2013 Flock – All gone

My chicks were order January 21.  They will  becoming from my personal favorite hatchery, Ideal Poultry.  They were shipped on March 6th and arrived on March 8th.  This is what I ordered this year:

Buff Orpington

First time for this breed

• Eggs: began at 24 weeks, medium brown eggs
• Broodiness:
• Size:

Buff Brahma:  A perennial favorite for me, because of looks and personality, not the world’s greatest layer.

Easter Egger: Tried before with mixed results

Gone Updated 1/18/2014

Buckeye: First time Verdict: Great layer, cushion comb, good size, would do again in a flash, but they are so hard to get.

• Eggs: began at 23 weeks, medium beige eggs
• Broodiness: none
• Size: heavy
• Molt: never
• Demise: culled due to leg injury of unknown origin January 2014

California White Leghorn

First time for this breed.  At 21 weeks, she is as white as can be,  none of the expected spots.  Very docile.  Has an oversized single comb that gives concern for cold winters of Montana.

• Eggs: began at 20 weeks, small white eggs.
• Broodiness:
• Size: just larger than a banty.
• Molt:
• Demise: Butchered October 2013

Silver Laced Wyandotte:  This has been a consistent layer for me in the past.   This years SLW insists on laying on the floor of the coop.   She seems to have a bit of an odd body shape.   She had a case of serious scoliosis

• Eggs: began at 21 weeks, small brown eggs.   She laid them on the floor.   I think it was due to her back problem.
• Broodiness:
• Size: small for SLW.   Has bad case of scoliosis
• Molt:
• Demise: Butchered October 2013

Norwegian Jaerhon 20 weeks.

Norweigan Jaerhon:

First time.   This is one beautiful bird.   I love the color play of the gold and the grey.   The flight gene in this bird is very strong and has no desire to let human contact happen. Small single comb and waddles.

• Eggs: began at 20 weeks, small white eggs.
• Broodiness:
• Size: almost banty in size.
• Molt:
• Demise: Predator, fox October 2013

Partridge Chantecler

Second time trying this breed.   It did suffered from failure to thrive and it never drank or ate once I opened the box.   I could not see anything wrong, and it did not survive 24 hours.

10 week old meatie

Red Broilers:

First time meaties for me.  Butchered 3 males at 10 weeks.   They weighed about 3 pounds.   They foraged well, and their health generally held up well.   One male had a bit of a problem with his toes being broke and turned oddly.   One of the roosters at ten weeks clearly became the protector of the flock and thought nothing of it to attack Mr. Ranger Sir when he closed them in the coop at night.

We lost a female at 15 weeks,  a few days before we were planning to butcher her.   We found her dead in the shed.   One female left  It is highly unlikely that we will not repeat this.

Barred Plymouth Rock   A perennial favorite for me.   This one ended blind in  one eye and roo to boot!

Demise: Butchered June 2013

Males for Warmth – Six  that were indistinguishable from my order so they stayed on.   They were the mail of a sex linked, not pretty that is for sure.    They never got nasty to us, but they really had at the other birds tail feathers.

Demise: Butchered June 2013

Golden Laced Wyandotte: First time for this color, he turned out to be a male.   He was a right handsome bird.   Demise: Butchered June 2013.