New Brahma Group: Blue Partridge x Partridge, Plus Dark

[speckledhen]

 

[1muttsfan]

She looks like a great big floofy dust mop

 

[speckledhen]

She looks like a great big floofy dust mop

She's getting testy! She wants out of that darn cage! She got to run around outside while her sisters are out, too. They all went to dustbathe after a long haul with not much outside time and all the cold and wet. She and B.J. got into a fight and DH shot them with the water hose he was filling the waterers with just outside the fence. Thankfully, it was warm enough. He said Bailey was giving as good as she got until he doused them, LOL. B.J. seems to be the enforcer in the five pullets. Bailey may slowly get back in with them, but it will be a longer time before I can allow her with the males.

 

[robyn8]

So glad your girl is healing up! Mine is happily back with the flock and you'd never know she was ever injured now! They picked on her a bit when I brought her out of her cage but she quickly learned her place in the pecking order and we have peace again. I'm so relived that our first real injury

ended well and feel better prepared for future issues. Thanks again for all the help and support!

 

[speckledhen]

So glad your girl is healing up! Mine is happily back with the flock and you'd never know she was ever injured now! They picked on her a bit when I brought her out of her cage but she quickly learned her place in the pecking order and we have peace again. I'm so relived that our first real injury ended well and feel better prepared for future issues. Thanks again for all the help and support!

 

[speckledhen]

Betsy is driving me nuts. She is honking. She has done it off an on for days, every time she eats or drinks water. I've literally looked down her throat with a flashlight. Her throat, eyes, nares, everything, is clear. If there is an obstruction, it's deep down or high up where we cannot see it. Crazy thing drank water and began honking. She may be dipping her entire beak/nares into the water. My friend has a hen who does that and honks like a goose for awhile afterward. I think Betsy is mine. Geez, it sounds awful. No one else is doing it, just her.

From today,

 

[1muttsfan]

 

[speckledhen]

Bailey has recovered enough to move back with her sisters. She keeps looking at us like she's wondering when we're going to get her out again, LOL. They were less than welcoming to her, especially B.J., who has decided to begin laying at last, though letting her out in the pen when they were out as well with plenty of escape room a few times helped pave her way back into the group.

So, all five Brahma pullets are now laying and I hope to worm the entire barn with the exception of the Brahma group and BR, Hector's group. Thankfully, I will have eggs coming even with the withdrawal from the rest of the adults. I will worm Apollo's two pullets with the adults since Athena went through a bad 9 month molt and has not resumed laying and Zara, well, Zara is still holding out at 42 weeks old. Good grief, is she just a dud??
Bailey, far right with Bonnie next to her and Betsy far left.

 

[speckledhen]

Okay, I'm back to wanting to sell Bruno. Well, "want" is not exactly correct, but I don't want those two taking up one of my barn pens all to themselves. That was not the plan. If I sell Bruno, I can put Bash back with the five girls, no more competition that hurts them like Bailey was hurt. She's healed up now, finally.

If I had some big hens I could give them in addition to their girls to "spread the love", I would, but I don't. So, I may just sell big Bruno, as much as I'd miss seeing him every day. He has near perfect conformation, gorgeous coloring and he has not flogged me even once. In fact, I think he's mellowing out a bit more, though he still doesn't want to be petted. The only thing I like on him less than Bash as far as looks is his wattles are more prominent. I like "tucked up" wattles on a Brahma rooster. His are fine, I guess, but Bash's are more compact. I'm not really a Brahma breeder, per se. If that was the only consideration, I'd probably keep Bruno so there would be no possibility of splash Partridge, not my favorite in this variety.

He's rare enough and he's mature so just have to figure the price. Of course, I'll second guess myself yet again. But, most likely, I won't be able to sell him anyway. Someone would need partridge girls or at least, BIG girls of some type for this big boy.

ETA: BUT, my friend Andrew said he might be interested in taking Bruno and if he does, at least I know he'll be taken care of and I have the option for eggs from him in the future because he already has Partridge Brahmas.

 

[Sjisty]

Okay, I'm back to wanting to sell Bruno. Well, "want" is not exactly correct, but I don't want those two taking up one of my barn pens all to themselves. That was not the plan. If I sell Bruno, I can put Bash back with the five girls, no more competition that hurts them like Bailey was hurt. She's healed up now, finally.

If I had some big hens I could give them in addition to their girls to "spread the love", I would, but I don't. So, I may just sell big Bruno, as much as I'd miss seeing him every day. He has near perfect conformation, gorgeous coloring and he has not flogged me even once. In fact, I think he's mellowing out a bit more, though he still doesn't want to be petted. The only thing I like on him less than Bash as far as looks is his wattles are more prominent. I like "tucked up" wattles on a Brahma rooster. His are fine, I guess, but Bash's are more compact. I'm not really a Brahma breeder, per se. If that was the only consideration, I'd probably keep Bruno so there would be no possibility of splash Partridge, not my favorite in this variety.

He's rare enough and he's mature so just have to figure the price. Of course, I'll second guess myself yet again. But, most likely, I won't be able to sell him anyway. Someone would need partridge girls or at least, BIG girls of some type for this big boy.

ETA: BUT, my friend Andrew said he might be interested in taking Bruno and if he does, at least I know he'll be taken care of and I have the option for eggs from him in the future because he already has Partridge Brahmas.

We're going to be in Pigeon Forge in April ...