My lovely birds

[KristyHall]

I just have to brag. I will post pictures later.
My birds are not any single breed. I got several diffrent breeds then let them breed. I treat them much like I do my organic garden. I only keep the high performing ones for the organic free range minimal care range. I don't let them suffer or die from illness if I can help it. I do treat injuries and illnesses. BUT all I can say is a pure breed doesn't do me any good if they can't handle foraging (along with free choice supliments in their coup) very hot days and cool winters with no added heat in their well insulated coup. Some people have turned their noses up at my Heinze 57 birds but they are hardier, excellent at hiding from predators, they are calm dispositioned, lay well, are heavy with nice yellow flesh, seem resistant to parasites and disease, and have an excellent feed=egg ratio. And boy are they pretty! A rainbow of colors and patterns.
Oh and One of the roosters once took on a fox to save a hen. I interviened before the fox could kill him, but after that he became my prized boy and gets to be the one with free choice of the girls. He is an impressive multi colored bird with a rainbow hue of iridescent blues greens and purples. There are two other roosters, his son who looks and acts like him, and one that someone gave me that is unsuualy pretty and hardy, whom I let mingle with the girls as well. (strangly the boys don't really squabble, the head rooster keeps them in line)
I wouldn't trade these birds for the world.
I know people have their favorite breeds but these birds are perfect in my eyes.

 

[AK Michelle]

Quote:
I too have favorites and most of them are mutts

Kudos to you and your magnificent flock. May they bring you much happiness and joy.

I'll just be right over here waiting for those pictures.

 

[KristyHall]

Quote:
I too have favorites and most of them are mutts

Kudos to you and your magnificent flock. May they bring you much happiness and joy.

I'll just be right over here waiting for those pictures.

Oh now I'm under pressure to get the pictures up! That picture of you with the dolphin is awesome. Where did you take it?

 

[mychookschick]

I love your post! I, too, love my mutts! One of my favorites is one that I hatched... She is a Buff Orpington X Golden Comet (sexlink)! I llike to call her an Orpet!

She runs up to me for treats, is a WONDERFUL layer, great personality, and is doing great in the cold! As a matter of fact, this morning I opened the door to the coop (hasn't been open for a few days due to snow) and a couple hours later my Mom goes "Oh, hello chickie!"... WHAT?? Then I look out the window and she and her buddy are walking across the driveway, right for the house (the girls have refused to leave the coop for weeks, ever since the snow came)! My original reaction:

Then I changed it to "Good girl, Winnie!" Hahaha

Whoops! I just hijacked your thread!

SORRY!!!

 

[KristyHall]

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Nononon. It's ok! I like hearing about other birds.
My girls lay an egg every other day through winter. Even below freezing. I have to gather the eggs frequently or they'll freeze And they lay big eggs right through our hotest months here in Alabama.
I hear eggs don't freeze well. What happens to them when they freeze? Do they break easily?

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

and

Beauty is as beauty does.


So that means we find our chickens beautiful- both inside and out- on our own individual basis.

My chickens are not mixed. I have several different breeds, some from great breeders, some from *whispering softly* hatcheries!

I currently have beautiful, standard of perfection, show quality chickens and I am working toward that purpose. BUT my absolute favorite, love their personalities, chickens are from the *gasp* hatchery!

Ssshhh..... I could be lynched for admitting that!

I get so tired of the chicken snobbery.

 

[AK Michelle]

Quote:
Oh now I'm under pressure to get the pictures up! That picture of you with the dolphin is awesome. Where did you take it?

Haha, no pressure

I just love seeing everyone's pets.

The picture was in Cozumel Mexico, I went on a cruise in November and got to swim with dolphins. It was amazing!!!

This is my mutt roo Merry as in Merry & Pippen from Lord of the Rings. When he hatched he had the furriest feet so the kids said he was a hobbit. his momma was a white silkie and his daddy was a grey-ish blue bantam cochin. He is the sweetest boy unless he thinks his girls are threatened. Very gentlemanly with the ladies and always very calm and gentle with people.

 

[AK Michelle]

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When an egg freezes it expands, which cracks the shell, if you let them thaw, they will settle back into place and you can barely see the crack. It'skinda cool as a science experiment but I don't eat the ones that have cracks, I never really know what might have gotten in there while it was expanded open. I scramble them (shells and all) and toss them back in the chicken bucket with the rest of the kitchen scraps.

 

[KristyHall]

Quote:
Oh now I'm under pressure to get the pictures up! That picture of you with the dolphin is awesome. Where did you take it?

Haha, no pressure

I just love seeing everyone's pets.

The picture was in Cozumel Mexico, I went on a cruise in November and got to swim with dolphins. It was amazing!!!

This is my mutt roo Merry as in Merry & Pippen from Lord of the Rings. When he hatched he had the furriest feet so the kids said he was a hobbit. his momma was a white silkie and his daddy was a grey-ish blue bantam cochin. He is the sweetest boy unless he thinks his girls are threatened. Very gentlemanly with the ladies and always very calm and gentle with people.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/25270_merri.jpg

Oh he is goergious (SP?). He looks like a furrier version of one of my mixed roosters, the one someone gave me.
I have been to cozemel! I got stung by a jelly fish while snorkling! hehehehe

 

[KristyHall]

Quote:
When an egg freezes it expands, which cracks the shell, if you let them thaw, they will settle back into place and you can barely see the crack. It'skinda cool as a science experiment but I don't eat the ones that have cracks, I never really know what might have gotten in there while it was expanded open. I scramble them (shells and all) and toss them back in the chicken bucket with the rest of the kitchen scraps.

oooooohhhhh. makes sense.