Spitzhaubens

[Faraday40]

I have more photos, and it must have been the wrong pics I was sent, because this look much more like the Spitzhauben I've seen;

Love the expression.

 

[ArtLady1]

My Joon laid her first egg today

 

[Faraday40]

@ArtLady1

Congrats on that beautiful egg!

Joon is such a pretty girl.

 

[ArtLady1]

@ArtLady1
Thank you! I love her so much. She tried every nesting box we have today.
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Congrats on that beautiful egg!

Joon is such a pretty girl.

 

[Faraday40]

Haven't posted for a while.

Here's Spitzie

She stopped laying in Sept/Oct. I guess she saw the hens molting & wanted to give it a try.

She shows no signs of laying, so we're calling it her winter break. At least she didn't go into a heavy molt. We're down to -4'F tonight. It will warm up on Sat to dump more snow & then drop to -12'F on Sunday. It's not normal for it to be this cold this early in the year. The chickens have not left the coop for days. I even shoveled paths for them! The only outside they see is when they sun themselves in the window.

 

[Alaskan]

Silly girl!

But yeah, the dark and cold will talk them into not laying.

Mine aren't laying right now either.

 

[Alaskan]

I forgot to mention...she sure is pretty! And dang! What a nice clean coop!

 

[drumstick diva]

She is really lovely.

 

[Faraday40]

I can't believe it! I just went out to do an egg check. I noticed a hawk take to the air as I was walking out & found my poor Spitzie ripped to pieces. It was a gigantic bird - like a red-tailed hawk - so I doubt there was much the roosters could do.

I'm so very sad & in shock. She was one of my fastest chickens, in good health, with great reflexes. Also, she was white to blend in with the snow. I know this is just nature & to be expected, but it doesn't help my feelings at the moment. After 2 failed hatches from 2 diff breeders (shipped eggs), I finally got eggs in February via a friend who drove by an Appenzeller Spitzhauben breeder on vacation. I was so excited to have all 6 hatch & after much deliberation, we decided to keep our sweet Spitzie as the new fancy, member of our flock. She was a gentle, quiet, easy-going girl who always loved to pose for the camera. (We have more pics of this pullet during her short life than any hen or rooster we've ever owned.)

RIP my dear Spitzie.





































While writing this, the kids came home from school. As you can probably tell, Spitzie was a favorite. Lots of tears today.

 

[Alaskan]

Oh good grief!!!!




So sorry for your loss!

That raptor now knows where dinner is...lock up the rest for at least a week until it moves on.