Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[Bens-Hens]

Well today was a pretty big day. Had a heap on but my phone rang all morning. Today almost everything spare was sold. one of the two families we were holding for even came for their two girls!

We now have left two girls and three purebred males. The girls will be sorted this week with their new home (I am going over to make some new roosting bars to help the lady out before they move in)

The run is looking much leaner than it's peak time thats for sure, and I can already feel how much lighter my feed bill will be! o, in the late afternoon the family sat down near the run while everyone was out ranging the yard. We named the last of the keepers and got a few happy snaps, well, tried to get some. Nothing in comparison to Fancy's spectacular work, her girls just seem to love the camera, but it will get the idea across.

Prepare thyselves for images!

First up, our 'Big Gils'

Luna and Cleo the other morning while I was od 'Doody duty'
"We can fit" "no we can't" "Yes we can. See!" "Luna...this is not fitting at all"



Rosie with her 'yet to be named' Rock girls.


Baby, quite flighty, does not like pats except from our youngest son and piggy back rides from Luna the lead hen.


Boss lady Luna the Black Australorp aka "I will moan the house down when I feel like it"


Our two LS, Cleo and Sunny in the back ground.


Curly the Barnevelder, her egg size is getting bigger every week.


Amy, we sold our other SPW this morning, this is the girl who had a 4 week go at hatching a golf ball, sadly she failed to yield a result for my collection.



And now our younger birds, just turned 15 weeks the other day.

Summer, the Welsummer, lovely nature and very inquisitive....has a thing for pecking my toes and backside.


Our big boy with a little girl. This is Cooper, holding Marly the FW Maran


Home grown, from our former Lavender Araucana cockerel Smudge and Curly, is Olive. No guessing what kind of egg we are hoping for!


Sal the Salmon Fav


Alicia having a pat of Sav as his takes his long neck for a walk around the yard.


His neck is really quite long! Amazes me to see him stretch himself out compared to the others that are the same age.



Thats it for now, fingers crossed we can sell the last three boys soon and then we are back to normal, plan is 14 girls and one Sav roo.

 

[lindz8504]

They are really pretty Ben!

 

[chicksurreal]

Beautiful photos!

 

[ozexpat]

your birds are always looking good!!!

 

[Fancychooklady]

It's almost like ' cleaning house ' , you begin to wonder how you let it get so cluttered. Nice pics Ben. Were off to a one day event. Not really looking forward to it, it s going to be hot today. I'll try to leave early so I can check on my chooks. The goats are so happy to have their coats off. Enjoy your Sunday.

 

[Wrightsx4]

Your flock looks happy & healthy as always! Sav is a long necked boy. I have an EE with a long neck, it was passed to both his offspring as well (Salomon and Begonia).
Your SPW is stunning.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Thanks team, we tend to fuss over them a bit so it's good to hear it pays off with their condition. Happy chickens reward the best IMO!

 

[NovaAman]

lindz... Sam Favs...

Pro's... They are really seriously laid back birds. If you hand rear them, you'll have very people friendly birds. If you broody raise them, you will have more skittish birds when it comes to petting. They all come running though when treats are to be had, get in the way, run over the top of my feet, trip me up. Funny as heck, fairly decent layers if you get them from breeders. I do not add light to my coops to keep the laying up through the winter, I do let them go natural. I do find that they do not lay as early as some breeds, though. If you want them to start laying at 18-22 weeks, good luck. My experience has been closer to the 6 month range, a bit later on some of the girls. The boys mature slowly when they've come from a good breeder. I am surprised at Bens roo not having his color or duckwing color in yet. However, I had a sam roo that NEVER got any black in him at all. He ended up mostly darker salmon. He was big, and beautiful, but was proving to be a bit more aggressive. He made a great meal though. He was near 5 months at camp time.

Cons... they can be easily pushed around. When Mr. Fluffers, Buffy Petunia, and Rosey came into the flock, they were the oldest birds. They immediately took over as head of the flock and never had any problems establishing dominance. Next thing I new, I had broody hens left and right and a bunch of faverolle mutts running around. You can check out my photos, and you'll see the muttage. Those mutts as well at the pures have proven to be the most hardy and the least likely to suffer from mareks problems that have cropped up here. BUT, you have to watch from loose feed bag strings that may have fallen out of your pocket when you are not looking. If they get tangled around toes, when you're not looking, you can have a problem. Those feathered toes can hide it. Scaly leg mites can also be a problem before you know it. Those feathers hide it well. Too well. You can and will end up with lost toes if you are not paying attention to them. That is suckage big time. Broodiness is also a con. You don't want a broody? OH MY LORD!! They have been the hardest to break. They go broody, you break them... a month later they'll be at it again. Ok.. that's how a few of my broads are. They are like those dinos with the face wings... that flare out to the side... you know... they do that... and scream at you like nothing you've never heard. The mutt girls are just as bad...

My head roo right now.. he's a fav mutt. He is the ugliest bird I have ever owned. I named him Rod Stewart... BUT he is just like his daddy. Excellent to the girls, excellent protector, excellent at keeping the youngsters in line. AND in this current weather, With 3 roos in a 28x12 enclosure, I have not had fighting issues. SO, they bear up to confinement pretty well.

OH, and As I am sure Ben can attest, they are the funniest looking birds when they tear mad dash across the yard after something or to you to get something.

 

[NovaAman]

This is the cockerel that didn't EVER develop any black next to a boy the same age. They were both brothers, same mom and dad... SO... I am assuming it was just a glitch in the gene pool. The boy in question had another two other brothers that found homes with other families looking to breed. Those boys were perfection.

 

[lindz8504]

Thanks guys for the input on the Favs! I think they are probably going to be the only new breed that I add this year.... I think at least!

Nova, your birds are gorgeous too!