Sounds good Ivie. I'm sure it's the same couple I have pictured in my head. You saying John was tall now...has me thinking more about that couple ...and it's been some years...but you're right about that. I might have seen them at the Dr's office a couple times too. IDK... I'm getting old. LOL.
Oh man, too many posts to back read! I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather. I know I am. Hopefully, my girls will start laying a bit better with the change in humidity. Bunch of free loaders =)
We've been busy with ducklings, getting our pens finished up, and preparing for baby. There's always something to do. My chicks from this year are rounding the corner of 16 weeks, so I hope to see some eggs from them in another month or two. I still have my EE rooster although he hasn't started crowing yet. He almost has me second guessing his sex. Almost. The saddle feathers are pretty obvious, however, and his big ol' pea comb.
Believe it or not, DH came home with some birds the other day. I didn't care too much until I found out what they were. Drum roll.......Peacocks. Yes, Peacocks. I sent him on a mission to deliver some fertile Muscovy eggs and instead of money, he comes home with peachicks. He's really bad at this business stuff! I'm not too impressed. I know how noisy they are and they may even be a bit too foo-foo for me. We have an open 10x15x10 pen, but I planned on housing turkeys in it next year. It's interesting because I've been looking for Peachicks for a friend for quite some time without much luck. They sell quick. And he, of course, just seems to come across these things.....go figure.....
I am home again, As BC said it was fun times, I could have stayed hours more but I needed to get back here in time for my chores.
I learned a ton from Jerry, He took my rooster that should not exist. The one with the weird Pea comb, he assured me it was a pea comb though. I dare not say much on the CLB thread it drives them nuts. If you know chicken genetics 2 single comb birds can only produce a single comb bird, so says the Punnet square. This one has 2 single comb parents and it has a pea comb. The people on CLB thread keep insisting both parents were not single comb. Those of you that have seen my breed separation during hatching season know there is no way that could happen. Unless it was an immaculate conception.
Jerry pointed out on the CLBs while they are single comb, the small comb could allow a pea comb to hide in the woods, which makes sense except out of 300 plus chicks this year more than one should have a pea comb. This was the only pea comb of the 60 some roosters I have left... Or he pointed out it could be a spontaneous mutation. Either way it is cool, but not something I want in my breeding stock.
Other that the comb I think the rooster is pretty good looking, but I will need to hear Jerry's critique of it to know for sure.
I sold some chicks on the way up to a woman that has bought from me before, she looked at the white sports and fell in love with them. Which is good, as I really like them, I like them more that the CLB for looks. They have a graceful look the CLB's seem to lack in my humble uneducated mind.
I have the white sports moved into a cage in the main CLB pen. The CLB pen is my most sturdy from a coyote attack, I am not going to risk them being in the quarantine pen if he comes around. I am going to need to get the Dom's out of there too, Besides I need to ready it for Mr T's arrival.
I should let Holm tell you, but I won't, I will spoil it for him, on the way home I got a call from the USDA Vet ( this is the lady Vet JJ fell in lust with).. She told me all of Holm's birds tested free and clear of any diseases and I can bring Mr T back here now!.. I am so excited over adding his genetics to my flock next year! I will let Holm tell you all he went through for me to get Mr T if he wants.
The USDA Vet told me Holm's has a great setup and she likes what he knows and does with his birds. So he gets a standing ovation from me!...
And the best part of the day was Lunch at Patrick's in Longville! BC bought and paid for lobster for all of us with champagne. We limited ourselves to 2 drinks each.
You should have come with Ivie it would have been worth the 5 hours in a car with me and 3 chickens.......maybe...
Oh and I forgo to mention Jerry told me the edible mushroom I found was not what I thought I had....so therefore edible may not apply to it..
Thanks for telling them for me! I wouldn't have been able to tell these guys for quite awhile lol! I'm glad she liked it! She is very nice and I see why JJ likes her lol!
And guess how many inches of rain we have gotten the past few days!?!? Over 12 inches!! The fields around here are flooded!
Purebred or hybrid? I love my Welsummers for layers. My New Hampshires are excellent layers too, especially for a dual purpose breed. Definitely not Cochins!!! LOL!!
Isbars are not recognized in the APA Standard, so if you were to want to show, you could only get to Best of Breed with them. I am pretty sure there isn't anything going up to try getting them accepted in, and it is a long process to do it.
Really as far as layers though, it depends on the strain. Some breeders put more effort into breeding good layers, where others concentrate more on the type and color of the bird. Then there are some who just concentrate on the color of the egg. My Buckeyes are good for when they get going in the cold weather, but when things heat up, they drop off laying.
Purebred or hybrid? I love my Welsummers for layers. My New Hampshires are excellent layers too, especially for a dual purpose breed. Definitely not Cochins!!! LOL!!
Isbars are not recognized in the APA Standard, so if you were to want to show, you could only get to Best of Breed with them. I am pretty sure there isn't anything going up to try getting them accepted in, and it is a long process to do it.
Really as far as layers though, it depends on the strain. Some breeders put more effort into breeding good layers, where others concentrate more on the type and color of the bird. Then there are some who just concentrate on the color of the egg. My Buckeyes are good for when they get going in the cold weather, but when things heat up, they drop off laying.
Purebred. I would only show the Isbars in egg laying market trios.
What color is the welsummers egg? I've heard it varies from really dark to a lighter brown.
I'm thinking about getting Black Copper Marans for dark egg layers
Oh man, too many posts to back read! I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather. I know I am. Hopefully, my girls will start laying a bit better with the change in humidity. Bunch of free loaders =)
We've been busy with ducklings, getting our pens finished up, and preparing for baby. There's always something to do. My chicks from this year are rounding the corner of 16 weeks, so I hope to see some eggs from them in another month or two. I still have my EE rooster although he hasn't started crowing yet. He almost has me second guessing his sex. Almost. The saddle feathers are pretty obvious, however, and his big ol' pea comb.
Believe it or not, DH came home with some birds the other day. I didn't care too much until I found out what they were. Drum roll.......Peacocks. Yes, Peacocks. I sent him on a mission to deliver some fertile Muscovy eggs and instead of money, he comes home with peachicks. He's really bad at this business stuff! I'm not too impressed. I know how noisy they are and they may even be a bit too foo-foo for me. We have an open 10x15x10 pen, but I planned on housing turkeys in it next year. It's interesting because I've been looking for Peachicks for a friend for quite some time without much luck. They sell quick. And he, of course, just seems to come across these things.....go figure.....
Two nights ago, I was getting done with chores and an India Blue peacock came out of the cornfield! I know my neigbor about a mile down the road has some, so I am guessing it is one of his rogue males out on the loose. It wouldn't be the first one. I called him and left a message that the boy is now down at the pond in the field. I tried to get his picture when he went into our elm tree, but he played shy with me and flew over the tassling corn and to the pond.
DH said, "Finders keepers." Of course, he doesn't know anything about peacocks and how they like to be free spirits. I told him they mean good luck, I could use some of that.
He is the spitting image of lucky! I am amazed Lucky can have a chick this old already. As I recall Lucky was just hatched in mid January around the 12th. or 20th.....
