Random Pics of My Lil Flock

[Trimurtisan]

I would love to have a Serama! He is too cute! Love the pic, too! Entering it into the calendar contest??? You should!

Him and his 2 sisters (Nugget & Izzy) are my first chickens, and I had no idea how awesome they could be.

He's already entered in the calendar contest. When I bought them, I was told "they are not show quality" but I've been showing them off just fine.

It's going to be neat watching your little ones grow.

 

[Aunt Angus]

My current flock:

• Aster, Buff Brahma
• Bryony, Welsummer
• Dandelion, White Silkie
• Iris, White Cochin
• Picotee, Silver Sebright
• Poppy, Buff Orpington
• Violet, Black Silkie
• Zinnia, Barred Plymouth Rock

 

[Aunt Angus]

I can't get Bryony to stand still long enough for a good pic...

 

[Aunt Angus]

Picotee taking her first dust bath when I was cleaning the brooder and had the chicks in a box. So cuuuute!

 

[drumstick diva]

Picotee is doing a fine job of it too.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I brought the babies outside for a bit today.

Gender guess update (just shy of 4 weeks old now):
Picotee (Sebright) still has zero comb. Like none. There is an indent on his/her little head where a comb ought to be. I'm hoping that means Picotee is a she.

Violet (black Silkie) also has zero comb. He/she also has a very narrow beak and very dainty legs. I'm also tenuously hopeful that Violet is a she.

Dandelion (splash Silkie) has a wider beak and thicker legs. I'm thinking that Dandelion is a he. Not the end of the world as I can have roos where I live.

The problem is fertilized eggs. I can't eat them. As a Buddhist, that violates one of the Precepts. I am talking with a monk about it, and we are working together to come up with a solution if Dandelion is, indeed, a cockerel. Time will tell...

 

[Trimurtisan]

The problem is fertilized eggs. I can't eat them. As a Buddhist, that violates one of the Precepts

I didn't know that. I don't mean to sound stupid, just uneducated. Is the issue with eating fertilized egg have to do with interrupting the reproductive cycle?

I'm rooting on ladies for you. Especially Picotee, they're all adorable, but I've got a soft spot for Sebrights.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I didn't know that. I don't mean to sound stupid, just uneducated. Is the issue with eating fertilized egg have to do with interrupting the reproductive cycle?

I'm rooting on ladies for you. Especially Picotee, they're all adorable, but I've got a soft spot for Sebrights.

Once fertilized, the egg is considered life (it has the potential for life). This monk and I have been corresponding about whether my situation would violate the Precept about taking a life since only incubated eggs will hatch, and hens don't incubate all of their eggs. Some also interpret the Precept as being violated if the taking of the life is done consciously, so if I inadvertently ate a fertilized egg, I wouldn't be causing harm. And not all eggs laid would be ferilized, either. And some Buddhists/sects of Buddhists don't see it at all this way. It's a gray area for me, really.

I thought about rehoming him (if it's a him), but there are many in our area looking to rehome Silkie roos. And I couldn't in good conscience sell him to be butchered. I thought about housing him separately from the girls, caponizing him (via a veterinarian, of course), and even about breeding chicks to sell as pets. There are lots of options. Right now I'm leaning toward letting him fertilize eggs and just not eating them. I could let family and friends eat them. If a bird wants to set, I may let her and see about selling chicks. In the meantime, I'm researching avian vets in the area to see what caponizing would entail.

Sorry to "talk" your ear off. It's good to get this out, though.

 

[Trimurtisan]

Sorry to "talk" your ear off. It's good to get this out, though.

Hehe, you should stop by my thread. You won't feel sorry for talking ears off anymore. Most days I've got quite a bit to say.

Although I am uneducated on Buddhist practices, I have always admired what I do know. Currently I'm trying to break my son from hating ants and killing them on sight. Hate is such a strong feeling to begin with, and at his age (5) he likely doesn't understand it well. I tell him often that we need the ants much more than they need us.

I've had my own struggles with what to do with my chickens recently too. It's not related to you're issue, but I can understand the pain in the butt factor.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Babies have new digs! They outgrew the other cage. My older girls were already outside by this age so we didn't need to upgrade. I'm not ready to put these babies outside just yet. I think I'm more worried about these three because they are bantams. Or because the three I ordered by mail all died as a result of shipping stress. I don't want anything else to happen!

And I am now almost certain both Picotee and Dandelion are BOTH cockerels! Hahaha! Straight run strikes again!

But it's ok. I think I've come to terms with fertilized eggs. My roos would probably end up on a dinner table if I were to sell them/give them away. I think I can reconcile disrupting the incubation process in favor of preserving my roos.