I have never been interested in hatching out any of my own birds (though a friend who got some of my eggs did once) since there are so many birds in the world that could use a home. But on the night of the Fourth of July, my beloved BR Tom was murdered by a mink or weasel, still not apprehended. Tom was so sweet and friendly-he had become a mascot and people would stop by my place just to see him. I didn't know where I could ever find another Tom as wonderful; I wasn't even able to locate nearby a fully grown friendly Tom of any breed. So I gathered up 9 of my favorite eggs for eating and gave them to a friend with an incubator. Two weeks ago, three hatched successfully and another died pipping. Nada from the others.
I'm thinking the middle one is a girl-she's smaller and until the other day so was her snood and it also poked out at an angle. The other two are taller and more outgoing. What do you think? I'm keeping them all but hope I have at least one boy. They each have different personalities and are very curious. I need to handle them more as they're shy at first. Already I see them plotting and scheming for trouble.
Meanwhile one of the big three hens has gotten over her broodiness and decided SHE'S going to be the Tom. She's trying to strut but her tail feathers are almost all gone all of a sudden. Don't know if the moult is a coincidence but the whole tail feathers are all over the pen. She can't gobble like Tom did when I spoke to him but she sure barks a lot. Her snood is a bit longer and her face is a bit e
ngorged. It's so cute.
I'm thinking the middle one is a girl-she's smaller and until the other day so was her snood and it also poked out at an angle. The other two are taller and more outgoing. What do you think? I'm keeping them all but hope I have at least one boy. They each have different personalities and are very curious. I need to handle them more as they're shy at first. Already I see them plotting and scheming for trouble.
Meanwhile one of the big three hens has gotten over her broodiness and decided SHE'S going to be the Tom. She's trying to strut but her tail feathers are almost all gone all of a sudden. Don't know if the moult is a coincidence but the whole tail feathers are all over the pen. She can't gobble like Tom did when I spoke to him but she sure barks a lot. Her snood is a bit longer and her face is a bit e
