Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

For Aster to look like a Splash Leghorn she would need a black parent w/a Leghorn parent. Australorps are black & have Orpington history in their breeding so that's a possibility for the beige egg?

@rural mouse is good at these challenges

I still think she is the spitting image of my Azure, though no blue egg. So I wonder what other hybrids are out there that may lay a tan/beige egg.

I am just so stoked she is laying eggs

 

[Ponypoor]

One of them, is gone now. Looks like it was trampled on by someone. I separated the other birds from Nacho and the other three chicks for now.

Awwww poor wee pookie. First time mama likely. You are a good chicken tender Hooman

 

[featherhead007]

Awwww poor wee pookie. First time mama likely. You are a good chicken tender Hooman

I’m gaining attention from the other side of the fence. One of their white roosters has been hopping over. Another game hen has been peeking through the fence, but I don’t want Mr Wyandottey tangling with the Nextdoor rooster, because he gets beat up by Aero sometimes and probably won’t win a fight.

 

[Ponypoor]

There are always exceptions to the rule like Redwoods, Oaks & Pines in more moderate or colder northern climates where trees can survive 100's or 1000's of years but in our southern climate of brutal heatwaves, water restrictions, & smaller land properties tree life is iffy for us. Cactus, Palm trees (ugh) or succulents are becoming the plants of choice. You're aware we removed all lawn to pave both our front & back yards w/ stonework?
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If the hens didn't need shady foliage we wouldn't have planted ANY trees at all. We give our fruit trees a 30-yr or less lifespan. Maybe even after we no longer have chickens we may remove them altogether. We're tired of summer water restrictions.
Dwarf Lemon
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Pomegranate
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Red Grapefruit
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I agree arid location should not have plants requiring water use, and I have to say when I visited my parents in Arizona the thing I really liked was the homes that did their yards with native cactus and succulents, gravel and sand, rather than grass and trees.

But you are very generous to plant some nice shrubs for your chooks, they need and enjoy places to hide in and hang out where it’s a bit cooler.

I love your pomegranate tree

 

[Ponypoor]

I’m gaining attention from the other side of the fence. One of their white roosters has been hopping over. Another game hen has been peeking through the fence, but I don’t want Mr Wyandottey tangling with the Nextdoor rooster, because he gets beat up by Aero sometimes and probably won’t win a fight.

No he likely wouldn’t. Why does he have game birds? Is cock fighting legal in california? It’s illegal here, it’s rare to see game birds around - and when the police find fighting going on the birds are usually euthanized as the Roos are very aggressive and won’t go with other chooks. Even the hens are aggressive, and no one wants them as they are not good layers and don’t get along with other birds in the flock.

I know how frisky Mr LC is and I can only imagine a full sized game roo.

Beautiful birds though.

 

[bgmathteach]

It's Official!

Aster has laid an egg, 7 in fact!

We have been away visiting family for 11 days. She must have started right after we left. There were no eggs on 12/22. In fact I had not seen her even check out a nest box. let's allow a day or 2 and estimate that it was a Christmas present from her to us. that would then be 7 eggs in 9 days!

So now its guessing time. Before looking, what color do you think it is? Is it white like a leghorn? Is it another beige egg? Could it b dark brown? Did BY Bob get another Blue layer somehow like her mum? Is it green of all things? Or is it a royal Pink in hue?

Guess before looking

Spoiler: What color is it?

It is the official color of FBA, Beige.

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It weighs 1.7 oz or 47 grams

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Does that help at all with breed identification? It must at least rule some breeds out, right?

I'm going to guess light brown, though I don't think she is an orpington (light beige), and might have leghorn in her (white), I suspect/will go with beige/light brown because that seems to be Bob's luck; Definitely NOT Blue nor Green, just because when he did have a blue egg layer - they only laid blue once in a 'blue moon'.

 

[Ponypoor]

I'm going to guess light brown, though I don't think she is an orpington (light beige), and might have leghorn in her (white), I suspect/will go with beige/light brown because that seems to be Bob's luck; Definitely NOT Blue nor Green, just because when he did have a blue egg layer - they only laid blue once in a 'blue moon'.

Oh he needs to get another blue egg layer and name her moon! Or Blue Moon

 

[BY Bob]

Green?

That would have been perfect and added to her air of mystery.

 

[BY Bob]

It does rule out some. When I get home and can backtrack, I'll review...

Thanks so much

 

[Sylvester017]

White leghorn crossed with black australorp (whether single or double gene dominate white and either way rooster/hen) doesn't account for the splash marks. The white legs could come from an australorp, but the only way for the splash to be there is if 1 parent was splash and the other blue, or if both were splash or both were blue (last is a 25% chance). Build wise, she very much does look like a leghorn. I have more thoughts, but am out of time. Back to work.

Are there Splash Australorps?