The Aloha Chicken Project

[alohachickens]

Forgot to mention! More peeps are hatching today! I think about 10 have hatched so far? Still have lots of eggs left that need to hatch. I'm hoping to get 20 live chicks (out of 27 fertile eggs.) We'll see!

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

A few of my Alohas have sneezed, but they seem otherwise fine. I lost a Sussex and an EE but couldn't find any signs of what killed them. I have been watching for mucus, and haven't sen it on anyone.

I have only lost 2 Alohas out of the original 25- one to a predator, and one literally flew the coop. They are sturdy things! If only I could keep them on the GROUND I would have no worries at all about them.

Anyone else find that their hens scoff at 6' fences?

 

[alohachickens]

Here's an itty bitty rooster that I'm kind of curious about - I may keep him a bit to grow out, though normally I'd cull one this small.







He has SO much white! And then what color he does have, is such a nice light orange color. Good upright single comb. Long tail.

His legs are pink, not as good as yellow legs, but not as bad as the gray legs on many of my "old bloodline" Alohas. I am kind of wondering, since I've been having issues with the color going away on the Cheeto babies, if a rooster like this crossed with yellow-legged Cheeto daughters might give some yellow-legged orange mottled babies that DON'T lose their spots? Ha ha! (Remember I crossed Cheeto only with spotted hens, so all of his daugters carry spots even if they don't show it.)

Plus, maybe he could add some tail length to the Cheeto lines?

He might also cross nicely with pure Sussex or half Sussex, because his body color is so light. It would help offset that deep mahogany brown of the Sussex. Though he wouldn't add yellow legs. But the offspring should have plenty of white on them, more than an average Sussex, I would think!

The downside is, crossed to this guy, everything would go a bit smaller - again! But maybe he could bring back the vibrant colors. It's always one step forward, two steps back, it seems!

 

[alohachickens]

Here is a good shot of the "zippy" little hen that was just a blur in the other pics:



Small, but VERY colorful. She is "old bloodline" Aloha, so she should not experience any color fade on her spots. Would love to cross her with this guy, the son of Cheeto:



He has a short tail. He's starting to lose his spots. But his legs are bright yellow, and he's very BIG, and very orange!!! I wonder if these two could make the perfect orange-mottled Aloha? Long tail, yellow legs, good size, orange with white spots?

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

Finally got my Sussex pics on the computer which still uses the internet!

This was my least colorful hen, Cayanne, now passed. The second pic is Bell, my 'average' hen.

Here's Bell and Paprika (the most spotted). My other hen, Skull, Looks like she's halfway between these two.

And here is Cayanne with Bell, so you can see the contrast.

And a flock pic to show off the pretty colors!

 

[Deerfield Acres]

What kind of antibiotic did you use on your birds? I've used probiotics and Vet Rx and it seems to control the sneezing well, and I haven't lost any birds because of it, but they don't get completely over it. I've been thinking to treat with an anti-fungal treatment to see if that would clear it up. I thought perhaps since they were in the basement it had gotten too damp for them. It didn't seem so to me but I'm not a chicken!

I've had no problems with the Aloha brooder pen, thank goodness.

 

[tazcat70]

Great pictures everyone! I am loving all the spots!

I have some deep orangey, heavily spotted Aloha cockerels that I'm really excited about too. I sure hope their white doesn't fade! Even if it does they still carry the spotting and are really nice big boys who are very friendly. I have lots of cockerels here in the Aloha/Aloha crosses. I do have a few pullets but LOTS of cockerels. I'm going to have a terrible time culling anything because I get so excited over every single birds coloring!

Karen I am having the same problem, LOTS of roos! I was hoping that you got all the pullet eggs. Combined with the fact that one of my cats got a hold of some chicks...It is definitely survival of the fittest around here.

Darn cat!!! I have a few that are tiny, and so they will just go into my bantam coop.

It is amazing how friendly they are.

 

[2seth2]

once ypu reach your goal what will make alhoas different from SFH

 

[notinoz2007]

karen yes that little circle crown is exactly what i am talking about. this is king as a baby.


this is him last month


sommer, since you're back, do you want - or know anyone who wants - king and snow? king is turning out to be a bit aggressive with my younger ones and snow. and he has no tail which i really dont like. snow is just small. i might send them up to payson, but they may end up in freezer camp... i believe king is related to cheeto. he's a good size and has beautiful white wing tips. i wish he were nicer...

 

[notinoz2007]

oh also, wanted to mention that runny noses have been running through my flock but no sneezing. the first one affected is over it now and its spread to the older alohas. they arent acting sick so i havent medicated. what is it with this sickness lately? do chickens have allergies?