The Moonshiner's Leghorns

[NagemTX]

I used to do that but chicks are so small that there's no reason to go for the scissors when my hands are right there.

I use my hands as well.

 

[KF0002]

Check out this little Game chick. It looks like it maybe has a split eb base? Is that was causes the partridge looking stripes on the face? @Amer

 

[Amer]

Check out this little Game chick. It looks like it maybe has a split eb base? Is that was causes the partridge looking stripes on the face? @Amer

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Maybe!

 

[KF0002]

Maybe!

Its an odd ball and unlike any of its siblings. The line used to throw birds that resembled dark brown leghorns but my husband selected toward a redder red in the males, versus a dark mahogany red, so I’m assuming he selected more toward duckwing/wheaten versus eb in them. And this little split eb chick is possibly a throwback of that. Interesting.

 

[KF0002]

You're not putting any of those on your games are you

My husband likes Red or Blue for his Games. But he said he didn’t care what color I got so we will see what he says. I have plenty Blue bands left though.

 

[KF0002]

My d'Anvers are always most likely to die but they are the smallest. Ironic though because they are the smartest out of the chicks when it comes to drinking water.

Believe it or not, as tough as Game chickens are they are actually the most tender chicks we have when young. Very sensitive to coccidiosis, whereas a lot of our heavy breeds and hybrids are more resistant. So we keep them on wire for around 6 weeks so they aren’t exposed to coccidiosis until their immune systems are more developed. After that point, you can’t kill them with a shotgun and they are very hardy.

 

[KF0002]

Turned the 4 oldest Red x Brown chicks loose today. Pay no mind to the Sussex with the ugly comb. He is being butchered tomorrow. They were a little alert and scared in the pics because I had just opened their pen.

 

[KF0002]

Their crops were also full of feed. lol

 

[The Moonshiner]

They sure are growing

 

[KF0002]

They sure are growing

The little rooster seems heavier in build but they have been raised on turkey starter until a couple weeks ago so that may be why. I will watch their ear lobes for signs of red in case the Sussex was carrying a yellow leg gene and snuck a few in. lol

I may even scrap the first few hatches of these as layers and meat birds to make 100% sure there is no Sussex contamination. We shall see how their ear lobes and build looks as they grow out.

Do you think he looks too beefy to be a Leghorn?