Konza Prairie Rangers

[ChooksChick]

Heya, folks!

I'm not fully out of it yet, but my last few adults are laying few eggs as they mildly molt, and the new batch is still not quite there. I have a couple I'm going to put together in a honeymoon suite, as they have excellent size and they will clearly have auto-sexing kids- SOOOOOOOO excited!!

Hope all are doing well!

When I've got eggs rolling again, I'll let everyone know, assuming I haven't sold the remainder. I do have adult pairs and trios for sale, but again, they are molting, so they look like heck!

 

[tommysgirl]

All righty...I hatched these two on 7/2 so they are 13 weeks. The silver one has always been ginormous so I assumed cockerel, The brown and gold cuckoo had a head spot at hatch and I have assumed cockerel there too. Now I don't know. I know their combs are bred to be Chanteclerish (it's a word) but they don't have much waddle development either and their faces, while pink aren't red like Marans cockerels I have that are just a couple of weeks older and some hybrids that are 3 weeks younger. Neither is crowing (duh). Plus, they don't act like cockerels. They are joined at the hip like many of my pullets are to one another. No sparring either. There have been one or two skirmishes with some of my pullets. Following the Moby theme I call the silver one Magnus. For obvious reasons the brown and gold cuckoo is Reese. Please tell me if you agree. It seems that at 13 weeks I would see more behavioral and physical signs of cockerelishness (again, I used to teach English it IS a word

) Thanks a MILLION!!!!!!!

 

[Arielle]

I"m terrible at sexing-- too many variables to make an accurate guess. lol

I love that they look robust and you have two different colors to boot. Perhaps they are slower to mature, or you have 2 pullets. If they are both pullets, do you have thoughts on what rooster to use??

 

[tommysgirl]

wow! thanks for the speedy reply. Yours are a week or so older right? It is so hard with a project bird. Nothing to compare it to. As far as if they are both pullets....be still my heart...

I have an enormous beautiful SQ NH from Walt Leonard's line. I would use him until I could hatch a suitable roo. I know the comb is not what Renee was going for but NH are such a wonderful dual purpose bird I think the mix would be a good one for me. I still want to work with a Konza roo but if I have no other option I will see what Ike brings to the table.

 

[Arielle]

wow! thanks for the speedy reply. Yours are a week or so older right? It is so hard with a project bird. Nothing to compare it to. As far as if they are both pullets....be still my heart...

I have an enormous beautiful SQ NH from Walt Leonard's line. I would use him until I could hatch a suitable roo. I know the comb is not what Renee was going for but NH are such a wonderful dual purpose bird I think the mix would be a good one for me. I still want to work with a Konza roo but if I have no other option I will see what Ike brings to the table.

How wonderful that you have something from Walt-- he is a kind and generous person, too. He would be worth using for sure!! Does this NH line have some of the German breeding in him??

Quote: The above message was from July-- and I finally gave up on getting more eggs. Recently, I PM'd REnee, after her last posting, and haven't heard from her.

Any one communicating with Renee??

 

[tommysgirl]

I am really excited about it. Yes the are from the German lines. I got Ike from lual shannon who hatched him from birds she purchased from Walt and on friday will be picking up two pullets from this hatch, also hers.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/581950/german-new-hampshire/1520

How wonderful that you have something from Walt-- he is a kind and generous person, too. He would be worth using for sure!! Does this NH line have some of the German breeding in him??


The above message was from July-- and I finally gave up on getting more eggs. Recently, I PM'd REnee, after her last posting, and haven't heard from her.

Any one communicating with Renee??

nope. I haven't heard from her since my chicks hatched in early July.

In my news, consensus on the Nor Cal thread is that I have a pair of Konza so yay for that. Hope it turns out to really be the case.

 

[Arielle]

I am really excited about it. Yes the are from the German lines. I got Ike from lual shannon who hatched him from birds she purchased from Walt and on friday will be picking up two pullets from this hatch, also hers.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/581950/german-new-hampshire/1520
Quote:
I surely hope they are right!!!!!!!

 

[ChooksChick]

HIya!!

I am here...but only briefly if the ebola scare is half what folks are projecting after our Kansas City patient checked in today. That's not really funny, but my hubby works hubby of with an ER nurse at that hospital and can't get a straight answer on anything so I'm easing tensions with cruddy humor.

I think you have both pullets, Tommysgirl. Unless something has changed, of course.

I have several GIANT cockerels and would love to have an excuse not to process them.

Arielle, I pm'ed you- take a look and ring me?


I am not getting squat for eggs- I suspect it's the fault of an Ameraucana in the run with the Konzas who keeps making it over the fence to get in there. I didn't cover the K pen because they're too heavy to get over, but this brat needs to be kept in a covered run as soon as it stops raining for more than a minute.

Anyway, the massive roos are as follows:

2 look just like Moby- small single combs
1 is giant, but still lanky, looks to be hypermelanistic as he's very dark barred, gypsy-faced, with blue legs and a partially dark vent- small pea comb
1 TIGHT BIG fellow with a cushion comb, basically birchen with leakage, very alpha, but a good boy. Harder feathers than the others

K, that's off the top of my head. I have more, but with all the runs everywhere, I can't keep crud straight anymore. Head is full.

 

[tommysgirl]

Renee it is great to hear from you!!! So glad I have a couple of pullets and will look forward to hatching out a husband for them. In the meantime seems like I could get some nice table birds by putting them with Ike later in the year.

 

[ChooksChick]

I agree- while the comb may not be the right thing, you'll certainly end up with a LARGE offspring.

You really could just pick up a large barnyard mix with a teeny comb to move in your own direction, but you may lose some of temperament and qualities (like the mousing I've been going for) BUT maybe not.

Ike seems like a good choice for now, though. I'm going to go ahead and send the other roos off to camp Kenmore next Wednesday, then. It seems like they are only helpful if someone needs one!