New Brahma Group: Blue Partridge x Partridge, Plus Dark

[speckledhen]

Hmm vulture hocks… had to google that one. Interesting, from the name alone I would have thought it was something truly physical that was off (I know, feathers are physical part of the bird, but you know what I mean). I guess the term "cow hocked" in relation to horses came to mind.

It is funny how they all have different degrees of feathering on their legs. My Cuckoo Marans bot have feathers on their legs-- one has BIG sweepers on the bottoms. Those have worn off now. How do the Brahmas fly? The CM do well getting to roost, but the LF cochins I had were just too big, I guess. Anna still won't stray far from the coop area.

I've never seen a Brahma actually fly, per se. Caroline jumps up the roost and jumps down (sometimes face-plants, mostly due to her pendulous crop throwing off her balance, I think). I've seen her run across the pen, holding her wings out, but never actually fly. I don't recall Miranda flying, either. I'd say Brahmas probably don't do much actual flying.


ETA: I added something to my other post. I checked the chick again. I'm going back to cockerel on the 2nd Dark Brahma. The chest feathers coming in have a black center with brown only at the tip/edge. And the foot feathering looks almost just plain smutty gray for the most part, not actually patterned. So, what is the verdict? It has a different down color, more grayish brown than chocolate brown like B.J., who is definitely a pullet. Her chest feathers are patterned. And #2 Dark also had longer flight feathers that were prominent before the others came in.

 

[eleaserek]

No, they are not. There was a touch of Sand Hill in Isaac's lineage, along with Meier and McDaniel and something else. The nasty ones I had were from McMurray parents.

I will make sure to keep this in mind when I have room to add some! Friendly birds are a must around here

 

[speckledhen]

I will make sure to keep this in mind when I have room to add some! Friendly birds are a must around here

Hatcheries don't pay attention to proper temperament. I have two BR hens who are 9 years old, daughters of McMurray parents and they are fine hens, but I'd never, ever buy their Delawares. So, it's really just a crap shoot with hatchery stock.


I went back and took a better photo of the 2nd Dark Brahma chick's chest feathers. So, cockerel? What do you Brahma folks think?
If it's male, I'm not sure what to do since I do plan to keep a male of the Partridge/ blue Partridge persuasion.



And some of the Partridge. They're hunched because it's a tad cool this a.m. for birds with little body feathering. But they were banging their little tin cups on the prison bars, clamoring to do out so I opened their door.

 

[Bondo Chicks]

My Jessie just hatched these little ones. Not sure what they are. I got the eggs in a mixed batch. Jess will hatch any egg I put

under her.

.

 

[speckledhen]

I can't tell from the picture what they are, either. Feathered legs or not, and the type of comb, whether single, rose or pea, would help a lot in guessing what they might be. Maybe you should post photos in the What Breed or Gender section and let folks help you there.

 

[1muttsfan]

She must be a great broody

 

[speckledhen]

These sure are feathering in at different rates. And there are vastly differing degrees of foot feathering.

 

[speckledhen]

I was sitting with the chicks just now. I think I've identified 4 cockerels (2 Partridge, 1 blue Partridge and 1 Dark) and 3 pullets (1 blue Partridge, 1 Partridge and 1 Dark). The other two, I'm not sure yet, because I keep thinking I'm counting someone twice.

This is a pullet, right? Patterned chest feathers as opposed to reddish and more solid colored.

 

[speckledhen]

Okay, I did it. I went out, took DH and he put them in as I picked them up, decided what each one was, placed them inside the pop door, etc. So, no repeats. I still am not sure on a couple of the pullets, if they're partridge or blue partridge, but of here is what I've surmised so far:

I have 5 pullets (1 Dark, 3 Partridge *I think, though one could be a darker Blue PT* and 1 definite Blue Partridge). Going on patterned chest feathers here as well as combs, but really the chest feathers, whether solid or patterned like their wing feathers.

I have 4 cockerels (2 Partridge, 1 Blue Partridge *at least, I'm calling male on it at this point, the huge one*, and 1 Dark)

Soooooo, hmm. I can keep one male and 3-4 pullets. I was going to give an extra pullet or two to a local guy as a thank-you, but he said ONLY if I took care of my own needs and those of my customers first. With 5 pullets, I really do not have extras, per se, not unless the big blue Partridge chick turns out to be a surprise pullet. I can't decide about the chest feathers but I'm thinking they're mostly just reddish with blue edges.

I will keep 3-4 pullets with the male but I can put an extra with Atlas or with little Xander (who would be completely thrilled to death since he's always had BIG-butt gals and he misses the other Orp hens)

I will most definitely keep B.J. as the only Dark pullet but I can't see that I'll have any place to put a Dark male if I keep a Partridge or blue Partridge male over my pullets. I can keep the dark pullet with a partridge male because the genetics shake out this way:

Partridge male x Dark female = 100% Dark (hiding Partridge) males and 100% Partridge females. Seems it would be easy to sex those chicks quite early with the different coloration.

 

[speckledhen]

So, @Sjisty and others, is this blue partridge chick a cockerel? I wasn't sure if these were the chest feathers I should be seeing, but I'm thinking they're the reddish ones of a male. Am I seeing that beetle brow already? The eyes have that "look", at least a little bit, but I had only one Brahma cockerel previously and knew nothing about it back then so I don't recall much about him.