Thistlewick Smallholding - Chickens & Sheep (for now)

[BlueTheBrahma]

ooh okay @BlueTheBrahma get ready, I got a ton - he's very friendly and doesn't mind me being close at all.

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He is very young compared to the other 2 - just 30 weeks old -- but he's LOVELY, we love him.

I love his bright yellow legs and his comb is good too. It’s a shame he’s missing the gold mottling on his breast they should have.

I can give a (novice) judge’s evaluation of him too if you want, though I haven’t read enough of this thread to know if you plan to breed him.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

Here are some of my Welsummer boys across the years. I really miss having them, just have my old hens now. Still get lovely speckled eggs in the spring.

 

[thistlewick]

I love his bright yellow legs and his comb is good too. It’s a shame he’s missing the gold mottling on his breast they should have.

I can give a (novice) judge’s evaluation of him too if you want, though I haven’t read enough of this thread to know if you plan to breed him.

I might - but it wouldn't be to show. I had the original intent to breed olive eggers - and I'm set up to do this right now, as all my boys are good covers to create new olive eggers over any of my girls (except the Maran hens, they will just be rad dark eggs)

But all my big intentions and aspirations have really dwindled, and I am sitting here unsure what I want to do going forward.

I am wondering if I should focus on just 1 breed - I have sort of had all the breeds I want and discovered that a chicken is a chicken is a chicken lol it really doesn't matter to me.

I had 3 boys, (I hatched these all myself from a lady I bought Hatching Eggs from) and gave 2 away that would NOT stop roosting in the nests and pooping in the nests.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

Here are a few at around the same age as yours.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

ooh okay @BlueTheBrahma get ready, I got a ton - he's very friendly and doesn't mind me being close at all.

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He is very young compared to the other 2 - just 30 weeks old -- but he's LOVELY, we love him.

Of my three main SDW breeding roosters, the first, Thor, was so skittish. The next, Jack, my favourite, was exactly like your boy: so happy for you to be around him. The the next attacked everyone.

 

[thistlewick]

Of my three main SDW breeding roosters, the first, Thor, was so skittish. The next, Jack, my favourite, was exactly like your boy: so happy for you to be around him. The the next attacked everyone.

Just popped out there this morning, I'm out even more than usual trying to catch the egg eater (I forgot to separate one last night for the process of elimination) and Wellington (our Welsummer) came to stand right by me and just chill - looking out the same way I was looking out, just next to me.

I love the first hour or so after they bustle out, the calm permeates and all the soft coos are just the loveliest sounds

 

[WingItRanch]

Just popped out there this morning, I'm out even more than usual trying to catch the egg eater (I forgot to separate one last night for the process of elimination) and Wellington (our Welsummer) came to stand right by me and just chill - looking out the same way I was looking out, just next to me.

I love the first hour or so after they bustle out, the calm permeates and all the soft coos are just the loveliest sounds

I agree! First moments they're free ranging, they're so busy finding goodies and making cute little noises. Very calming to watch.

Much calmer than the roost rumble at bedtime!

 

[thistlewick]

Okay so I don't know what the heck happened but I went from getting 6-7 eggs a day to 17... I thought more than 10 hours of daylight was needed for laying to cut back on but apparently not!

I do not want to know how many freakin eggs I am going to have a day when ALL of them come online. Y I K E S. I sell to a farm store but lordy!

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Okay so I don't know what the heck happened but I went from getting 6-7 eggs a day to 17... I thought more than 10 hours of daylight was needed for laying to cut back on but apparently not!

I do not want to know how many freakin eggs I am going to have a day when ALL of them come online. Y I K E S. I sell to a farm store but lordy!

We’re on about the same latitude as you, and we’re pretty close to 11 hours (by chicken definition) - about 7:05 am to 6:50 pm. I am now giving tons of high protein plus high calcium treats in hopes of nudging them back into action.

The two molters are still not laying, which is understandable, and the Buff Orp is averaging 3-4 eggs a week, but the Littles! Not so little any more, and combs have tripled in size and are bright red, and the SS started squatting today.

 

[thistlewick]

We’re on about the same latitude as you, and we’re pretty close to 11 hours (by chicken definition) - about 7:05 am to 6:50 pm. I am now giving tons of high protein plus high calcium treats in hopes of nudging them back into action.

The two molters are still not laying, which is understandable, and the Buff Orp is averaging 3-4 eggs a week, but the Littles! Not so little any more, and combs have tripled in size and are bright red, and the SS started squatting today.

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It's gonna be anytime now

It was actually 20 yesterday
But this was the 17 -- that one front and center is straight up turquoise and the camera just cannot capture it and I tried like 20 times to get a good accurate picture of that rich bluegreen and it just says NOPE.