New Brahma Group: Blue Partridge x Partridge, Plus Dark

[1muttsfan]

OK with some help from @Henk69 's chicken site:

" Columbian factor - symbol Co.

Columbian chickens are more groundcolored looking.

For roosters the most obvious effect is that breast and wingbands are not black but groundcolor. The groundcolor is also more even. The hen loses the salmon breast coloring by this effect and becomes more warm in groundcolor. Her black pattern is restricted to her back and saddle, if not further towards the tail."

"Columbian is not just a black restrictor, it also shifts black pigment. Hens with columbian get a tail that is more black and with more green sheen"

"It has more effect on males than females, especially their backs and saddles."

Maybe Henk69 will chime in on the descriptions

 

[speckledhen]

So, blue partridge/partridge over light gets that result? Hmm. Thanks, Mary. It's weird. If I still had my Light hen, I could try it for myself, but she'd be almost 11 years old now if she'd lived.

 

[1muttsfan]

Sounds like you would get a buffy colored columbian looking bird, maybe something similar to a basque hen (the males are crele though, so not just gold or yellow or buff)

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Bonnie, my best blue partridge hen, is acting weird. She holds back from the group, sits in a corner on the floor when they go out. She is not broody, trust me. She's been broody three times this year, though we didn't let her have eggs last time. She was panting far more than the temps would say she should. It was warmer today, very humid, but the others are not acting like her. I checked her crop and abdomen and both seem normal. I even had DH hold her so I could check her for mites, but not a mite in sight (yippee!). I can't put my finger on it, but she's just off. I hope she's okay and just having an off day or two, not liking the temporary return to summer-like temps.

Is she old enough to molt? Some can act sick when they start. Hopefully it's a passing thing.

 

[speckledhen]

Is she old enough to molt? Some can act sick when they start. Hopefully it's a passing thing.

Yes, they are at the first big molt age range, but she isn't molting much. She did right after the last time she tried to be broody, was broody for four weeks. Another thing that bothered me was BJ, the Dark hen who is also the head hen, stuck around with her, like she was doing the head hen duty when one is ailing. Bonnie is one I really don't want to lose. I have so many old, old hens, but they've lived a very long life. Bonnie is only about a year and a half old.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yes, they are at the first big molt age range, but she isn't molting much. She did right after the last time she tried to be broody, was broody for four weeks. Another thing that bothered me was BJ, the Dark hen who is also the head hen, stuck around with her, like she was doing the head hen duty when one is ailing. Bonnie is one I really don't want to lose. I have so many old, old hens, but they've lived a very long life. Bonnie is only about a year and a half old.

My top hen sits with sick and dying birds too. I thought is was an interesting behavior. I didn't know if it was common or not.

Oh I hope she's okay. I recently lost a year old chantecler. She was fine one day and dying the next. You just never know with chickens. I've had some that I swear were on the way out, but they rally and are fine. Chickens are predictably unpredictable.

 

[speckledhen]

Bonnie is still not right. She was panting at 8 a.m. at less than 70* and BJ has been with her most of the time during the day. She was either sitting in the corner on the floor under the roost or on the roost most all day. I gave her 2 baby aspirin and some liquid vitamins and hopefully, whatever is wrong will resolve itself.

One of the 5 week old pullets is acting off, standing by herself sort of hunched up. It's not cocci, no mites on her at all-made sure to check all over her for that, just in case. Her little crop had a lot in it, so she got several baby crop massages and some very liquidy plain yogurt. I hope she's okay. The crop seemed to have less in it later in the day so it seems to be working. Maybe mama Brandy jumped on her or stepped on her. She is already sold and will be picked on the 28th, along with one of her sisters and her partridge brother. I sure hope I don't have to tell this lady that she can't have a trio, but only a pair (plus the older dark blue boy she wants).

Here are the older boys. Love those boys. They are running around with 22 week old BR pullet, MaryJo, most of the time they are outside. Today, they spent a lot of time in their pen with her without a fight.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Uh oh, that isn't good news at all. Hoping everyone improves.

 

[speckledhen]

Uh oh, that isn't good news at all. Hoping everyone improves.

Me, too. I have zero clue what's up with Bonnie unless Bash hurt her somehow. The little one, I also have no clue, except I've seen Brandy jump down off the outside branch roost and narrowly miss the chicks so maybe she hurt the little girl.

 

[kitkat5505]

Aw, I hope they will be ok!