The New Flock 2021: Back to Basics

[speckledhen]

Looks like some more of my Dirty Dozen Gang are not going to be around much longer. Rayna has been going to a nest for weeks, sitting and sitting, no egg. Juliette, who I thought was actually dying, has gained all her weight back and looks beautiful but she has been on a nest a couple of times, no egg. And I was pleased to see Layla on a nest for quite some time, but she left, no egg. All three of them were on nests this morning, have not seen that sight in months, but I picked up Layla when she left the nest and she is definitely quite bloated. I would never recommend Cackle's EEs to anyone because of these awful malfunctions. I lost Ripley very early on, then Scarlett. I hope that Shelby is okay because she lays the largest eggs of all and they are a pretty sky blue. This is always my luck with hatchery stock. I really thought EEs, being of mixed genetics, might have better health and longevity, but apparently not these. The bantam Cochin hens are just always broody or not laying because they were recently broody.
With all these EEs going down, where on earth will I get eggs? Geez. I guess I'll have to hatch from the Omega Rocks when they begin laying, which won't be for quite awhile.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's too bad Cynthia. Hopefully it's just taking a while for your gals to get producing those eggs. Sometimes those hatchery birds are a necessity evil just to get some eggs.

You could do what I have done and keep hatching bantam eggs until you end up with like 50 bantam hens so you get a dozen eggs a day out of them.

 

[1muttsfan]

But they are much cheaper to feed!

 

[1muttsfan]

Lots and lots of pretty little eggs

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

But they are much cheaper to feed!

I agree. They are more gentle too. I'm slowly switching over to all bantams. I prefer their eggs too.

 

[1muttsfan]

Bantam eggs are the perfect size for deviled eggs, one bite instead of awkward one and a half. And they pickle really well.

 

[speckledhen]

I've been dealing with another issue in this group, similar to Bodie. I've been treating an eye injury on Dane for a couple of weeks, was healing nicely when he began showing neurological symptoms, turning to the left in circles, not easily eating or drinking. Dane took a big turn for the worse yesterday. Today, he could not raise his head to eat or drink. I truly believe that his eye injury, which was healing up quite well, was secondary to the real issue at hand. After losing four splash bantam Cochins in similar circumstances, I believe we were dealing with a genetic degenerative something from the hatchery. The eye injuries from both Luna and Dane could have been just being pecked because they were acting strangely, which is common with chickens, being harassed because something is wrong with them.

We euthanized Dane this morning and he's laid to rest by a group of daisies not far from Athena. I hope that Gunnar, Bee and Wren will be fine, being the remaining pure splashes. Both Iris and Phoebe have some buff in them so maybe they'll be fine as well. I can't take much more of this, but we're not propagating the bantam Cochins after this anyway so it doesn't much matter what the issue was. I'm 100% positive that it was not contagious at all, just sucky genetics. Even two of the buffs have hip deformities, same hatchery (Cackle). I would NOT recommend either the bantam Cochins or EEs from that hatchery. "Puppy mill" genetics strikes again.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

So very sorry Cynthia.

 

[speckledhen]

So very sorry Cynthia.

Thank you, Lisa. So am I, very sorry we could not fix this one. I just want the rest of them to live out their natural lives without any of this happening again. Do you get some or all of your birds from breeders? Remind me again the color varieties you have, Lisa.
ADDING: One good thing is that both Layla and Rayna have started laying! I'm shocked about Layla because she had some bloat last week, which seems to have dissipated. So, still waiting on Shelby and Juliette. I love those jumbo eggs.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mine are all from a hatchery, or hatched here out of the stock. I lose some here and there. They definitely don't seem as long lived as the ones I had a while back from a 4H breeder. Most make it 4-6 years. The breeder ones would live to 8-11 years.

I don't have a more recent photo, and this is just some of them. They are mottled, calico, and mutts from bantam Easter eggers, d'uccle, and cochins. I ordered another batch of mottled last year and so far all are doing okay.