Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[U_Stormcrow]

P1-04 "Splotch" (sorry, the little B kept running away as I tried to photo him. Rained last night, again, everybody was busy running thru the wet greens looking for bugs!) More of the gold on his chest, its become very pronounced. Sadly, its not leaking through the rest of the feathers as I had hoped it might.

 

[NatJ]

Looking good!

Since you want gold-based colors, some of the newly hatched ones definitely look promising, and so does Splotch. (And of course Stripe is nicely patterned, even though he's showing only silver and no gold at present.)

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Looking good!

Since you want gold-based colors, some of the newly hatched ones definitely look promising, and so does Splotch. (And of course Stripe is nicely patterned, even though he's showing only silver and no gold at present.)

With the Comets as mamas, I was guaranteed to get some gold, with the risk of some white joining in. Also, clean legs, single combs, and *should be* early lay and decent egg size. But no pattern - and it doesn't look like Pretty Boy has contributed much, pattern wise, to most of the chicks either.

But then, this is mostly an "F Around, Find Out" sort of breeding plan, so...

 

[Fallenone05]

P1-04 "Sprawl" (Left) and "Spot" (Right)

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I really love Sprawl's feather pattern!

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I really love Sprawl's feather pattern!

I've got first dibs, lol

 

[Fallenone05]

I've got first dibs, lol

I say we decide who gets by rock-paper-scissors we'll duke it out the old fashioned way

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Of P2-02 Hatching, only six made it. There was, apparently, a sanitation issue of some sort, and one egg suffered bacterial infestation - I pulled it around day 10 candling, but it had already affected two others. That left nine. Another was an early quit, about the same time period - but I can't honestly say if it was nearby and possibly related, or not. One of the mysteries of life and death I suppose. That leaves eight.

The last two were seemingly fully developed, but died in shell in the final days before hatching. On inspection, I could find absolutely nothing wrong with them. Yolk sacks still attached and significant, they didn't get shrink wrapped, no internal bleeding - just never internally pipped - don't even look like they attempted it. While I don't understand intra-egg yoga enough to offer whether there was a positioning issue, my gut says "no".

Will get pictures later today, when it rains (AGAIN!).

12 more eggs set. Mixed batch. While I had planned to lock all my "Rainbows" in the coop until I collected exclusively their eggs, molt is greatly impacting egg production right now, and I have sales commitments - more important that I grow my laying flock size at the moment than exercise that level of control over the breed project and spread incubator egg collection over half a week.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

No names on these birds, the 6 from last hatching. One shows a very promising pattern as they come up on 2 weeks of age.

12 more in the incubator, 9 days to go.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

And here is a general flock photo as they rushed me on the way to the feed bags this evening.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

And here is a general flock photo as they rushed me on the way to the feed bags this evening.

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Ohmylord I love that flopped over comb.


would you have considered Orpingtons for the size aspect if given the option? My males are about 10 weeks old and seem to be rather promising.