Spitzhaubens

[Faraday40]

I sold my last Spitzhaubens to an Amish couple who saw them in the yard, and stopped by to ask about them. They liked that the breed has a German name. I had lost the other Spitz hen last month, presumably to a predator, unless she is broody somewhere. But we have had a LOT of storms, and a foot of rain, so she would be up against great odds. Anyway they bought a hen and a rooster and want to raise Spitzes. I like to imagine that all the Amish in the area will eventually have some of these birds. Meanwhile, I saved 4 Spitz eggs and gave them to my newly broody Sebright, Moonshine. We shall see what happens with those.....she is 2 years old and very determined to be a mama, having gone broody every month during warm weather.
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Those are beautiful spitzes. I hope your eggs hatch.

We have 6 Spitz chicks at the moment + a lot more. They are from DS's 4H poultry science project. My best broody adopted all the chicks and is taking good care of them until they get their new homes.

We now have 6 spitzes, 2 orps, 4 seramas, and 3 turkey poults. (Already sold 11 Leghorns, 3 spitzes, 2 seramas, and 5 orps.)

 

[homeschoolin momma]

@Faraday40 I know its a little too soon to tell for sure, but it seems that some of them have their daddy's pretty mohawk!

 

[Faraday40]

@Faraday40 I know its a little too soon to tell for sure, but it seems that some of them have their daddy's pretty mohawk!

Yes. Most do have a nice sharp mohawk.

 

[SueT]

My little Sebright hen Moonshine, sitting on 4 Spitzhauben eggs, just hatched #1!

 

[Alaskan]

My little Sebright hen Moonshine, sitting on 4 Spitzhauben eggs, just hatched #1!
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Great job!

 

[SueT]

This morning, 3 Spitz babies so far. Last egg will be a day behind. I put a dish of mash in there that Moonshine can reach without getting off the egg. She is showing the bitties the food...

 

[Faraday40]

This morning, 3 Spitz babies so far. Last egg will be a day behind. I put a dish of mash in there that Moonshine can reach without getting off the egg. She is showing the bitties the food...
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Such a good mama. I know our Sebright, Trouble, is a very fierce & determined mama. Nothing can stop her from setting, and she mothers her chicks for 7-8 weeks. It doesn't change when they're 2xs her size by 3 weeks. They remain her "babies." I'm guessing Moonshine will be the same way.

The only issue you may have is that Sebrights & Spitzes can fly well (for chickens). Mama may teach her babies how to hop the fence for some adventures.

 

[SueT]

Such a good mama. I know our Sebright, Trouble, is a very fierce & determined mama. Nothing can stop her from setting, and she mothers her chicks for 7-8 weeks. It doesn't change when they're 2xs her size by 3 weeks. They remain her "babies." I'm guessing Moonshine will be the same way.

The only issue you may have is that Sebrights & Spitzes can fly well (for chickens). Mama may teach her babies how to hop the fence for some adventures.

well, at first, they will have a part of the run all to themselves, which is covered w bird netting. But I have been letting everyone free range most days, so she can take them out with her after they are integrated w flock. However, I wasn't planning to keep them. The woman who bought their parents would like to have them. We'll see how that goes. I'd rather not deal with cockerels, and could sell them before we know who's what.
Here is Mama showing babies the food. She has rolled the unhatched egg closer to feeder so she can keep setting on it. She's a multitasking mama!

 

[Alaskan]

Very nice mana!

 

[SueT]

So, with Moonshine and the Spitz chicks, egg #4 was started 1 1/2 days behind. Yesterday, I discovered mites in the little nest box they had been confined to. Mama was standing, trying to avoid the bugs. So I quickly moved them to their pen in the coop, egg and all. Mama abandoned the egg and stayed w the chicks. I brought the egg in the house and improvised a makeshift hatcher with a heating pad. The egg hatched this morning! So now I have this little orphan,
and want to introduce it to mama after it gets active, hopefully today. The 3 other chicks are now 2 days old. @Faraday40 (and anyone else) any thoughts on how this might work out? Thanks!
btw I got permethrin poultry powder and treated mama hen and the coop, nest boxes after completely sweeping it out. Fingers crossed on that.