What's wrong with their feathers?

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Trip looks very happy.

 

[KellyHM]

They seem to eat out of there fine, although they can't get to the very bottom. I have a bigger feeder for them once they move. I guess I could put it in there now, but it just takes up a lot of space.

Trip it is! Now his gal needs a name.

 

[KellyHM]

Just a quick update. Trip and his gal friend (who still needs a name!) are doing great! (knock on wood) Now I just need her to lay eggs!

She's almost 8 months old, so I'm thinking any day now.

 

[kathyinmo]

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I think her name should be Tess. Trip and Tess sound like a pair!

 

[alicefelldown]

All four pure amera girls are laying consistently now - egg collection for incubation has begun!! IT'S TIME FOR MORE F1s!!!!

Why, yes, I do incubate in the closet - who needs towels or sheets?

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

What great news! So glad to hear it!

My girl just won't gain weight. I've tried everything. I think her beak doesn't work properly, so I'm going to file down the lower bill. What we need are more outcrossed birds! Good job!

Quote:

 

[Gypsy07]

Oh man, I just read through this whole thread from start to finish over the last three days. What a rollercoaster of emotions it was!
I really enjoyed the 'secret silkie cross vs. natural mutation' discussions way way back near the start of the thread.

Those Fluffaucanas are very unusual and pretty and I hope everyone involved in the breeding program has more success this year...

 

[KellyHM]

Quote:
I think her name should be Tess. Trip and Tess sound like a pair!

My old roommate's name was Tess. Wonder what she'd think about having a bird as a namesake?

 

[KellyHM]

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Send some egg laying vibes this way!! I incubate in the closet too.

I use to use the baby's room, but had to get creative when he was born.

 

[ChooksChick]

Well, I am down to one F1 pullet- the male F1 froze to death, was resurrected, thawed, lived another week and died-heartbreaking. I tube fed him for that week and kept him with me most of the time, but he never got active after freezing. It was a miraculous thing to see him start to breathe again and live, and then killed me to lose him. He just didn't sleep with his mates that night, and was away from the heat. It was likely that something was wrong, because there's no reason he ought to have been cold or chosen not to move to the warmth.

I have 2 roos now- one Splash, one Calico. I have one F1 pullet and 3 Splash silkied. It's been a heartbreaking journey to have so many of them not make it. They aren't interested in eating incessantly like most chickens, so I have them on incredibly good feed, augmented with baby parrot formula mixed in half and half. That formula is very palatable, so they eat better with it and the probiotics and supplements help with the weight. I also have suet cakes with them at all times, as it appears they need more fat than other birds.

I'll be working more with these and my SQ Black Ameraucanas, but I'll also be mixing them with Mapuches and Nikkeis to try to get more South American blood in them that hasn't been refined to the extent of the Ameraucanas- much of the diversity of the original South American breeds from which Ameraucanas were distilled is gone, so I'm just going to diversify the genetics to get back some of that vigor.

I'm trying to get a Quechua pullet or two, as that would also deeply augment the eggs' coloring. We'll see what happens down the line! I think my girls are starting to pinken up, and the boys are finally crowing. The combs are very ripe-looking now!

Yay, Spring!!!