1/10/25 Updates:
Ding Dong trying to look handsome in the snow:
That's Misty, Rusty's daughter, in white/ermine and Euphrate (we call her "You/Eu"), Grumpy's daughter, peeking from the back.
Here's some more glamor shots of Ding Dong:
Quite a glow-up from their scrawny selves a few short weeks ago.
Here's Grande, his white-legged twin, next to him for comparison:
Both are more tan/off-white than their pretty Barred Rock mothers, and you can spot the deep red leakage from their mixed breed father. It is hard to say who is dominant, but I can see who has probably caused the most trouble to Yorvir and the hens based on the slightly bloodied comb.
I doubt we can keep even one, much less both, unless they can make it to a coop and run addition in the spring... Fingers crossed for them.
Here's Euphrate, the chocolate-colored chick from the same rooster/flock:
She's almost laced, and probably some kind of partridge/wild type color variant? My terminology isn't great so don't take this as an informed description. Whatever it is, I love it. She and her hatchmate pullet, Cathy, are both nearing point-of-lay based on those ripening combs.
Speaking of Cathy, here she is:
The image of a Black Sex Link, who indubitibly was her mother, from the same flock.
Birds you will no longer see here include Dingo, the reddish barred boy, Gusty, Rusty's 3/4 son, and Alphineau, Yorvir's little boy that Blue hatched. We had earlier indications of drama from that set, and someone paid us for a fresh Christmas dinner. Mixed feelings as always, but it spares a factory supermarket chicken as their substitute, so I'll try to stay philosophical.
Despite giving up Gusty, little Musty/Gubbles is just the IMAGE of Rusty, even though he is less related than Gusty was:
He's still timid as the youngest in a large flock, plus a singleton hatchling to boot! But I'm praying he will become a calm and dutiful second in command with no ambition. I really want one of Rusty's sons to continue his legacy.
Alphie's sister, who is supposed to be 3/4 of Rusty, looks nothing like him in color. She is a big, BIG, buff girl. Not so fluffy as Dusty who is the absolute queen of all feathers, but just a big, solid looking pullet. She's got the characteristic slow maturation and size, but none of the light coloration. If you squint you can imagine a slight barring in her feathers. However, she was strongly opposed to any snow adventures and so you will not see her here. She may be more shy since her brother has moved on, poor thing, but I see her often with Gubbles. Perhaps they are learning to bond?
Misty, Mage, and Sorsha will not be found here unless incidently in a group shot, but I believe all but Sorsha are laying. They have quite fallen in love with Yorvir and, as such, he spends most of his time and attention on them. I got 6 eggs yesterday, so the pullets are almost carrying us through winter.
Dora, Kloud, and Daphne of the Crazy 8 are still doing well; perhaps too well? It came to blows between Yorvir and Kloud, and Yorvir was not the winner. We intervened early and Kloud now must live separately until I have a better solution. Dora is also a permanent escapist, so she is currently enclosed as well. To offset their isolation we also have Peaches, paranoid as always, and Ms. Helen the Black Sex Link to weather the winter together, but spring will require more space solutions.
I have much to do!
Group shots:
As you see, Yorvir's ego is none the worse for wear. He DID manage to knock off his second spur!! And I have no idea if they will grow back!! What a crazy boy... Really going to have to monitor the barred boys to ensure we don't have them tag-teaming him in a few months.
) and we'll just see how many girls go broody. If it's a lot we may go even smaller.
