New Brahma Group: Blue Partridge x Partridge, Plus Dark

[speckledhen]

I think one or two are blue partridge. but certainly the lightest one probably is. My customer said if there is only one pullet, he'll take a pair from those, splash or not, and then wait to see about Brandy's chicks, too. I hope there's at least one pullet, gee whiz!

 

[speckledhen]

The Brahmalettes today. Cute little critters, aren't they? Thea is a great mom, but she loves for me to pick her up and baby her several times each day.

Brandy is on her 7 eggs. Last night, DH comes in and says that she has crushed one egg and probably eaten the insides of it. He threw away the shell and removed some bedding under the shell, but saw no sign of what was in the egg. So, later, he asks me if he should have completely removed the bedding so it doesn't develop bacteria. I say he probably should have, so we go out after dark and I get some hay and more shavings and I pick up Brandy and look. And there are all 7 eggs. I tell him they are all there. He's puzzled, looks in the bucket for the crushed shell, but I suddenly realize what happened. I had cooked butternut squash earlier in the day and gave Brandy part of a scooped out shell. So, the outer hull of the squash looked to him like a crushed egg shell, LOL. So, no eggs were harmed in the squash incident, LOL.

 

[1muttsfan]

Little cuties. Great pictures too.

 

[speckledhen]

Little cuties. Great pictures too.

Thanks, Mary! They are adorable little critters, always are. Now to see if there is one or two girls in this mix. My customer says if there is only one girl, he'll take a pair, completely reasonable. I hope there are two, but it's hard to say before they get more feathers.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They are definitely adorable. Good squash debacle.

 

[speckledhen]

They are definitely adorable. Good squash debacle.

Yeah, hubby was a little confused, thinking he imagined the whole thing. The outer hull of the squash is remarkably similar in shade to most of the brown eggs around here so it makes sense.

Brandy is on Day 9 with her eggs tomorrow. Will have to candle them if I remember in the a.m., before it's too light in the barn to really see well.

 

[Pyxis]

Hey Cynthia, I know how you feel about fermented feed, so I thought I'd share this thread with you: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/bad-breath.1196136/

How are the brahmas doing? My chicks are starting to get big!

 

[speckledhen]

Hey Cynthia, I know how you feel about fermented feed, so I thought I'd share this thread with you: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/bad-breath.1196136/

How are the brahmas doing? My chicks are starting to get big!

Thanks for the link. I answered and will probably be jumped by the religiously zealous fermented feed crowd.

The kids are good, I tried to take pics yesterday but my camera was dying. It's raining hard today, so not sure I'll do more for a day or two. Still not sure on sex at 3 weeks old.

 

[Pyxis]

Thanks for the link. I answered and will probably be jumped by the religiously zealous fermented feed crowd.

The kids are good, I tried to take pics yesterday but my camera was dying. It's raining hard today, so not sure I'll do more for a day or two. Still not sure on sex at 3 weeks old.

I'm glad you replied. Hopefully you don't get jumped over it.

Mine are looking like they will go by the rule of slow feathering males and fast feathering females, a rule I've heard other light brahma breeders say works. It did work for my hatchery ones, so we'll see if it holds up for this nice stock.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm glad you replied. Hopefully you don't get jumped over it.

Mine are looking like they will go by the rule of slow feathering males and fast feathering females, a rule I've heard other light brahma breeders say works. It did work for my hatchery ones, so we'll see if it holds up for this nice stock.

Sometimes I think there are two and two, then, I notice that three have the hock feathers coming in and one has none (males seem to get them first, not vulture hocks, just soft feathers), but the one that doesn't have them is one of the ones I'd think was male from the way it feathered. So, I don't sweat it too much until they get the chest/shoulder feathers. Then, it's all too clear!