That's What I'm Talking About!

[donrae]

I have two pullets I hatched last year that have taken forever to reach point of lay. They've been driving me crazy! One is my own multi-generational mix, a white sport throwback who basically looks like a pure white Ameraucana--big fluffy beard and muffs, slate legs, etc. I've been so wanting to see what color eggs she lays. The second is a blue frizzled EE mix. She's not my breeding, she hatched from shipped eggs. But still, I like her genetics and wanted to see what color egg shes got for me to play with.....

I think they both started laying today, and of course I have no idea which is which. But, they're blue/green, so I'm happy and have something to work with. I can always pull one to a separate pen for a few days and see what happens. I'm hoping the blue bird lays the darker, brighter egg, but knowing the breeding of the white bird I think it may be her. Since she's a sport color, it will be fun to breed her and see what her babies come out as.

Pics of today's haul. Oh, and the single Marans pullet I kept from last year has started laying also! Love this time of year.

Oh, the huge light egg is a duck egg--no empathy pains for a chicken

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[donrae]

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Nice spread. I have a couple of special layers that haven't produced anything yet. My cuckoo bluebar and my olive egger. I don't think they will ever lay. Maybe if I complain they will start.

On the plus side one of my blue Cochin turns out is a blue copper Maran, I just thought she was a bad looking hatchery bird until she laid an egg as dark as your Maran egg. I figured it's a good hatchery mistake.

 

[donrae]

That sounds like the kind of mistake I'd like them to make

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These two basically round out my point of lay pullets. I have a few that are still young, another 2 months or so before they start.

Now, to start penciling out breeding pen plans for the spring! If I'm not going to move, I'm going to hatch baby chicks.....well, not yet, but in a few months.

 

[aart]

Nice palette!
That one on the left you could call olive-ish.
Got a pic of the white sport?

I've got a pullet or two (from 4-16) that hadn't started laying yet, but am seeing some messed up nests.
Also have some molting pullets......weird year.

Day length is increasing, got some hatching plans hatching in my brain.

 

[donrae]

I didn't get really great pics of her. She's actually solid white, no color at all. Slate shanks, and one of the fluffiest beard/muffs I've seen in a while. I considered trimming her fluff cause it looked like she might not be able to see well, but never did.

One thing about having so much mud is, this time of year I can easily see which females are getting mated. I've never had this many white birds before, and they look so horrible with the mud from the roosters all over.

Anyway, I finally caught her in the act. I've not had another nice bright egg like that first one. The egg I saw Sport lay was a regular pale blue-green. Pretty, but not spectacular. I had a lady wanting to buy several young layers and went ahead and sold Sport. I could have had fun playing with her genetics, but I tell myself I can do that with any of the birds, and I can't keep them all. Sold 11 yesterday, that should help with the feed bill and the overall upkeep. I need to focus my attention on the breeds or crosses I really want to do, and not just keep everything and play with all the genetics. Focus!