INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

That redheaded woodpecker is just precious! I fed one outside my office for several years. Tons of mealies! it would tap on my window every afternoon. They get really big. My boss thought he was just amazing.

[COLOR=8B4513]Since woodpeckers are the only wild bird that I know anything about, here is a[/COLOR] [COLOR=A52A2A]Woodpecker Lesson[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]for this evening - lol! [/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]The amazing one that leslea photographed is a Pileated Woodpecker (It can be pronounced both ways-- like Pile-eated or like Pill-eated). And it's the one that inspired Woody Woodpecker's look. There are many varieties, but these are the ones that I see the most often, especially the red-bellied (it's hard to see their red bellies when they are always against a tree!) and the Downy (smaller and fluffier). You're lucky if you ever get to see a Pileated one because I've read that many bird-watcher people have never had the luck to see one in person. We were so lucky to have one live in our far backyard for several years. [/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]Btw, you are absolutely right, jchny, that we shouldn't have our bird feeder near the chickens-- especially after we've dealt with scaly leg mites.[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]The feeder is in such an otherwise perfect place. [/COLOR]:/

I was surprised that the Hairy Woodpecker didn't make your list! We see them as often as we see Flickers here. I've seen Pileated Woodpeckers on three occasions, only once here on the property. I hear them drilling all the time, though, so I know they're out there. On the Red-Bellied woodpecker, by the way, there really isn't a lot of red on their bellies, which makes me wonder why they were named that. Just a smudge of red as far as I can tell. I see them all the time on the suet block, and when the cage empties out and they hang on it, you can see their bellies. Oh, a Hairy Woodpecker:

On a happy note. I found a breeder willing to supply me with Mottled Java eggs when he has them available!!! I can't wait to get that project off the ground! It will round out my projects for the year. Eggs: Crested Cream Legbars Meat: American Bresse - although they are turning out to be good layers too! Heritage Preservation: Mottled Javas Just for fun: Turkeys....haven't settled on a variety yet.

[COLOR=006400]racinchickins[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]~ Thank you for posting the poultry sales info. Very helpful! [/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]I looked up Mottled Java chickens and they are stunning. I ran across these EE chicken photos online the other day and thought its pattern was pretty-- would it be called mottled? (I'm still on Chicken 101 level!)[/COLOR]

I agree with Brad. This bird is Splash. Mottled gives a white tip to each feather. It isn't this splotchy. Here's a mottled Ameraucana project bird--notice how this bird has spots focused on the tips of its feathers and not in blotches? Each feather has a black portion and a white portion, rather than some feathers being black/blue and some being white:

Splash varies in the amount of 'splashing', but as you can see, the bird in the above quote resembles Frou-Frou, my Splash Marans, much more than she resembles the project mottled bird I posted:

I post this, of course, because I hate to see people tricked into getting birds that aren't what they think they are. I know no sale was involved here, but I've seen too many times where people are fooled, whether it be buying cockerels that are labeled as pullets or buying 'rare breeds' that are just barnyard mutts. That's a big peeve of mine.

I was able to get a not too bad picture this morning of the chicken I got from Brad. I'm thinking it is 1 rooster and 1 hen for sure but there are 2 that are much smaller than the roo and might be hens so gender guesses are welcome. The coop is going to be repainted this spring, sorry for the messy walls and roosting bars. The one under the roosting bars is female. The dark one closet to her is the roo. It is the spacl chick in center and the dark one on the right that I'm not sure of. Sorry about the picture quality. I'm not the best with a camera and it was really really cold this morning too.

The one pointed out in the back is 100% boy. I can see his saddle feathers. What concerns me about the other two birds in question is that they have almost the same amount of comb and wattle growth as the definite boy. I don't see saddle feathers, but it isn't out of the question for them to not be visible yet. How old are these birds? How does their comb and wattle growth compare to the bird behind the perches?

[COLOR=0000CD]I am not from around here, so I didn't know they were unusual, but our woods have several of the top kind. I'm really partial to the tiny ones we have that are blue and gray. [/COLOR]

Nuthatches, maybe?

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

My splash AMs have more of a ticking color to them. Here is a picture of a mottled project (Am, EE, whatever you want to call it). (yes I realize this birds has much more blue than the previous one)

(Phage, a fellow BYC member posted this a few months back on the AM thread to show progress on the project, NOT my bird)

Here is a picture of a splash

(once again not my bird, i catually don't know whos it is)

My point is I see many solid blue tail feathers which i have not seen in a splash AM (or any splash for that matter, but the breed I raise in splash is AMs)

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I forgot to mention. Mottled is a hard coloring to get correct. Phages project mottleds look better than my mottled cochins. IMO opinion it is really hard to find correct mottleds.

 

[CRSelvey]

Ye

I was surprised that the Hairy Woodpecker didn't make your list! We see them as often as we see Flickers here. I've seen Pileated Woodpeckers on three occasions, only once here on the property. I hear them drilling all the time, though, so I know they're out there. On the Red-Bellied woodpecker, by the way, there really isn't a lot of red on their bellies, which makes me wonder why they were named that. Just a smudge of red as far as I can tell. I see them all the time on the suet block, and when the cage empties out and they hang on it, you can see their bellies.

Oh, a Hairy Woodpecker:

I agree with Brad. This bird is Splash.

Mottled gives a white tip to each feather. It isn't this splotchy. Here's a mottled Ameraucana project bird--notice how this bird has spots focused on the tips of its feathers and not in blotches? Each feather has a black portion and a white portion, rather than some feathers being black/blue and some being white:

Splash varies in the amount of 'splashing', but as you can see, the bird in the above quote resembles Frou-Frou, my Splash Marans, much more than she resembles the project mottled bird I posted:

I post this, of course, because I hate to see people tricked into getting birds that aren't what they think they are. I know no sale was involved here, but I've seen too many times where people are fooled, whether it be buying cockerels that are labeled as pullets or buying 'rare breeds' that are just barnyard mutts. That's a big peeve of mine.
The one pointed out in the back is 100% boy. I can see his saddle feathers. What concerns me about the other two birds in question is that they have almost the same amount of comb and wattle growth as the definite boy. I don't see saddle feathers, but it isn't out of the question for them to not be visible yet. How old are these birds? How does their comb and wattle growth compare to the bird behind the perches?
Nuthatches, maybe?

Yes!!! So they aren't actually woodpeckers after all. I still think they are cute. I see them outside all the time. Not as cute are the giant owls that are here. I thought they were gorgeous until I got chickens. Now they are just scary. Ditto on the 4bald eagles that live down the road.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

The difference is that the mottled project bird you posted still only has white on the tips of its feathers. The birds in the quote above have some white feathers and some blue feathers. I know that mottling is hard to get correct, but the troubles with mottling is usually getting a white tip on each feather, not having solid white feathers dispersed throughout the bird like that.

Like I said, splash can vary. Some birds, especially splash x splash offspring, have less blue on them, like my Frou-Frou. Others have more. I suppose they could be splash mottled, but I would expect more of the solid blue feathers on them to have white tips. I'm sticking to my conclusion, though, that they are blue splash.


ETA: On top of that, looking back at those pictures, I noticed that none of those birds' blue feathers are tipped in white at all. They are not mottled.

 

[Mother2Hens]

Quote:

I'm not sure if you all remember but a few months ago I posted a video of my AS pullet who was acting like she was drunk and unable to stand much. Well it took about a month of her being separated from the group before she seemed well enough to go back. Her reintegration seems to be taking as long as her recovery but that's another story. One of her cockerel siblings is now acting the same way. He's been separated from the flock for about two weeks and doesn't seem any better or worse. I check on him all the time (he's in my mudroom) and he's just off balance. During our power outage I thought I might lose home but he's still with us. I've read the whole chicken health for dummies and it doesn't give me any insight on this issue. Could it be something with the breed?
He eats and drinks just fine with no signs of injury but his balance is horrible and he spends most of his time sitting (as did she).

Anyway, if you have any insight I'd appreciate it. I just don't understand why another one is sick when I care for them all so carefully.
CRSelvey ~ I found your post about your "drunk" AS roo and remembered your AS hen who had similar problems but recovered.

I googled: chicken acts drunk and found lots of theories-- here's a couple, but they may not be correct:
Botulinum poisoning OR an inner ear problem causing Vertigo. Check ears for any swelling, heat or drainage.
But your roo's condition has gotten much worse so you're going to have him put down? (sorry, I need a chart and graph to keep track!)

 

[Mother2Hens]

I was surprised that the Hairy Woodpecker didn't make your list! We see them as often as we see Flickers here. I've seen Pileated Woodpeckers on three occasions, only once here on the property. I hear them drilling all the time, though, so I know they're out there. On the Red-Bellied woodpecker, by the way, there really isn't a lot of red on their bellies, which makes me wonder why they were named that. Just a smudge of red as far as I can tell. I see them all the time on the suet block, and when the cage empties out and they hang on it, you can see their bellies.

Oh, a Hairy Woodpecker:

I forgot about them! I mainly see red-bellied (I agree, it's more of a reddish smudge) and the smaller fuzzy downy ones. The red-bellied ones have a striking graphic design.

As far as splash and mottled, etc., I don't know anything, but I thought that a splash was more of a two-toned pattern like this blue/black splash orp:

OK-- I found the source of that pretty EE chicken. Molting Hens - The price of Beauty for Chickens - My Pet Chicken Blog
It's interesting that her tail feathers changed color pattern after molting.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I forgot about them! I mainly see red-bellied (I agree, it's more of a reddish smudge) and the smaller fuzzy downy ones. The red-bellied ones have a striking graphic design.

As far as splash and mottled, etc., I don't know anything, but I thought that a splash was more of a two-toned pattern like this blue/black splash orp:

This chicken is blue. Splash have white in them.Like pipds frou-frou .

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
WOW she is stunning! I am curious too, if thats mottled, or splash?

 

[leslea]

I have been looking at crazy chickens all night!



Hairy woodpeckers are a lot harder to spot in my neck of the woods. They're about the same size as red-bellies and every time I think I see one, turns out it is just a large downy. You can also tell by the stripe on the back of their head (cuts through the red) and the beak being so much longer in relation to their heads. (Can you tell I've looked them up 1000 times??? LOL)

At least with my chickens I should be able to tell the EEs from the BRs from the Silkies...

Yeah, red-belly just looks like a "dirty belly" to me. My boys call them "red-heads" and I don't bother making a fuss about it because I don't see legitimate redheads down here (yet).