INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Finnie]

"Easter Legger" chicks available in Noblesville for $5-12 depending on age and breed. Here's the kicker: they look like Swedish Flower and not remotely like EEs.

Legbar chicks in Noblesville. Hatched 6-21. 3 boys ($5 or free with pullet), one girl ($15). Same seller as the Easter Leggers above

That's me!

I went and added photos of the parents, in case it will be helpful.

She is a funny color I have not been able to figure out. The closest I can figure is khaki. But the odd thing is, half of the chicks come out looking about the same color as her, and the other half have brown chipmunk down, similar to legbar pullet chicks. And those ones grow up to look a little bit like a legbar hen, but with different colored hackles. One of my customers sent me photos of how her male is turning out, and he is beautiful. A little bit like a legbar rooster, but with a lot more different colors in him.

So then I had to go and look up what a Swedish Flower hen was to see if my EE might be one. I don't think so, but Meyer Hatchery does have those, so perhaps they crossed them with Ameraucanas to make EEs. But whatever parents my EE came from, they didn't give her the beard gene.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I'm so stunned right now, y'all. When I went out to close the coops for the night, I found my last Marans hen, Georgette, lying on her back under the nest boxes, dead. No sign of a struggle, no injuries, nothing to indicate that anything was wrong. It's like she just rolled over there and died. I'm just shocked. I don't even know what to think. One of my Speckled Sussex has been ill as of late, so I've been hyper-vigilant with my girls, but there's just absolutely nothing that was outwardly wrong with Georgie. I just don't even know. My poor Georgie.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I'm so stunned right now, y'all. When I went out to close the coops for the night, I found my last Marans hen, Georgette, lying on her back under the nest boxes, dead. No sign of a struggle, no injuries, nothing to indicate that anything was wrong. It's like she just rolled over there and died. I'm just shocked. I don't even know what to think. One of my Speckled Sussex has been ill as of late, so I've been hyper-vigilant with my girls, but there's just absolutely nothing that was outwardly wrong with Georgie. I just don't even know.

My poor Georgie.

Oh no, pipd I am terribly sorry. The heat and humidity lately has been rough on the birds, almost sounds like she had a heart attack.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Fanny went to her new home tonight. Honestly, I think they will keep her! We brought home 5 little Jersey bulls. My cow neighbor went up with us, and his son so I could be sure its a good trade. Will be banding and dehorning pretty quick, they have buds already! Pictures asap. Moose was so excited to have new playmates! If anyone is looking for a bottle calf, he has 2 jerseys left. Both are bull calves. PM me if so and will forward his number.

Back to hatching chickens, another neighbor wants BYM (barn yard mix) And some EEs. Have 2 other EE orders pending also. Will be reserving eggs for another member first, and then back to hatching them also.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have 2 five month old male d'uccles, one of which has recently begun to squat when i get close. He has also begun to run up close to where i am as soon as he hears me. Once he gets near me, he immediately starts eating, if there is no food or grass or whatnot to peck he just pretends to be eating...does anyone know what this behavior means? I cant tell but i THINK he is lower on the ladder than the other male who does none of this behavior. He doesnt ket me touch him and will run away quickly if i continue to walk towards him. Unless he thinks he cant go far, then he squats if i walk toward him.

Are you absolutely sure they are roosters? Squatting is a sign of inviting breeding. If it is a rooster he is less dominant, but I don't think have never seen a roo squat. (I have kept a whole lot of roosters lol) D'uccles are tough to sex until they are adults. If in doubt, please feel free to post pictures. I have kept Fluers and other color of D'uccle, most act the same. The boys have a real Napoleon complex, lol. They think they are a LF (Large Frame) bird, and will not back down. If you are positive both are roos, then that fella is very submissive.
Also the pecking motion you are seeing is part of rooster language prior to a fight IF he isn't talking to you. There is a lot of head bobbing, eyeballing you and picking up things that are not there.. Unless he doing a fast and loud cluck cluck cluck call, saying" here I found food for you!" then he regards you as a flock mate he is feeding. Hens, if dominant will do this also with no rooster in the flock. Also communicate with chicks that way too.

 

[Mother2Hens]

Took some pics today...mostly of the Muscovy..a guinea and peas in there too.

My newest additions, hatched 2 more pea babies just pulled from the bator today. Still at 100% hatch rate, 1 left not due for a few more weeks, that will make 10 ive hatched. Momma hen has 4 eggs she'sbrooding since we were on vacation so i suspect hers should be hatching this week or next.

Of 9 peas hatched 2 are black shoulder. @HelloChickies (and @Finny ) Haha Don't worry, when I saw @pginsber 's Tardis chicken coop, I was confused until @Faraday40 said Tardis—then I googled and found the show "Dr. Who" referenced. We have to keep up with pop culture on this thread! Haha

 

[Mother2Hens]

I'm so stunned right now, y'all. When I went out to close the coops for the night, I found my last Marans hen, Georgette, lying on her back under the nest boxes, dead. No sign of a struggle, no injuries, nothing to indicate that anything was wrong. It's like she just rolled over there and died. I'm just shocked. I don't even know what to think. One of my Speckled Sussex has been ill as of late, so I've been hyper-vigilant with my girls, but there's just absolutely nothing that was outwardly wrong with Georgie. I just don't even know.

My poor Georgie.

Just saw this before logging off— It's so unnerving to find one of your babies like that! I am so sorry!

 

[Jntnrmn]

@pipdzipdnreadytogo
I'm so sorry to hear about Georgie. That's just so sad

 

[Jntnrmn]

@jchny2000

I'm not sure which one is doing it but I assume it's the one on the ground. The bigger one, the one on the fence, was flaring his neck feathers out as I was trying to get a picture. That didn't make me feel too comfortable! The one on the ground was actually eating as I took the picture, no clucking. But usually when he is near me, he's pecking at nothing at all. They are most often perched on top of the fence and have been recently sitting above the gate I go thru to work with my hens, leaving me to walk under them. I have been quite uncomfortable with this all week and now more so after seeing him flare out his feathers. I have a total of 3 of the d'uccles, one of which is a female and none of them want anything to do with us. I now have 2 of them eating from my hand the female and smaller boy (the one that runs to me but then acts as tho he's pecking the ground and has squatted if I walk toward him after he does this. But i think they just want the snacks not my attention. Although, the smaller one comes to perch on my back deck and crows at my door every day. When I go talk to him he either pecks at the perch he is on or the ground and then walks away if I try to walk toward him.I have never had to discipline them. Other than netting them every night, I feel they have no reason to be afraid of me and this behavior has been going on since they were babies in the brooder box. I handled them all the time but once their pin feathers started to come in the acted like they didn't want touched so, I didnt. I assumed the pin feathers hurt.
I'm sorry for such long post, I like these little guys but they sure are a headache more than not. And I cannot tolerate one trying to get at me. I always have a very small critter on my shoulder and if he jumps on my back or head he will indeed hurt her. So I suppose I need to be watching to see if he is just testing me or turning into a butt.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Leahs Mom's pics below— I love their expressive feet!
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