Texas

[Kilsharion]

I'm still gonna say he has dorking somewhere in his genetics...

especially since you also said he is fattening up faster than his brother?

if he is.. and you don't care about the SOP.. i would keep him as a breeder and find him some nice chunky girls .. could end up as the start of a meat bird program for ya! (I've no idea if you want dual purpose birds for meat or eggs or just what.. but it's something to think about depending on how he grows out)

He's got too much birchen, he's too upright and not stocky enough - his legs are too long and he only has four toes. His comb doesn't look quite right for a Dorking, either.

I'd say he's a cross between an OEG birchen/silver duckwing and something else. I'll be interested to see what he looks like when he gets bigger.

I'm seeing Dorkings everywhere I look, too. **grins**

I do agree he could possibly have Dorking in his background - kinda like my SLW mutts from Ideal. Would have never guessed they were supposed to be SLWs.

 

[Cockle-Dood]

if you do langshans we might become best buds!! i should have some this summer....gonna attempt to work with those and Black Austrlorps! been reading up and the langs will actually help the ausies with tightness of feathering for SOP, and also with their green sheen!

 

[StelleKitten]

He is part of my dual purpose birds. I'm not sure what his brother is, but his brother is much fatter. His brother though is slower to mature. Rascal has already figured out what hens are for. Fatty is just starting to even notice them. Aboit a 2 month difference maturity wise.

 

[yinepu]

No clue what hatchery. And I do care about sop, just not set up yet to breed for it. I was thinking about breeding croad langshans later but for now, just making sure my set up works. I want to have a lot more experience before I start working with expensive birds.

no.. I meant the SOP for HIM in particular!.. lol.. with him being a hatchery bird from a batch of heavies it's not like you had considered him as the basis for your breeding program (wow that sounds really snobbish.. not how I intend it.. but I think you know what I mean)

Quote:
yeah.. I have "dorkingitis" *hangs head in shame*

but unless we track down his parents and make everyone submit to a DNA test we may never know...

those darn tail feathers still tell me dorking.. regardless of what traveling salesman his mamma was "friends" with... (yes hunny.. that's your "uncle"... uhm..... yeah....)

 

[Kilsharion]

He is part of my dual purpose birds. I'm not sure what his brother is, but his brother is much fatter. His brother though is slower to mature. Rascal has already figured out what hens are for. Fatty is just starting to even notice them. Aboit a 2 month difference maturity wise.

Slow to mature is a big indicator in Dorkings, btw. And, is his brother "fat" or just 'stocky' there's a difference....especially if they do have Dorking blood in them somewhere.

 

[yinepu]

He is part of my dual purpose birds. I'm not sure what his brother is, but his brother is much fatter. His brother though is slower to mature. Rascal has already figured out what hens are for. Fatty is just starting to even notice them. Aboit a 2 month difference maturity wise.

AH.. i had it backwards!!

I thought THIS was the fat guy and his brother was out being the "ladies man".




ok everyone just go back to what you were doing... nothing to see here... move along please.......

 

[StelleKitten]

He's got too much birchen, he's too upright and not stocky enough - his legs are too long and he only has four toes. His comb doesn't look quite right for a Dorking, either.

I'd say he's a cross between an OEG birchen/silver duckwing and something else. I'll be interested to see what he looks like when he gets bigger.

I'm seeing Dorkings everywhere I look, too. **grins**

I do agree he could possibly have Dorking in his background - kinda like my SLW mutts from Ideal. Would have never guessed they were supposed to be SLWs.

What is birchen? Is that the funny gold silver color he has? What is an OEG? And I will keep you posted as far as how he grows up. Still not too sure about his brother. I've been told black australorp, but I don't know if they mature slowly. That is the problem. I'm not sure if Rascal (our colorful mystery bird) is maturing fast or if Fatty (my all black big bird) is maturing slow. Fatty is heavier, but Rascal had his comb, crow and interest in ladies long before I even knew if Fatty was male or female.

if you do langshans we might become best buds!! i should have some this summer....gonna attempt to work with those and Black Austrlorps! been reading up and the langs will actually help the ausies with tightness of feathering for SOP, and also with their green sheen!

That sounds really neat. I was wanting to work with them to see if I can make the purple egg gene more predominant in a particular line. Since purple is my favorite color. I thought that would be perfect. I still haven't decided for sure. Two months ago it was black copper marans. I do know that when I do decide, I only get to choose one for at least 4 years... DH won't let me have as many birds as I would like.

 

[StelleKitten]

Slow to mature is a big indicator in Dorkings, btw. And, is his brother "fat" or just 'stocky' there's a difference....especially if they do have Dorking blood in them somewhere.

It's not fat as in he eats too much, it is weight. Fatty is a much heavier bird. He has always been the biggest of the bunch we got. His legs have always been the thickest as well. That was what really weirded us out when he was chick was that his legs were almost twice as big around as everyone elses. They are now as big around as my thumb!

ETA I wasn't offended by any posts. I am still trying to learn terminology so I may post things incorrectly. I want to learn so I will make mistakes along the way. Just correct me quickly so I don't make too much of a fool of myself. LOL

 

[ShadowsFIAL]

The look great. I like the rooster it has such neat colors and markings. Everyone I have seen on this site has the coolest looking chickens. I like seeing all the variety. It makes me want to have more chickens.......

I should probably stay away from the exotic bird shows or poultry shows at the surrounding counties fair grounds, especially Conroe. They all have such neat birds. I have to stick my hands in my pockets so I don't take any home. LOL....coming home would be interesting , "look at our new peacock honey doesn't it just look lovely....can you help me with the Guinea in the back of the truck too Please....kisses thank you."

lol, well, if you want some, I plan to hatch some eggs out eventually. Dunno when it will happen. Depends on if I get an incubator first, or a broody hen.

I was too, so I got a pkg of yellow plastic tent stakes from Walmart and stuck them in the ground with their hook over the wire of the very bottom shelf of the unit. It holds pretty good, although the shelf unit does shake a little in high wind. One day I had left the zipper on the plastic open because I was worried the plants would get too warm - the wind pulled back the plastic slightly from the frame and out of the tiny little metal "stakes" that came with the kit to anchor through grommets at the bottom of the plastic cover. I'm sure if I hadn't had the big tent stakes holding down the shelf, the whole thing would have been blown to Oz. But with the cover zippered, it has stayed put no problem.

Keep an eye out at Tractor Supply for the little shelf units to be on sale again. I've been really happy with it for just $20 on sale + the $3 for the big tent stakes.

I might look into one then. The wind out here is just so bad. We had the neighbors trampoline blow into out yard. That was scary.

I just started my seedlings for 8 different herbs on the porch this last weekend.

I hope they make it. I am glad I haven't planted all of the other goodies. I hope your plants make it. I noticed blooms on the blackberry vines in the woods last week when I went for a walk. I can't wait to pick blackberries and try my hand at Blackberry wine. I just need to find a lid for the stoneware carafes we have here.....here I come eBay.

Blackberry wine.... that sounds so good. I need to try and make my own beverages sometime. <3 I don't know how to make any of my own juices or jams.

I just went to check on everyone and they were doing okay. The babies needed one of the heat lamps moved closer. I went to do that and the darn bulb busted. That wouldn't be so bad but when it did it blew the whole breaker. Now all the heat lamps are out.

I hope they do okay tonight. I spent this whole time looking for that breaker and cannot find it. Everyone is asleep and I don't want to wake up to find out where it is. I put one of my fleece blankets out there with the chicks and ducklings (3 weeks old and ducklings 1 month on Wednesday.) I wrapped around where they were laying and made a fleece cave for them and they can snuggle into it. I am so worried cuz it is so cold out. I have never had this happen. They are almost fully feathered, minus the ducks who are just now starting to get feathers.

Will they be okay with that for one night all 3 chicks and 2 ducklings together in the fleece cave? I know my older girls can fair well in this because there is next to no wind out.

I hope they all made it through the night!

Please give updates!

 

[Imprfctme]

Just a quick hi to say how very, very amusing you guys have been! I love the Phyllis Diller pictures, the easter eggs all grown up, all of it! And the mini horses are to die for. So much cuteness!

Also on the German Shepherd front, I believe there is a woman outside of Houston that has Rin-Tin-Tin's blood lines going. I just finished reading susan Orlean's book on R-T-T which was fascinating if a bit long. I bet those genes are pretty good. Love GSD they are so beautiful. My "forever" dog that all future dogs will always be compared to was a white shepherd I found at a city shelter way back in 1992. He was the best dog ever.

Now the wild west coop town is making me think of other themes, like intenational landmarks. Eiffel Tower, Flat Iron Bldg, etc. I think the rule of thumb might be if it works for a mini golf course or Las Vegas, it could work for a chicken village.