- Thread starter
- #51
Hey Everybody!
Got a new laptop for Christmas and a better internet connection, which will really help me out for communications. Good bye, dial-up! LOL.
Updated the website, check out the new photos:
http://alohachickens.webs.com/january2010.htm
You'll see a lot more chickens in general, and some new colors, like blue/white mottled, red/white/blue mottled, and some very interesting new chicks that are coming out mostly white, much like the original Banty hen. I find this really interesting and pretty exciting! While most chickens that are mottled and mostly dark with little white flecks (like Speckled Sussex) are very flashy, this mostly-white, but with scattered DARK feathering pattern is fascinating to me, because whatever it is, it seems to be breeding true? And it is really different, haven't seen anything quite like it before. The mostly-white chicks have different colors on the colored parts, some browns, some blacks, some golds. Some have more white, some have less, but all are primarily white and much less dark. Pretty wild!
The #1 goal in the breed right now is to get the size up - both bigger chickens, and bigger eggs, and to really concentrate on top-notch egg production. It's really important for this to be a breed that is both functional as well a pretty. Heaven knows there are already lots of fabulous "decorative" chickens out there as it is!
The standard that I set, for clean legs and single combs is mostly for practical reasons. I have played with a blue Ameraucana hen here to get the blue mottled ones, but the problem I have with EE'ers (and the pea combs in particular) is it makes it harder for me to sex the chicks at an early age. Those straight single combs tend to stick up and out much earlier than pea combs do.
So, if it is possible to work with single combs, that is preferable, because when you're hatching your own, obviously sexing your own chicks is going to be an issue. As for the clean legs, again, it's the K.I.S.S. principle at work - most reliable, really productive layers are generally clean legged and single combed - breeds like Austrolorp, RIR, NHR, Buff Rock, Buff Orp, Salmon Favorelle, Marans, etc. So going for a "generic chicken body type" means people won't get distracted by focusing on trying to add fuzzy feet, muffs, etc, and can focus that energy on the top two goals, which are cool colors and excellent egg production, and a heavy enough body type (more heavy than Leghorns) to make the extra roos stout enough to make a meal.
If you are in a cold environment, I'd say the Easter Eggers aren't a bad choice for outcrossing if you need pea combs for frostbite prevention. The EE'ers I've had here (from Ideal Hatchery, in TX) had some great base colors in a nice variety, with oranges, golds, blue, etc. The hens have been fabulous, reliable layers of big, sky-blue eggs, too. The EE'ers from the hatchery in NM, however (Privett's) are kind of dull looking, a lot of boring browns from my friend's flocks who bought stock from them. But they are also great layers. So it really depends on the chicken. Mixed breeds are great, too, to use - any good laying stock with a heavy body, in nice bright colors. There was a RIR x Buff Orp roo on an egg seller's Ebay listing that was amazing, the most brilliant solid flaming orange! I bought eggs from him, but sadly I lost the three chicks that were hatched. Anyway, that roo with mottling added on top, really would have been something to see.
Whatever you want to use, just eyeball the look of each hen. See if she's a good layer and has good body size. If she's a pretty boring color, adding speckles on top may not look that neat. But if she has a lot of contrast in her plumage, like a head that is markedly lighter or darker than her body, or neat patterns within her feathers, the mottling just adds the "icing on top".
Think of a good homestead breed, something ideal for foraging, eggs, eating - but with really neat multi colored feathers in all kinds of colors. Beyond that, whatever breed or breeds chosen is pretty much open? I would advise against solid white or black barred breeds (like Barred Rock) because there may not be as much contrast in the colors. But "cuckoo" or "Jubilee" or "Creole" - whatever you want to call the Golden Cuckoo color, should have some contrast, so if you have an existing flock of Golden Cuckoo Marans, it would definately add some nice weight and egg production to the breed from the Marans size of the family.
Right now, I will continue to be hatching out chicks that will end up much like the Nov. and Dec. hatch photos. Size and quality in these chicks is seriously lacking, but I'm working on improving it in the next generation to be hatched out next fall. Already have some NHR chicks, and BYC member "Happy Mtn" sent me some eggs - and while the hatch wasn't that successful, I did get one Speckled Sussex/Buff Orp baby that I'm really excited about adding into the flock, it should be a nice bird. I also sent some of the "extras" to a friends house, where she has the most gorgeous Buff Orp hen running in there. So, one of the mottled roo's will be with her, and I can't wait to hatch chicks out from those, too! It's just going to be a while, this coming fall, most likely, before we will get to see the next generation . . . .
I may have an extra roo or two from these hatches, so if you live in AZ be sure to contact me or Larissa about joining in on the fun!
Thanks!
Sommer
Got a new laptop for Christmas and a better internet connection, which will really help me out for communications. Good bye, dial-up! LOL.
Updated the website, check out the new photos:
http://alohachickens.webs.com/january2010.htm
You'll see a lot more chickens in general, and some new colors, like blue/white mottled, red/white/blue mottled, and some very interesting new chicks that are coming out mostly white, much like the original Banty hen. I find this really interesting and pretty exciting! While most chickens that are mottled and mostly dark with little white flecks (like Speckled Sussex) are very flashy, this mostly-white, but with scattered DARK feathering pattern is fascinating to me, because whatever it is, it seems to be breeding true? And it is really different, haven't seen anything quite like it before. The mostly-white chicks have different colors on the colored parts, some browns, some blacks, some golds. Some have more white, some have less, but all are primarily white and much less dark. Pretty wild!
The #1 goal in the breed right now is to get the size up - both bigger chickens, and bigger eggs, and to really concentrate on top-notch egg production. It's really important for this to be a breed that is both functional as well a pretty. Heaven knows there are already lots of fabulous "decorative" chickens out there as it is!
The standard that I set, for clean legs and single combs is mostly for practical reasons. I have played with a blue Ameraucana hen here to get the blue mottled ones, but the problem I have with EE'ers (and the pea combs in particular) is it makes it harder for me to sex the chicks at an early age. Those straight single combs tend to stick up and out much earlier than pea combs do.
So, if it is possible to work with single combs, that is preferable, because when you're hatching your own, obviously sexing your own chicks is going to be an issue. As for the clean legs, again, it's the K.I.S.S. principle at work - most reliable, really productive layers are generally clean legged and single combed - breeds like Austrolorp, RIR, NHR, Buff Rock, Buff Orp, Salmon Favorelle, Marans, etc. So going for a "generic chicken body type" means people won't get distracted by focusing on trying to add fuzzy feet, muffs, etc, and can focus that energy on the top two goals, which are cool colors and excellent egg production, and a heavy enough body type (more heavy than Leghorns) to make the extra roos stout enough to make a meal.
If you are in a cold environment, I'd say the Easter Eggers aren't a bad choice for outcrossing if you need pea combs for frostbite prevention. The EE'ers I've had here (from Ideal Hatchery, in TX) had some great base colors in a nice variety, with oranges, golds, blue, etc. The hens have been fabulous, reliable layers of big, sky-blue eggs, too. The EE'ers from the hatchery in NM, however (Privett's) are kind of dull looking, a lot of boring browns from my friend's flocks who bought stock from them. But they are also great layers. So it really depends on the chicken. Mixed breeds are great, too, to use - any good laying stock with a heavy body, in nice bright colors. There was a RIR x Buff Orp roo on an egg seller's Ebay listing that was amazing, the most brilliant solid flaming orange! I bought eggs from him, but sadly I lost the three chicks that were hatched. Anyway, that roo with mottling added on top, really would have been something to see.
Whatever you want to use, just eyeball the look of each hen. See if she's a good layer and has good body size. If she's a pretty boring color, adding speckles on top may not look that neat. But if she has a lot of contrast in her plumage, like a head that is markedly lighter or darker than her body, or neat patterns within her feathers, the mottling just adds the "icing on top".
Think of a good homestead breed, something ideal for foraging, eggs, eating - but with really neat multi colored feathers in all kinds of colors. Beyond that, whatever breed or breeds chosen is pretty much open? I would advise against solid white or black barred breeds (like Barred Rock) because there may not be as much contrast in the colors. But "cuckoo" or "Jubilee" or "Creole" - whatever you want to call the Golden Cuckoo color, should have some contrast, so if you have an existing flock of Golden Cuckoo Marans, it would definately add some nice weight and egg production to the breed from the Marans size of the family.
Right now, I will continue to be hatching out chicks that will end up much like the Nov. and Dec. hatch photos. Size and quality in these chicks is seriously lacking, but I'm working on improving it in the next generation to be hatched out next fall. Already have some NHR chicks, and BYC member "Happy Mtn" sent me some eggs - and while the hatch wasn't that successful, I did get one Speckled Sussex/Buff Orp baby that I'm really excited about adding into the flock, it should be a nice bird. I also sent some of the "extras" to a friends house, where she has the most gorgeous Buff Orp hen running in there. So, one of the mottled roo's will be with her, and I can't wait to hatch chicks out from those, too! It's just going to be a while, this coming fall, most likely, before we will get to see the next generation . . . .
I may have an extra roo or two from these hatches, so if you live in AZ be sure to contact me or Larissa about joining in on the fun!
Thanks!
Sommer
