pinewoodacres

Got our first non-blue layer from the backcross to Welsummer. I knew half statistically would not lay blue/green but I actually really love this brown with white bloom. Maybe I will go for a pink egg project, which arguably is much more complex/more guesswork due to the nature of “pink” eggs. I still have no idea at all as to who is laying what out of the 9 at POL.

I never post pics of myself on here but we got our 4-H shirts today and I’m really excited! A fellow homeschool mom and I went through the process to start a new club and we have our first meeting in September! Anybody in Levy County, Florida? We’d love to have you! Message me for our club website.

An example of a wild type pullet (plus a small crest - Cr/cr+) and a hypermelanated wild type pullet (plus a large crest - Cr/Cr). I have another like the one on the right but with barring, so her “hair” isn’t as shocking black. I’m thinking this is one phenotype I will go for (the one on the right).

Couple of new layers. I’m not sure who is laying what yet or how many are in lay as I’m finding them at random times in random places. These photos are as accurate as I could get them - they are pretty intense in person although I know the color will lighten up some as the eggs increase to adult size. It’s not olive but it’s still pretty.

This is why I never toss the “duds” right away! I’ve never had a pip at the wrong end (and it def was not pipped when I checked last night). The internally pipped one is externally pipped now also, so let’s see how this plays out.

Babies heading out to the tractor! In the bin again this time. I have one more still drying off and another internally pipped.

Set 20, 6 were not fertilized (1 specific hen), 1 didn’t develop = 13 to lock down…1 missed early death, and 11 hatched with 1 still to go. Not bad. No major hiccups like last time.

Coccidia in the chicks. Lost one who’d been dealing with a slow healing eye injury but somehow tiny Chirpy (see other posts) is hanging in there. The Legbars are the worst off as a group, but others are lethargic and having diarrhea. Started amprolium, seems to be helping. Wonder if this is what happened to my older birds a couple months ago. Before I saw bloody poop w/ the chicks, I noticed them staggering around.

Set these beauties last night

“The glare”

(Not broody, just ornery.)

One week old babies. There are 5 Cream Legbars (2 girls/3 boys), 10 F2s (6/4), and 9 BC1 to Legbar (5/4).



The BC males will be getting DNA tested for blue egg gene zygosity. They will go with my BC1 to Welsummer females (Feb hatch) that lay green and also the F2s that lay green.

Still working out which phenotypes I like best. Crest is a must in the final product.