BDutch's bantam flock & natural breeding projects #5 🪺 🪺 and #6

[fuzzi]

Ini mini’s broody break time

Black returned to the nest:

No chicks yet. One pooped egg, again. . Today was day20 (bantam hatch day)

The blank stare...

 

[BDutch]

One egg with a hole!

 

[fluffycrow]

That’s a real pity.

Can’t you collect eggs and try again at the end of June or early July? Only Serama’s this time.

I had bad luck this year too with the early hatch and I’m afraid this hatch won’t be successful either. (Still hoping for a late hatch with 2 females).

I was wondering if it wouldn't be better for Tintin if he finds a new home. He’s getting harassed a lot and I feel sorry for him. But finding a new home at this age (11 weeks) will be difficult. And in another flock he probably has the same problem or maybe even worse.
So I suppose he has to grow into maturity to become the flock master and with a bit of luck he might give me some weird looking offspring next year.

Sulmtaler x Dutch / Sulmtaler x RIR (all bamtams).

I already decided that the next hatch will be with an incubator. A friend bought a Brinsea for 20 eggs with an autoturner I can lend next time.

My broodies are too mean, getting too old or too unreliable to hatch. And I would like a bunch of chicks once more that don’t run away as soon as they see me.

But first wait and see. If a miracle happens and I get 2 ladies from Ini mini and Black it can wait.

Letting the broody pullet from the free range group sit (which has been such a big dream/hope of mine) means I have no more room, or want for chicks this year. I've also been meaning to merge the mix breed bantam and serama groups to make things more manageable. If that wasn't enough, one of the serama hens is going through a pretty severe case of SLM (all the others have been treated successfully, but she hasn't bounced back). It's just not meant to be right now. Hopefully next year

On the rehoming Tintin front, I'd say keep him. Most males go through a bit of hardship when being raised with older birds. He'll be fine, and soon enough some of the girls will accept him as a competent mate

 

[BDutch]

So for one hatch. A little cockerel.

 

[fluffycrow]

Congrats on the first baby! Hopefully the next one is a pullet

So for one hatch. A little cockerel.
View attachment 3867359

 

[ManueB]

How do you know he's a he ? Are they sex linked ? (Sorry if you mentioned it before. I'm still in Covid mental fog!)

 

[BDutch]

Yes, Amrocks are sex linked.
The males have a white spot on the head from the very first day.

The picture was send by a neighbour/friend who has chickens too.

 

[fuzzi]

On the rehoming Tintin front, I'd say keep him. Most males go through a bit of hardship when being raised with older birds. He'll be fine, and soon enough some of the girls will accept him as a competent mate

Zack is not hiding as much, is actually roosting but away from the main roost with the hens.

His tail is longer than what you can see here.

 

[BDutch]

Two more hatched!

The first chick eating with Ini mini.

A white spot on the head if its small and not striping out to the neck means female. So maybe I have 1 or two pullets.

 

[ManueB]

View attachment 3868239Two more hatched! View attachment 3868235

The first chick eating with Ini mini.
View attachment 3868234

A white spot on the head if its small and not striping out to the neck means female. So maybe I have 1 or two pullets.