The white ones with the grey and black stippling are young Delawares from a heritage line from one of our own BYC breeders..exceptional birds in all ways. They are almost 4 mo. old.
The big, dirty white birds are my 6 yr old White Rock hens, who are going through molt like the rest so they aren't too pretty right now~usually they are clean and white with the softest feathers of any breed I've ever known, which is typical for White Rocks. That biggest one in the last pic is Big Bertha...she is on the cull list because her abdomen is so pendulous that I'm afraid she will start to have problems with laying before long.
Toby and Little Red Hen are also 6 yrs old...that little red bird is by far the best layer I have in my flock right now and puts eggs in the nest all year round, even during molt. She doesn't molt heavy and she is the best forager also...she is a New Hampshire from hatchery stock, like all of the Gnarly Bunch. Toby was kicked at the Bad Place and now has a gimpy hip that seems to stiffen on him in bad weather, but he is still healthy, if no longer fertile. If the Lord is willing, he will be my last rooster..and what a great one he has been!
The Partridge Rock female and the two Barred Rocks(muddy hatchery genetics show Cuckoo Maran characteristics there) are 4 yrs old...the BRs are not steady layers and normally would be culled in my flock by now, as would the PR hen. This last flock of mine are a little different than all the rest because they are the last, so culling isn't as vigorous due to the fact that no one is really being replaced after these four young birds unless the Lord wills it. The BRs are not big favorites of mine..that breed never did thrill me. The PR is a so, so layer but a pretty, quiet bird that is a loner, though she flocks well on range. She would have been on my cull list also in normal circumstances.
The little Black Australorp is of unknown age as she tagged along from the Bad Place with my Gnarly Bunch. She could be one of the original GBs..there was one BA in the group, but she was a year older than the GBs and not from the same hatchery source. If she is indeed my one lone BA, she is 7 yrs old. Her laying performance isn't up to par for a younger BA, so I'm inclined to believe she is one of my original flock....even at that age, she is currently laying and doesn't seem to have much molting, which my BAs never did. She doesn't lay steady but she is still laying enough for a 7 yr old and seems to have no age related issues happening, so I'm not sure what to do about her..at the first sign of decrepit age and debility, I'll cull her but she is so darn perky and nosy that I want to keep her for a bit. She adds some much needed humor to the flock.
Two of the young birds are White Rocks from the same breeder as the Dels and are beautiful birds....I've got great hopes for them as replacements for Big Bertha and Middle Sister, both slated to be culled this fall. It will be sad but both are showing sagging abdomens and aren't laying as steadily as they used to do. Time to end them before they start to have problems leading to suffering. I'm giving them this last, glorious summer and Middle Sister got to foster one last set of birds, even if they are too old to be mothered, so she's going out doing what she loved. Ending one's life while still in good health, doing what you love, is about the best thing I can think of!
The big, dirty white birds are my 6 yr old White Rock hens, who are going through molt like the rest so they aren't too pretty right now~usually they are clean and white with the softest feathers of any breed I've ever known, which is typical for White Rocks. That biggest one in the last pic is Big Bertha...she is on the cull list because her abdomen is so pendulous that I'm afraid she will start to have problems with laying before long.
Toby and Little Red Hen are also 6 yrs old...that little red bird is by far the best layer I have in my flock right now and puts eggs in the nest all year round, even during molt. She doesn't molt heavy and she is the best forager also...she is a New Hampshire from hatchery stock, like all of the Gnarly Bunch. Toby was kicked at the Bad Place and now has a gimpy hip that seems to stiffen on him in bad weather, but he is still healthy, if no longer fertile. If the Lord is willing, he will be my last rooster..and what a great one he has been!
The Partridge Rock female and the two Barred Rocks(muddy hatchery genetics show Cuckoo Maran characteristics there) are 4 yrs old...the BRs are not steady layers and normally would be culled in my flock by now, as would the PR hen. This last flock of mine are a little different than all the rest because they are the last, so culling isn't as vigorous due to the fact that no one is really being replaced after these four young birds unless the Lord wills it. The BRs are not big favorites of mine..that breed never did thrill me. The PR is a so, so layer but a pretty, quiet bird that is a loner, though she flocks well on range. She would have been on my cull list also in normal circumstances.
The little Black Australorp is of unknown age as she tagged along from the Bad Place with my Gnarly Bunch. She could be one of the original GBs..there was one BA in the group, but she was a year older than the GBs and not from the same hatchery source. If she is indeed my one lone BA, she is 7 yrs old. Her laying performance isn't up to par for a younger BA, so I'm inclined to believe she is one of my original flock....even at that age, she is currently laying and doesn't seem to have much molting, which my BAs never did. She doesn't lay steady but she is still laying enough for a 7 yr old and seems to have no age related issues happening, so I'm not sure what to do about her..at the first sign of decrepit age and debility, I'll cull her but she is so darn perky and nosy that I want to keep her for a bit. She adds some much needed humor to the flock.
Two of the young birds are White Rocks from the same breeder as the Dels and are beautiful birds....I've got great hopes for them as replacements for Big Bertha and Middle Sister, both slated to be culled this fall. It will be sad but both are showing sagging abdomens and aren't laying as steadily as they used to do. Time to end them before they start to have problems leading to suffering. I'm giving them this last, glorious summer and Middle Sister got to foster one last set of birds, even if they are too old to be mothered, so she's going out doing what she loved. Ending one's life while still in good health, doing what you love, is about the best thing I can think of!
Oh man I sure do see where you are coming from on this one. Man that IS hard but with your strength I feel you will do fine. Wishing I could send you some of my babies when I have some. 
