Blue Andalusian -- 7/09

(Chicken posts will be sorted by breed name and date in the subject.)

I ordered Blue Andalusian chicks, so that we might compare them to my 'handed-down' greys in an attempt to identify the original breed my mother and grandmother may have had.
Here are photos of the Blue Andalusian chicks at 7 weeks of age:

In the photo below, the splashed chicks are Blue Andalusian:

Notes: These are the smartest chicks! They are very very similar to my 'handed-down' greys in that they are always aware of what is going on and are not easily spooked. They never have to be watched and helped back into the coop at night. They are a little too couragous and brave to be entirely safe!!! They are very fast growing.
Postive rating so far!!!!

Austra White as chicks -- 7/09

I am going to post PAST photos of the Austra Whites:
Here are the 1st shipment at approx. 5 weeks of age:
Note that the pullet (left of the waterer) is already showing the black legs and the cockerel (on the right) has yellow legs. The chicks arrived as two-day old chicks and both sexes seemed to have yellow legs while that young. There is also black on the beak and comb areas.

Here are the 2nd shipment at approx. 2 1/2 weeks of age:
(I think they were about 1 1/2 weeks old when I received them.) At this age, they acted similar to the earlier shipment, and did have less black 'speckling'.

A pullet from the 2nd shipment at 7 weeks of age in the back:
Note the absence of black on the legs or head, or in the feathers. Five or six of the pullets have a very few black feathers.

Austra White -- 7/09

(Chicken posts are sorted by breed name and date in subject.)

I have spent the past 20 years with a 'closed flock' (not adding any new blood or new breeds) trying to regain the desired traits of what my mother had in the 60's. She began with Austra White chickens at that time, and combined with the greys from my grandmother, these were the chickens I inherited 25 years ago. In the years since, my sisterinlaw and I have been selecting and culling with the hope that maybe we would regain/retain flocks with some of the good traits of the Austra White breed/hybrid.

Overall, we each had a flock of chickens we were extremely pleased with... the hens layed very well, they set, and they were good mothers. They were hardy in our winters, and foraged well. We felt they were lighter in frame than they should be, and needed a little meat on their body. Other than that one trait, we were happy.

But they were not the Austra White my mother remembered!

But we thought they were no longer available as chicks.

WE FOUND THEM this spring!!!

I ordered two shipments of chicks. The first arrived the first of April and have exceeded all expectations!!! The young chickens show all the proper signs of health and breed traits: the pullets have some black feathers and have black legs, while the cockerels are all white with yellow legs. The second shipment are not so true to the breed/cross specifications in appearance: the pullets do not have many or any black feathers and have yellow legs.

Mom remembers that in the years after she first purchased her Austra White chicks, the resulting chickens from sucessive matings also lost the black feathers and black leg.

SO, we have to do some research into this 'breed' to see if/how soon offspring will revert to a parent... **We have lots of questions about this situation, as I will explain in a later post.**

Here is a photo of the Austra White chickens (from the first shipment) at approx. 14 weeks of age:

Here is a photo of an Austra White pullet from the first shipment:

NOTES: The chickens from the first shipment are great!!! The pullets are very smart, active, yet gentle and aware.. not easily spooked. They are growing very fast and while not a heavy weight, are very nicely 'rounded'! The only fault I have so far is that the cockerels are very active sexually. They began mounting the hens at an early age, and 'attacked' my mature hens at about 8 weeks of age. At that time, they weren't even of a size to physically mate, and were about 1/3 to 1/2 the size of my older hens. They do not seem to fight with each other or my older 'boss' rooster.

Postive rating so far!!!!

Brown Leghorn -- 7/09

(Chicken posts are sorted by breed name and date in subject.)

I purchsed 5 single comb Brown Leghorn pullets.
Here are the Brown Leghorn pullets at 7 weeks:

NOTES: I have not noticed any particular trait, good or bad. These chicks are active, smart and compare with the Blue Andalusian of the same age.

My plan for these pullets is a cross with my 'handed-down' greys. I have a wonderful hen, 6 to 8 years old, who is still laying on a regular basis, and has been a very dedicated mother in recent years. In every way, she was/is the perfect hen! She is getting old now, but the photo below shows she is 'carrying her age' well! I am not exactly sure of this hen's 'genetics'... but I think she is a Leghorn/my grey cross, so I will be putting these Brown Leghorn pullets with one of my grey roosters next spring.

Neutral rating so far!!!

'My Greys' -- 7/09

(Chicken posts are sorted by breed name and date in the subject.)

In the photo of the Black Australorp chicks, in the July post of the Black Australorp, were also two of 'my greys'... my 'handed-down' greys from my mom and grandmother. These two chicks hatched apprx. 5 days later than the Black Australorp chicks from the hatchery.

Here are the oldest 'handed-down' greys at 11 weeks:

My Grey pullet:

My Grey cockerel (oldest):

a different photo of the same cockerel:

NOTES: As in years' past... these 'handed-down' greys are very gentle, very clean, get along well with others, and seem to be growing at an even pace. They did not get quite as heavy as the Black Australop pullets of similar age.

These will be an ongoing comparison with the other breeds for the next six months to see how soon they begin laying, how they lay during the winter, etc.
Positive rating so far!!!

Black Australorp -- 7/09

(Chicken posts are sorted by breed name and date in the subject.)

I ordered 5 Golden Phoenix pullet chicks in May. Out of the five, I have two that appear to be Golden Phoenix, and two that may be Silver Phoenix.
Here are two of the Black Australorp pullets at 11 weeks:

Here they are as five day old chicks, with a hen and two of my 'handed-down' grey chicks (the two on the lower right).

NOTES: The Black Australorp chicks were weak and seemed dull and slow-minded for the first week. I had pre-ordered 10 straight run from the local feed store... then learned the store had cancelled the order... then a week later, another order came. I am not sure if these chicks were the best the hatchery had to offer, or if they sent poor quality chicks just to fill a last minute order???!!! At any rate, I ened up loosing one within 12 hours. Then at 7 weeks of age, I lost three due to gnats/no see 'ums... I have had insects irritate my chickens, but have never before actually lost any due to insects! The Black Australorps are all pullets I think, unless the cockerels are very, very slow to mature!!!

The funny thing about the Black Australorp pullets is they 'hang together'. Growing chicks will usually run in 'groups' or 'families'... where chicks that were raised in the same pen or under the same hen will spend most of their days together. But as they reach the 2 to 2 1/2 month age, they seem less inclined to go where everyone else goes... they do what they want. But these Black Australorp pullets go everywhere together!!! They usually crowd onto the same narrow roost bar at night... upon which they all fit, when they were younger! Now that they are nearly grown, they don't all fit so well!

Attitude is average... they are neither friendly or spooky. They seem to be early to bed and late to rise. The one negative I have noted is that they were spooky as chicks. I am not sure if that had something to do with their physical condition when I brought them home??!! The hen I put them under was partly to blame, as she would cluck and warn them to sit still everytime I went near to feed them. BUT, I put two chicks hatched from my 'handed-d0wn' greys under her with the Black Australorps, and they were not so cautious or flighty!!! My two chicks would come out to eat what I put in their pans, while the hen and the black chicks would huddle in the corner!
Neutral rating so far!!!

Golden Phoenix -- 7/09

(Chicken posts are sorted by breed name and date in the subject.)

I ordered 5 Golden Phoenix pullet chicks in May. Out of the five, I have two that appear to be Golden Phoenix, and two that may be Silver Phoenix.

Here is the Golden Phoenix pair at 8 weeks:

The Golden Phoenix pullet has a different body shape than the Silver Phoenix pullet???!!!???
The below pullet is very similar to the cockerel above, but I would say it was definitely a pullet, if I was a betting person.

NOTES: I have noticed the Golden Phoenix have some small areas with missing or slow growing feathers, especially the cockerel. We DO have a problem with gnats/no see 'ums for the past two weeks, and these pesky bugs seem to love the darker colored chicks best!!! So maybe the feather problem is due to the chicks trying to get rid of these bugs that seem to burrow down through the feathers to the skin! Again, these Golden Phoenix are like the Silver Phoenix: gentle, not easily spooked, and are very active and never have flown out of the pen, are always in the coop at night, and have grown at an even, and steady pace.
Postive rating so far!!!!

Silver Phoenix -- 7/09

(Chicken posts are sorted by breed name and date in the subject.)

I ordered 5 Golden Phoenix pullet chicks in May. Out of the five, I have two that appear to be Golden Phoenix, and two that may be Silver Phoenix.

Here is the Silver Phoenix pair at 8 weeks:

The little Silver Phoenix pullet is darling! What a calm, sweet disposition!

NOTES: I have noticed their feathering may not be as 'close' or as many as my 'handed-down' greys, or the Austra White chicks of similar age. The Phoenix may not be as 'personal'... where the chick comes to meet me and see if I have some treat, or looks up when I talk. (Not sure what term to use for this... guess personal will have to do!) The Phoenix are gentle, not easily spooked, and are very active and never have flown out of the pen, are always in the coop at night, and have grown at an even, and steady pace.
Postive rating so far!!!!

Update on the African violets

This blog was to include my African violets.... and, yes, I do still have them! :)

This is a photo of one of my TOP TEN varieties: (and if I could only have ONE AV plant, this would be it!!!)

Tiger Trail
(6897) 07/13/1988 (P. Harris)
Double bright fuchsia/pale pink back. Variegated, quilted, glossy. Standard trailer

The one below is new to me, but it is becoming more beloved, with every week she sends up even more buds!!

Ma's Second Thoughts
(9134) 05/31/2002 (O. Robinson)
Semidouble dark pink pansy/white edge. Variegated medium green and white, quilted, serrated. Standard

More photos later... I have approx. 90 leaves set, 75-85 babies transplanted, and new strep seedlings with buds!!!

Now, maybe you all will know why I haven't posted any 'new yard' photos yet this summer!!!! :(