sbuttercup
In the Brooder
Hi BYC community. My partner and I have had chickens for about 7 years. Current flock size is 8, down from an all-time high of 13.
We have a Black Copper Maran, a couple Sicilian Buttercups (best birds!!), and then after that I'm not quite sure.
- We have a slender, black and charcoal colored, vaguely spanish-looking hen with SUCH a magnificent comb and wattles and long flashy tail that we named her Boy. In profile she looks exactly like the Gallo beer logo. I think she might be part Minorca?
- We have one mean-spirited hen who we used to think was a Welsummer, but now we think maybe she's a black sex-link. Her name is Pear. She survived a coyote attack during the COVID shelter-in-place lockdown. She tries to come inside the house if we leave the back door open. We love her very much.
- We hatched three girls who are half-Sicilian Buttercup, half-mystery rooster. Their genetics seem kind of crazy. One of the sisters is a slender medium-sized hen, but eats more than twice as much as any of our other hens, is at least twice as smart as any of our other hens, and lays jumbo+ sized eggs. Her other two sisters came out TINY (even smaller than their Buttercup mother), but very round and squat. These tiny girls lay very fat round eggs that seem too big for their body size. When they were younger, all of the girls could fly clear over the top of an 8ft fence; but since they put on their adult weight, the two smaller girls can barely fly at all, and have started to waddle rather than walk.
Unfortunately, I don't know anything about the rooster who was their dad, since he was dumped on us by an anonymous neighbor. He was fairly large, very orange, with orange and creamsicle tailfeathers, and he was quite sweet-natured and gentle. He'd had his beak and wings clipped before he got to us, and seemed to have zero experience being outdoors. I wonder if perhaps he was a commercial meat breed bought for the dinner table, but then when it came time to do the necessary, the neighbor lost their nerve?
I never would have thought I'd become a chicken person, but these weird little creatures have added so much to my life. They truly never stop being funny and interesting. And of course, the eggs are delicious— and we get to earn points with our friends and neighbors whenever we share.
In truth, I should have joined BYC long ago. I've been lurking and drawing wisdom from this place for years now! Very grateful to this forum, and all the community members who make it what it is.
We have a Black Copper Maran, a couple Sicilian Buttercups (best birds!!), and then after that I'm not quite sure.
- We have a slender, black and charcoal colored, vaguely spanish-looking hen with SUCH a magnificent comb and wattles and long flashy tail that we named her Boy. In profile she looks exactly like the Gallo beer logo. I think she might be part Minorca?
- We have one mean-spirited hen who we used to think was a Welsummer, but now we think maybe she's a black sex-link. Her name is Pear. She survived a coyote attack during the COVID shelter-in-place lockdown. She tries to come inside the house if we leave the back door open. We love her very much.
- We hatched three girls who are half-Sicilian Buttercup, half-mystery rooster. Their genetics seem kind of crazy. One of the sisters is a slender medium-sized hen, but eats more than twice as much as any of our other hens, is at least twice as smart as any of our other hens, and lays jumbo+ sized eggs. Her other two sisters came out TINY (even smaller than their Buttercup mother), but very round and squat. These tiny girls lay very fat round eggs that seem too big for their body size. When they were younger, all of the girls could fly clear over the top of an 8ft fence; but since they put on their adult weight, the two smaller girls can barely fly at all, and have started to waddle rather than walk.
Unfortunately, I don't know anything about the rooster who was their dad, since he was dumped on us by an anonymous neighbor. He was fairly large, very orange, with orange and creamsicle tailfeathers, and he was quite sweet-natured and gentle. He'd had his beak and wings clipped before he got to us, and seemed to have zero experience being outdoors. I wonder if perhaps he was a commercial meat breed bought for the dinner table, but then when it came time to do the necessary, the neighbor lost their nerve?
I never would have thought I'd become a chicken person, but these weird little creatures have added so much to my life. They truly never stop being funny and interesting. And of course, the eggs are delicious— and we get to earn points with our friends and neighbors whenever we share.
In truth, I should have joined BYC long ago. I've been lurking and drawing wisdom from this place for years now! Very grateful to this forum, and all the community members who make it what it is.
to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC!
