Ohiki Chicken Thread

[minihorse927]

We were gifted 4 Ohiki hens and 2 roosters last summer. We were told that they were purchased as eggs off of Ebay from a breeder and were very rare. Our intent was to keep them as pets and not start a chicken business. We allowed the hens to sit on some eggs and surprise!!! We now have 8 Ohiki chicks.
Is there a resource that anyone would recommend that would help us identify if the roosters and hens we have are actually "the real deal". I am not sure I want to keep 8 more chickens but would like to know what I actually have. Thank you for your time.

if you can take some pictures and post them here we will gladly help you identify them

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Just shoot me an email. I pretty much do all things ohiki here in the US.
Culls still happen as with any breed, but ill be happy to lok at them.
I dont get on here very much any more

 

[OhikiPL]

Hello, sorry for the long absence.

 

[OhikiPL]

and blue line

 

[Thespoiledchicken]

and blue line

Your birds are beautiful! And those are the whitest earlobes I have ever seen

so pretty.

 

[minihorse927]

my black hen sitting on 14 eggs. She has a helper who isn't pictured

 

[Bross63]

Does anyone have or know of someone who has blue ohiki in the US?

Thanks for any info

 

[gootziecat]

I just discovered these beauties. Are they difficult to keep happy and healthy?

Would like to see the thread picked up and going again.

 

[Soli]

If anyone is interested...

I've been working on Ohiki for about 4 years now, but with a very, very limited gene pool.

I'm at the point where unless I can obtain outside genetics, the line will suffer greater frailty and poor hatch rates, or I'll have to outcross and cull heavily for a few years to get back to type. I started with only around 18 birds, at a time when they were no where near close to standard, for the most part, other than for less than a handful of breeders.

I've tried to disperse, but am reluctant to give my best stock to unknown breeders, and most known ones already have equal or better lines.

I breed for the standard, with feather length, size, and shape being most important. In 2018, I not only bred the best to the best, but also the best to the most hardy, which was a necessary setback, but seems to only be affecting earlobes and shank color, which can be corrected in a single generation. I also specifically looked for the faster feathering 2018 cockerels.

Mine are on the extreme smaller size, compared to many Ohiki out there right now. Consistently and significantly under 2lbs on cocks. Tails and saddles drag the ground well before their first birthday on the best birds, but typically only a few inches, max being 6 inches of tail drag at 1.5 years (which is still impressive on tiny birds, and more manageable for small breeders). Legs consistently short, which sometimes presents a problem for cocks who can't mount hens, so I do make minor allowances for males, and the shortest legged males are penned with only 2 hens at a time in smaller cages to allow them ample attempts. Color has been completely ignored in favor of selecting for form and feather. Genetics-wise, it is much easier to color a bird than build one.

Here are the two primary cocks used for breeding in 2018. One other, not pictured, cock was used for his hardiness. He was great in form (round, short legged), decent in feather (saddles touched ground at 1 year, tail drag minimal but full feathered and soft), but had bad earlobes and yellow shanks....however his vigor and health were quite exceptional.
Cock 1 at 1 year old

Cock 2 at 1 year old

At this time I have young 2018 cockerels available for sale singly or as a pair. They are listed below with honest appraisals of their faults and strengths. A hen or pullet can be provided that is strong where the cockerel is weak, if desired.

I'm retaining the 2 best cockerels, but to the right person I am willing to disperse these, as well as my best hens/pullets. These are my retained cockerels for 2018, both hatched the last week of May through first week of June.

This guy is the best, yet, and I'm really excited to see him mature. At less than a year, he is already dragging tail and saddle feathers, is less than a lb, has super short green legs and blindingly white earlobes. He fits in one hand, and I have small hands. I do have concerns about his ability to mount hens, but we will see.

This guy is the best offspring of the "hardy" unpictured cock I used. While he is not overall the second best cockerel of 2018, he represents the best incorporation of hardier genes. His legs are short and green, his earlobes are mostly white, and he has both the fast feathering gene as well as superior length already. His body form needs to be shorter and rounded, and the earlobes fully white, but he will be paired with hens strong in those areas, and hopefully pass along the hardier genetics as well as having those areas corrected.

Here are the available 2018 cockerels: All hatched the last week of May through 1st week of June. Descriptions listed above each photo. $25 each or $50 with a hen or pullet. I do ship.

The 3 2018 cockerels. In front, #1, <-that side, #2, and -> that side #3. Each has a single strong flaw, but shows promise and strength in other areas, and can be provided with a hen or pullet who can correct his flaws in at least some of their offspring.

Below: #1. He shows the best feathering of the 3 (likely carries the fast feathering gene which I've tried to select for but is normally not present in Ohiki), has perfect, short green legs, and a decent body. His huge weakness is those earlobes, which are pinched and only partly white. Paired with a good hen with good earlobes, and hatch every egg she produces for a season, and you're sure to get some offspring that will improve those earlobes. He carries at least one dominant white gene and is split for ginger.

#2 This guy may be the best of the 3 and it may be I shouldn't offer him, but at this point it's only guesswork. He had his tail feathers plucked out in the grow out pen, leaving bloody stumps, and setting back his tail growth significantly. He has lovely earlobes, perfect and very short legs, round body...and his genetics indicate that tail should end up quite long. But we have no way of seeing that at this point. I am not sure of his status regarding fast feathering - he has some saddles close to the ground already, but many not, so it is hard to tell if that's related to the plucking of the tail or not. He is also a sweet bird, low man on the totem pole. He is not barred, some of the pyles in this line will display saddles that look almost barred/crele, but they do not carry this gene. He likely is homozygous for dominant white, and is split for ginger.

#3 is sired by the "hardy" but unpictured cock described earlier, crossed on a sister to the light gold pyle cock shown above. He has great earlobes and body form, but his flaw is that he has yellow legs. Crossed on a green legged hen, he will produce 50/50 green/yellow legged offspring, so it is an easy flaw to overcome. His feathering is slow, and while I fully expect it to reach the ground by a year old, I would expect no more than an inch or two drag on the tail. But he makes up for that in feather volume in his tail, which is just as important but easily forgotten. He carries one dominant white gene, one dun gene, and is fully ginger with a solid red breast, which is striking against his lighter gold hackles. A hen paired with him would be chosen not just for green legs, but for her line being stronger in feather length/faster growth.

I am willing to trade for or buy an Ohiki cock that will represent outside genetics with equal or better quality. Flaws I am willing to accept are leg color, minor lack of shortness in legs, longer body than ideal. I'd rather stay away from earlobe issues but may consider it, and of course feathering needs to be adequate.

I am also interested in dispersing completely to the right breeder. This would simply mean someone who wanted to take the best of my lines and move forward with them. Ideally this person would already have Ohiki, and may also need outside genetics. My top line is represented by the 2018 BBR cockerel pictured above, and would be good for reducing size, increasing roundness, shortening legs, and fixing earlobes. If your line is heavily influenced by Phoenix blood, mine will help overcome that with the thinner softer feathers needed for Ohiki. It could also be used to introduce dominant white color genetics to your line for pyles. Other unusual color genes include ginger and dun. Some birds are likely split for mottling as well, but I only have one hen that displays it, and she is one of my best hens.

Feel free to contact me if interested or with any questions!

 

[tothemoon]

If anyone is interested...

I've been working on Ohiki for about 4 years now, but with a very, very limited gene pool.

I'm at the point where unless I can obtain outside genetics, the line will suffer greater frailty and poor hatch rates, or I'll have to outcross and cull heavily for a few years to get back to type. I started with only around 18 birds, at a time when they were no where near close to standard, for the most part, other than for less than a handful of breeders.

I've tried to disperse, but am reluctant to give my best stock to unknown breeders, and most known ones already have equal or better lines.

I breed for the standard, with feather length, size, and shape being most important. In 2018, I not only bred the best to the best, but also the best to the most hardy, which was a necessary setback, but seems to only be affecting earlobes and shank color, which can be corrected in a single generation. I also specifically looked for the faster feathering 2018 cockerels.

Mine are on the extreme smaller size, compared to many Ohiki out there right now. Consistently and significantly under 2lbs on cocks. Tails and saddles drag the ground well before their first birthday on the best birds, but typically only a few inches, max being 6 inches of tail drag at 1.5 years (which is still impressive on tiny birds, and more manageable for small breeders). Legs consistently short, which sometimes presents a problem for cocks who can't mount hens, so I do make minor allowances for males, and the shortest legged males are penned with only 2 hens at a time in smaller cages to allow them ample attempts. Color has been completely ignored in favor of selecting for form and feather. Genetics-wise, it is much easier to color a bird than build one.

Here are the two primary cocks used for breeding in 2018. One other, not pictured, cock was used for his hardiness. He was great in form (round, short legged), decent in feather (saddles touched ground at 1 year, tail drag minimal but full feathered and soft), but had bad earlobes and yellow shanks....however his vigor and health were quite exceptional.
Cock 1 at 1 year old
View attachment 1613517
View attachment 1613518
Cock 2 at 1 year old
View attachment 1613519

At this time I have young 2018 cockerels available for sale singly or as a pair. They are listed below with honest appraisals of their faults and strengths. A hen or pullet can be provided that is strong where the cockerel is weak, if desired.

I'm retaining the 2 best cockerels, but to the right person I am willing to disperse these, as well as my best hens/pullets. These are my retained cockerels for 2018, both hatched the last week of May through first week of June.
View attachment 1613566
This guy is the best, yet, and I'm really excited to see him mature. At less than a year, he is already dragging tail and saddle feathers, is less than a lb, has super short green legs and blindingly white earlobes. He fits in one hand, and I have small hands. I do have concerns about his ability to mount hens, but we will see.

View attachment 1613567
This guy is the best offspring of the "hardy" unpictured cock I used. While he is not overall the second best cockerel of 2018, he represents the best incorporation of hardier genes. His legs are short and green, his earlobes are mostly white, and he has both the fast feathering gene as well as superior length already. His body form needs to be shorter and rounded, and the earlobes fully white, but he will be paired with hens strong in those areas, and hopefully pass along the hardier genetics as well as having those areas corrected.

Here are the available 2018 cockerels: All hatched the last week of May through 1st week of June. Descriptions listed above each photo. $25 each or $50 with a hen or pullet. I do ship.

The 3 2018 cockerels. In front, #1, <-that side, #2, and -> that side #3. Each has a single strong flaw, but shows promise and strength in other areas, and can be provided with a hen or pullet who can correct his flaws in at least some of their offspring.
View attachment 1613525

Below: #1. He shows the best feathering of the 3 (likely carries the fast feathering gene which I've tried to select for but is normally not present in Ohiki), has perfect, short green legs, and a decent body. His huge weakness is those earlobes, which are pinched and only partly white. Paired with a good hen with good earlobes, and hatch every egg she produces for a season, and you're sure to get some offspring that will improve those earlobes. He carries at least one dominant white gene and is split for ginger.
View attachment 1613536

#2 This guy may be the best of the 3 and it may be I shouldn't offer him, but at this point it's only guesswork. He had his tail feathers plucked out in the grow out pen, leaving bloody stumps, and setting back his tail growth significantly. He has lovely earlobes, perfect and very short legs, round body...and his genetics indicate that tail should end up quite long. But we have no way of seeing that at this point. I am not sure of his status regarding fast feathering - he has some saddles close to the ground already, but many not, so it is hard to tell if that's related to the plucking of the tail or not. He is also a sweet bird, low man on the totem pole. He is not barred, some of the pyles in this line will display saddles that look almost barred/crele, but they do not carry this gene. He likely is homozygous for dominant white, and is split for ginger.
View attachment 1613554
#3 is sired by the "hardy" but unpictured cock described earlier, crossed on a sister to the light gold pyle cock shown above. He has great earlobes and body form, but his flaw is that he has yellow legs. Crossed on a green legged hen, he will produce 50/50 green/yellow legged offspring, so it is an easy flaw to overcome. His feathering is slow, and while I fully expect it to reach the ground by a year old, I would expect no more than an inch or two drag on the tail. But he makes up for that in feather volume in his tail, which is just as important but easily forgotten. He carries one dominant white gene, one dun gene, and is fully ginger with a solid red breast, which is striking against his lighter gold hackles. A hen paired with him would be chosen not just for green legs, but for her line being stronger in feather length/faster growth.
View attachment 1613558

I am willing to trade for or buy an Ohiki cock that will represent outside genetics with equal or better quality. Flaws I am willing to accept are leg color, minor lack of shortness in legs, longer body than ideal. I'd rather stay away from earlobe issues but may consider it, and of course feathering needs to be adequate.

I am also interested in dispersing completely to the right breeder. This would simply mean someone who wanted to take the best of my lines and move forward with them. Ideally this person would already have Ohiki, and may also need outside genetics. My top line is represented by the 2018 BBR cockerel pictured above, and would be good for reducing size, increasing roundness, shortening legs, and fixing earlobes. If your line is heavily influenced by Phoenix blood, mine will help overcome that with the thinner softer feathers needed for Ohiki. It could also be used to introduce dominant white color genetics to your line for pyles. Other unusual color genes include ginger and dun. Some birds are likely split for mottling as well, but I only have one hen that displays it, and she is one of my best hens.

Feel free to contact me if interested or with any questions!

Do you still have any available? Young adults or hatching eggs? Love that lighter color Roo!