Peeps in Europe!

[Skyle]

Congrats!

I was surprised you had shows recently. Here all chickens, quail and other poultry are in a lock down for another long period with bird flu. No shows since October. This year the amount of contaminated birds are even worse than the previous years.

Thank you!

Here it depends on the area: many places, especially in northern Italy, are in lockdown. Some of the central and the southern regions are still free to organize shows, as long as there are no cases in that place

 

[abpatchy]

Thanks for the update Abpatchy. So glad things worked out for you after such a hard time.

Are you keeping the bantams in the same coops and runs where you had the big ones previously? Do you have to travel further now?
I’d love to see a few photos of your wheaten colored bantam Sulmtalers. How many do you have?

As a matter of fact, it would be great if all peeps in Europe would post a few photos of their current flock with some details like breed, sex, age, names.

Yes, the bantams are in the same coop as the LF before. Still in the same breeding club. I am actually a little closer to my chickens than before.

At the moment I have 30 still. But I will have to downsize some. I will be keeping 5 roosters and about 2 hens per rooster for the breeding. I wish I would have good pictures but I don't. I was so busy looking for an apartment, moving and hosting the district show for our 125th anniversary (breeding club). I didn't take pictures. Now that they are stuck inside it doesn't make for nice pictures either.

 

[BDutch]

I wonder if more people in Europe have difficulties to access the ByC platform every now and then in the last month?
Especially uploading photo’s is often a nuicance.

Sites hosted in EU do not have this problem (problem is not my connection)

Quoting myself bc I think i found the problem/solution. But I find it worrying though.

I use the browser Ecosia: eco-friendly, based in Europe and is moving away from US tech giants.
But recently I had so much problems with the BYC website/platform that I used Safari’s browser again for BYC.
The problems with the connection vanished. I didn’t have problems with other websites/platforms using Ecosia.

 

[abpatchy]

Merry Christmas everone!

 

[BDutch]

 

[Skyle]

Merry Christmas!

 

[chickengr]

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

[fluffycrow]

Hello everyone, hope you’re all doing well this new year.
I’ve been MIA for most of the new year, after being sick, but hope you’ve all spent your holidays pleasantly.

Abpatchy, I’m very sorry to hear about all your troubles and with losing your LFs . As far as your personal life, freedom awaits, as chickengr said!
Hope that flat life is treating you well, and that you’ll soon have a lot of bantam chicks on your hands with spring slowly approaching.

Congrats on your wins at the shows, Skyle! That Brahma is absolutely gorgeous! Can’t even imagine how stunning she looks when she does want to pose for the camera!
Congrats on the quail as well. I do not know much about them, but their patterns are very alluring.

Things here are ok. I can’t free range at all now, and both I and the chickens aren’t too pleased with the situation.
The foxes this year have been devastating. In the latest attack that prompted the lockdown, we lost half of the group. Only 9LFs remain. A young pullet I was excited about, three cockerels, and all of the seniors (among others) were taken. The oldest hen in the group is now two and a half years old.

This devastating loss has led to another problem. It had always been the plan that this year we’d need to bring in new blood, but with the group at half original size, we’re headed towards a genetic bottleneck much faster.
I’ve been looking at breeds that could work here. Araucanas seem pretty great, if it were not for their pea comb that I’m hoping with be naturally bred out.
The goal is return to free ranging at some point, (though I’m not sure how) so I’m looking at breeds that could be well suited to that. Fayoumi are definitely on the list, though their low brooding makes me think it would be better to introduce them once the group has become more established in that regard. I did think of turkens. Not my cup of tea, but some reviews describe them as excellent free rangers and broodies.
I think you have experience with all three breeds, chickengr. Has your experience with them seem to match what I’ve been reading?

 

[Skyeknight]

Araucanas seem pretty great, if it were not for their pea comb that I’m hoping with be naturally bred out.

If my knowledge of genetics is correct then breeding the pea comb out of Araucana's also means breeding out the blue egg gene. They should be on the same allele.

 

[fluffycrow]

If my knowledge of genetics is correct then breeding the pea comb out of Araucana's also means breeding out the blue egg gene. They should be on the same allele.

Ah, I see. Very interesting.

Well, it is what it is. I can’t say the blue egg gene is what drew me to them. The rest lay green or brown eggs, so if the offspring start laying green eggs, it wouldn’t be the end of the world