Larkwell Valley (2023)

[Canadian Wind]

Can't tell anything yet. I get the gut feeling they're fertile, but won't know until I candle them again.

All 4 scovies are broody, poor Moose is being so patient. I keep seeing I'll have to seperate him from the mama's and babies, for how long? Until they're old enough to breed? Or just feathered? I'll be putting the Pekin back with him, so he won't be alone, and he can still see them all, but I know he's not going to be happy seperated

If you can do a see-no-touch with him, they should be fine for a couple of weeks. I keep my mothers and babies separated at first, and place *them* in crates or cages at night.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If you can do a see-no-touch with him, they should be fine for a couple of weeks. I keep my mothers and babies separated at first, and place *them* in crates or cages at night.

If it was just one hen, I'd seperate her. But since it's all 4, I need them to have the pen for room.

I have to go through and take out chicken eggs that Twila has been laying on

 

[Canadian Wind]

@Canadian Wind , have you ever heard of a chocolate magpie?

Yup. There are a lot of unrecognized colours. Since the magpie pattern is a dominant gene. Thing is, they won't be 'pure' Magpie unless whoever is breeding them is putting in the time to breed back and this will take generations.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Yup. There are a lot of unrecognized colours. Since the magpie pattern is a dominant gene. Thing is, they won't be 'pure' Magpie unless whoever is breeding them is putting in the time to breed back and this will take generations.

Yeah, they said that their flock breeds true for color and the majority has the correct pattern as well. Looks like they've been working on the project for a good few years

 

[Canadian Wind]

If it was just one hen, I'd seperate her. But since it's all 4, I need them to have the pen for room.

Since it's just the one drake, if the enclosure is large enough he may be fine with them. Mine were okay, but I started caging them when I found a bunch of trampled babies one morning. Hard lesson to learn.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Yeah, they said that their flock breeds true for color and the majority has the correct pattern as well. Looks like they've been working on the project for a good few years

It's a project I wouldn't mind taking on myself, once I have the facilities. But you need to be careful to keep the conformation AND the characteristics of the breed.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

It's a project I wouldn't mind taking on myself, once I have the facilities. But you need to be careful to keep the conformation AND the characteristics of the breed.

Yeah. It's not for me personally, though I did consider getting some of the ducklings and keeping a pair/trio of those for my mixed pen instead of the black magpies since them I'd be able to tell the pure ones from the mixed ducklings (unless buff or khaki hens would also throw chocolate babies)

 

[Canadian Wind]

Yeah. It's not for me personally, though I did consider getting some of the ducklings and keeping a pair/trio of those for my mixed pen instead of the black magpies since them I'd be able to tell the pure ones from the mixed ducklings (unless buff or khaki hens would also throw chocolate babies)

No, since chocolate is sex linked, only their sons would carry it but not show.

 

[Canadian Wind]

No, since chocolate is sex linked, only their sons would carry it but not show.

Wait, I think I misunderstood. If a chocolate Magpie bred with a Khaki or Buff, yes, they would have chocolate offspring.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Wait, I think I misunderstood. If a chocolate Magpie bred with a Khaki or Buff, yes, they would have chocolate offspring.

Dang. Okay. I'll just stick to the black magpies from Metzer then