Sdwd

[Serrin]

Beth, they're all looking wonderful! And that little Boo! Oh boy! He's gonna be a character and a half! I Can just see it coming.

Do you have any idea what went into the making of Belle? I ask because about 5 or 6 of my little pullets looked just like her when they were little. Sonic in particular has that heavy redness in her chest and the wonderful brindle like color/pattern in her wings.

I really do need to get out there soon and get pictures of everyone so y'all can see what I'm talking about. I'd love to get some feedback from you guys as to what you think went into the creation of my little mutts. I'm at a total loss on some of them as to who mom might have been or even their daddy for that matter. About the only one I don't have any confusion on is G.G. [Griffin's Girl] While I might not know who her mommy is, there's no doubt in my mind as to who her daddy is. Not one bit!!

Have a great day folks! I've got a big old long list of work on the house to do today. I might not be around much. But y'all know I'm always with ya in spirit!

 

[joletabey]

Cetawin, Ivan is yours if you want him- just let me know!! Where in NC is your DH going? I can track him down and hand Ivan over!

Amy, Belle has a Delaware mom and Ultrasuede, my blue Orp roo, is her daddy. Does that help?

I am delighted with how my kids are looking, if I do say so myself!

 

[kathyinmo]

Good day friends!

Still a heat wave here, though we did get a little rain during the night. Forecast is a couple more days of heat before a cool off of only 90* .......

Well, I have finished hatching for this week. Results not as good as last weekend, but stull successful, I believe. Julie (jubaby) sent me eggs from her Silkied Ameraucana over Ameraucana hens. Last week I hatched 12 of 13, and this week 8 of 12. A couple of the eggs are of the originals, not the cross with the Ameraucana hens. Anyway, they seem to be doing well so far.

Next hatch date due: Aug 30 .... THESE I really want to hatch!

 

[joletabey]

Kathy- what are you hatching August 30th? Don't keep us in suspense!!!!

Amy- do post pics of the ones that resembled Belle when they were chicks- I'd like to see what they look like.

 

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
Tell me about it. I jsut had my DS go through all his stuff that's been here since he joined the AF 9 years ago. My DD and her hus moved in and they better move the stuff in the garage soon cuz the snowblower needs to go back. My DD came home from college and she lived off campus so she had a bunch of stuff too. OMG. I'm tired of climbing over stuff.

Well neither the Del nor the Dom are broody but I'm pretty sure the BO is. She growls and I haven't seen her off the nest since yesterday. She's in the same nest as before I think. She's sitting on two wooden eggs. LOL I'll start switching them out for Dels tomorrow evening if she's still there.

I noticed one hen today that has a U shape. Not a good thing and I'm not sure where she came from. I have to pull the two hatchery girls and keep Nick and his 4 girls inside to collect the eggs I want. One of Nicks girls is with her chick still and so that means the most I can get for eggs is three a day if they lay well.

I want to have at least six under the BO broody. Given the odds half will be roos. LOL I know it's Aug. but figure they'll be two months old by the time snow flies. I think broody chicks are stronger somehow.

I've bought numbered bands so I can tell whose who. Still it's hard cuz you can see the numbers except by picking them up.

 

[Serrin]

Quote:
Not one darn bit!

OK, ask and ye shall receive. I just happen to have some good ones of these oddball girls when they were young, already loaded to my photobucket. So, this should be a snap!

This is Sonic. Please don't ask me to explain the name. It fit at the time. [hatching] Now it's a bit of a silly name. But, she answers to it, so she and the name stay!

This here is Vivian. She has the most of the red in her chest of all of the basically black girls, though she didn't start out that way. It gradually filled in. Believe it or not, when she was just a couple of days old, I really thought she was going to look mostly like a barred rock!

My apologies on the fuzzy picture. It's the only one I have of her handy at the moment.

This is Dottie. She's the one who has an obsession with pecking at my back whenever I squat down to talk to everyone. Wicked little wench! If I didn't love her so much, I'd rehome her! I'll tell ya one thing...those pecks HURT!

And this is Tira. Just a sweet, quiet little girl. And a darned good little egg layer as it turns out!

Most of those pictures were taken at about 7-8 weeks of age if memory serves me. The one of Sonic was taken while I was still brooding them in the closet in the new house. Hey! It worked! And it was the only safe, warm, dry place I had big enough to hold them all.

They're five and a half months old now. Good grief! The time went by so fast. I really do need to get out and get new pictures of them all. I have two more mostly black little girls, Penny and Ingrid, but for some reason, I have never gotten pictures of them specifically. That will definitely need to be remedied!! Ingrid is such a sweet little thing. Every time I turn around, there's Ingrid, right beside me looking for some cuddles and love.

I really have very little to go on as to what went into their genetic make up. I recall seeing a RIR, a BR and Griffin [BW] as far as the roosters go. And as Griffin was being offered to me at that time, I really had eyes only for him. I should have paid closer attention. Though in all honesty, now days I get the impression that most of their flock was comprised of mutts with just the oddball purebred thrown in for interest.

But one does not sniff a gift egg when they are offered for free! And it was my first attempt at hatching.

While I'd love to have some more purebreds, like Dels, or CR [another very lovely bird] or BO [I'll always have a huge soft spot for BO's!] I must admit, I love these crazy little mutts of mine. Part of the fun of them has been to discover their individual personalities. And since none of them have any pedigree to them, I had no hint of what to expect for personality traits. Everyone knows that Dels are supposed to be extremely friendly for instance. But it's any one's guess with a mutt. And that just makes things fun and interesting, in my humble opinion!

 

[Bassleg]

It's HOT today here it's 105 deg and my fat chickens are sweatin gravy!!

 

[kathyinmo]

Bassleg .... I think I could hatch eggs without an incubator, it is so darn hot here! Over 100, with heat index climbing above 115.

Amy, you have a lovely flock. I love looking at everyone's pictures. Bassleg posted some of his Jersey Giant chicks on the JG thread the other day. They were hatched from my flock. I love those big birds! You are right, Amy, it is so fun to watch them and to discover their individual personalities. I love having chickens. If I had known, I would have had them years ago!

 

[speckledhen]

Dottie and Tira are so sweet-looking, Amy.

 

[speckledhen]

Okay, I'm so tired of SOP, SOP, I wrote my own SOP.

Speckledhen's Poultry Standard of Perfection

Comb:
Single, pea or rose, or combination thereof. No others permitted.

Head:
Firmly attached to neck, in proportion to the body.

Neck:
Must be completely feathered. No naked necks.

Shanks and toes:
Must be in proportion to the body. No extra long ostrich legs or extra short dumpy legs allowed.
Any color acceptable.

Fluff:
Must have lots of it, especially butt-fluff.
Any color except white.

Plumage/Color:

Any pattern and any color except white are acceptable.
Must have real feathers. No silkie feathers, no frizzles, sizzles, or other "izzles" allowed.

Miscellaneous:

Hens must lay eggs occasionally. Any color is acceptable.
Hens must have tendency to brood once a year, but no more than once. No "serial broodies" permitted.
Roosters must be calm, even-tempered and non-human aggressive, but alert, protective and good to his girls.
Friendly and curious personalities necessary in both sexes.


The only judge as to whether a bird meets this Standard is ME.

This is a work in progress. Feel free to make any suggestions for improvement. Humor is allowed.​