Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[U_Stormcrow]

and here is that same bird today.

and the whole of the hatching (less one, out of frame) in the temporary where I put them out for the day.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

the other pale yellow barest markings hatchling looks like the one in the photo, with more red, and some black edges. Should be interesting, though not what is desired.

...and I've about convinced myself to both hatch ducks for a month and cull a bit more aggressively on the males - I spotted 5 likely candidates as I went out to feed this evening, all with good reds and some black, but nothing that could be claimed as a pattern. Some point "soon", I'll photo all five, put it to the community which *(if any)* get kept, and who of the current three - Pretty Boy, Big Barred, Phoenix Blue gets cut to make room.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Update on the current hatching. About eight days to go on the current set, then I plan to do a month of ducks.

Of the 12 chicken eggs set, 1 was removed early on, infertile. As of last nights candling, 7 were moving well, developoing well. 2 more had good air sacks, but were so dark I could not see movement inside. The remainign two had large airsacks, and what might have been movement, but the developing chicks seemed significantly undersized - lots of clear (as opposed to air). These may be quits, or not - I didn't see clear evidence of a blood ring, etc - veining inside the shell was still evident. So, fingers crossed?

 

[Sally PB]

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Top down on the eight from the most recent hatch, coming up on three weeks old - they will be moved to the grow out pen tomorrow evening to make room for those currently in incubation.

My hopes are on the one in the upper left, who happens to be a Brahma mama baby, and I' suspect, is male. As soon as that's confirmed, Phoenix Blue (smallest of my three breeders) goes to freezer camp - or more likely the crock pot for a long slow braise after a nice three day rest in the chill chest.

I love the "blue" gene, but it doesn't advance my plans, and I've enough girls who have it already...

Would help if I actually attached to picture to which I referred. Sorry, long day. Productive, but long.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Sorry about the flash, someone was helping me here on BYC.

and here they are reading along about my project.

 

[WonkierZulu]

They almost have a sicillian butter cup plumage.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

That looks like my normal Phoenix color I should be getting more than I do. I'd wonder if it turns to a ducking coloring

 

[3KillerBs]

They almost have a sicillian butter cup plumage.

That looks like my red chick's wing pattern. I've been told it will molt out to a solid red in time.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

We are going to photo this one extensively over the coming weeks. and ignore all the blacks, and blacks with red. Those are dime a dozen. I might photo the other two birds, depending, as the plumage develops, but of the three, "pictured" has the cleanest, clearest markings. Also, the feathered feet hint we might get decent size - though it doesn't yet appear that we will get fast decent size.