This year once again I bought six new chicks. If I learned nothing else this year, I learned I am happier when I mail order directly from the hatchery. That story we will save for a blog posting. Now to introduce this year’s flock.
Lucy, Blue Lace Red Wyandotte
Blue Lace Red Wyandotte This year I bought two BLRW chicks this year again. This was the second year I have tried this breed. The first year both chicks died within the first week. This year my success is only 50%. One of the chicks almost immediately developed pastey butt, a chick condition just like what you imagine it is. It developed what we would call failure to thrive in humans, and had to be put down. The remaining one we named Lucy because she is the first red bird we have had. She is skittish at best, better described as just plain space cadet. She has yet to develop any social acceptance of humans, and is quite adapt to dodging any attempt to even touch her. So far she is laying eggs we call torpedos because they the longest skinniest eggs we have ever seen. Here is to hoping that she will figure this laying thing out.
One of my 2 SLW
Silver Lace Wyandotte I got two SLW this year, who should turn out to be very good layers. They definitely should meet my pretty criteria as well. As chicks they had different feather patterns. I suspected they were different sexes, but it turned out one was properly marked and the other is a little more splash in her marking. I can’t say they are overly friendly, but they are not aloof like Lucy the BLRW. They are not yet laying at 19 weeks. I am looking forward to when they start laying to see if they turn out to be the awesome big brown layers I was looking for.
Spot, Barred Rock at 6 Weeks
Barred Rock I only purchased on one Barred Rock chick this year. Some days I would swear it is a rooster the comb is too pink for its age. Other days I would say I am in the clear because rooster BR are more white with black and hens are more black with white. My opinion flip flops daily. My history with this breed has been a bird who is friendly to humans and a nice layer. My current BR is the highest in the pecking order so she isn’t always the nicest to her flock mates. My current barred rock is on the list to go to freezer camp this fall and I am hoping that this one will be her replacement in the flock.
If you are wondering where the sixth one is, it turned out to be a bantam and was given away when it was 5 weeks old. It was a Brahma and had the classic wonderful personality. In a flock of big girls she had to leave before she got left so far behind in size that she suffered the mean girls syndrome.
Whatever happened to your Chantecler? I live in Philipsburg and have thought about adding a few to my flock.
We are enjoying the cooler weather. 36 here this morning.
Aren’t summer nights wonderful in Montana, we woke up to 39 yesterday.
Our Chantecler was was beyond bottom of the totem pole. She got pecked to the point of a naked head. This would go on all the time and my ladies free-range all day, every day except in the worst of winter, then I confine them to a chicken run. It was getting out of hand and so she went to freezer camp.
I am thinking of trying them again next year to see if it was the breed or just my particular bird.
I love reading about other peoples chickens so these pages have been fascinating. I do fancy brahma’s myself, i have heard nothing but good things about them.