Minnesota!

[jbenson]

DH went out during the torrential downpour to shut the chicken door from the run and close up the coop for the night for me

. He even collected the eggs and brought them in, keeping the eggs separated between the pens so I could have my pure bred d'Uccle eggs for hatching. (and I didn't even ask him to)

 

[bericswife]

Oh no! Are your babies ok? I've been watching this tipping pine next door to me all day...she bending way low, I figure it could definitely snap also. It IS WINDY!!!

 

[Cebarmlds]

The wind is coming from the north east and my pop door faces west so I'm leaving it open tonight so long as the temps don't go below 32!

 

[jbenson]

Wind is whipping hard here right in through my chicken door when it's open, so I'm sure they are happy it's closed for the night (also I don't trust other animals to stay out over night), but I did see a few of my 2 year old hens out in the rain earlier. One of my polish cross hens looked so funny. Her 'do got pretty messed up and was sticking straight up all spikey like. If it hadn't been raining so much and so cold, I might have tried to get a photo of it but I didn't want to subject my camera or myself to those conditions.

But I'm thinking spring and warm weather regardless of what it's doing outside. Transplanted some seedlings into larger containers and started a few more things in our basement greenhouse today. Once it's warm, there will be plenty to go out into the garden. Also, have 8 week old adorable d'Uccle chicks in the brooder and just put 12 eggs on lockdown. Ameraucana/Araucana banties and 4 from my fav mixed hen crossed with my d'Uccle roo. She's kind of a lavender barred bird with a bit of a beard and fluffy cheeks and she's got some cochin in her so she was in the d'Uccle pen as a functional broody to keep the eggs from getting to cold before collection to improve hatchability. Her eggs are larger and more tan than the d'Uccles so it's easy to know which ones are hers. So excited to see what coloring and patterning these 4 eggs throw.

I might not sell them, even though I am supposed to be focussing on the pure breds. I just can't help but be fascinated by bird genetics.

 

[RandomChicken]

Ameraucana/Araucana banties and 4 from my fav mixed hen crossed with my d'Uccle roo. She's kind of a lavender barred bird with a bit of a beard and fluffy cheeks and she's got some cochin in her so she was in the d'Uccle pen as a functional broody to keep the eggs from getting to cold before collection to improve hatchability. Her eggs are larger and more tan than the d'Uccles so it's easy to know which ones are hers. So excited to see what coloring and patterning these 4 eggs throw.

I might not sell them, even though I am supposed to be focussing on the pure breds. I just can't help but be fascinated by bird genetics.

I agree you have a super interesting project going here. Are you doing to try to predict what you'll get to see if you are right?!?!

 

[jbenson]

I agree you have a super interesting project going here. Are you doing to try to predict what you'll get to see if you are right?!?!

Well, I hatched one egg from this pairing in March so I have some idea. Unfortunately, I lost that baby to wry neck complications at just a couple weeks old. The wing feathers on that one that had begun to fill in were amazing. It was like a black and white version of the d'Uccle coloring. She was the cutest chick I had ever laid eyes on - seriously. I'm crossing fingers and hoping for more like her.

This was Diva at 1 week old - the most adorable chick ever. Broke my heart to lose her.




Here's mama - this is not the best photo of her (her barring looks too warm in the evening sunlight here, she's more lavender).



And this is daddy. He's gorgeous and he knows it.

 

[RandomChicken]

OMGOSH! I can't wait to see what happens! I know this might be old hat to some chicken people, but I'm already fascinated. Chicken Opera!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

jbenson: I love your new Avatar! So great...

 

[jbenson]

jbenson: I love your new Avatar! So great...

Thanks. I have many hobbies - one of them being vintage modeling and my new avatar was from a shoot I did this spring with my first hatch of chicks and my pet bunny as an Easter/Spring theme. One of my gal pals did the shoot with me and had this adorable dress with a full skirt that we filled up with chicks We also did a shoot that same weekend with a studio partner who does kid/family photos and my batch of chicks - the results were totally amazing!

 

[joyfulkeeper]

I will happily PM you a link to all the info you should need to get a clear picture of what a Buckeye is.

But just to answer part of your query... I had a fellow stop yesterday that I know through 4-H who was looking for some hatching eggs for his niece to do a Science project for school. He was going to be the one who got the chickens after she was done. So, I introduced him to Buckeyes. He had never heard of them (he is a dairy farmer with a few layers). So, I walked over and picked up one of my Buckeye roosters, (who coincidentally spent the entire 3 hours I was working in the pasture today, following me and crowing for me today), and I handed him to the guy to feel how much he weighs and how meaty he is. He said, "You just walk over and picked him up!?" (he watched me do it). Yes, I did, because that is the way a properly bred Buckeye is. They are docile and friendly, even without handling, which I do not do other than to move from pen to pen as chicks and juvies or if I need to cage them for some reason. Buckeyes will gather under your feet to see what you are doing and to look for treats, to the point even of getting stepped on. I LOVE my Bucks! and if I could have only one breed, they would be the ones, hands down. I have a few breeds, as you can see, and this winter, the only breed I did NOT lose any of was the Bucks.
I will PM you the rest.

Thanks for all the info! So now my question is, if I chose to... how do I switch my flock over to another breed?