going to have to put him down. I'm trying to get enough strength together to do it sooner than to let him suffer, but I'm having problems. I'll probably have to have a friend do it for me.
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Likewise, my 6yr-old hen Precious is not doing well. Her abdomen is so swollen and growing. She stopped laying in March. I couldn't feel an egg, but did a few epsom salt baths anyway. I also tried deworming in March, but I'm pretty sure by now that's she's been internally laying. Precious was one of my orig chickens and of course a favorite. (Right up there with Cuddles, my 1st lav orp) I lost Cuddles and still miss her, but I just can't imagine our backyard without my beloved Precious. I don't think I need to put her down yet. She's still doing her normal chicken things but she's slowly declining like Cuddles did.
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I seem to be experiencing all the joys & sorrows of owning chickens all at the same time. I'm so excited about finally hatching some good-looking laced orps. I also hatched lavs & blues this year. I'm even enjoying DD's useless little chickens. However, I'm losing some of my long-time favorite feathered friends.
Supposedly makes the egg shells easier to pip.
on the DOWNS of your Flock Changes. I know it is very difficult to do some of those inevitable things coming up.
