Final Report on Phoenix, both Golden and Silver -- January 2010:
In September of 2009, I had two Golden Phoenix pullets and one cockerel. I had a pair of Silver Phoenix. The Silver Phoenix pair were very sweet, beautiful coloring and the Silver Phoenix pullet was a 'darling'... she looked like she belonged in a silver cage in a royal castle!
The young chickens that had been in the 'box' coop under the tree had been roosting in the tree instead of going in the coop, so I had begun packing them, each night, into the barn to roost. By September, about half of them were going in the barn by them selves, and I would pack the stubborn ones still roosting in the tree! We had no sign of predators, and the chickens were safe from most of them so long a they stayed in the tree. SO... one night, coming home late from a shopping trip to town, I decided to leave the six chickens in the tree for 'this one night'. Yes, you guessed it: the next morning, The Silver Phoenix pullet was gone. It looked to me, that an owl came by. Our yard light is about 40 feed from the coop and tree, and I thought they were safe enough. I know nothing is safe unless it is locked in a coop... but I was taking a chance ... and I guess I paid the price. :(
I kept the Silver Phoenix rooster and he was really a beautiful bird. He is in the background of the 'group photo' I will add to the 2009 Summary post. The Golden Phoenix rooster was a 'wimp'... he had some really bad 'faults' if you looked at him using the breed 'standard'.... and using a 'practical' view, he had all bad faults ... as far as looks, actions, and attitude. He was small, cowardly, acted and looked like a hen, and was horribly colored. So I butchered him, and decided to keep a 'mixed Phoenix' bunch, just to test their laying and attitude. I went into fall 2009, with two Golden Phoenix pullets, and the Silver Phoenix rooster.
In December, the Silver Phoenix rooster was one of the casualties of The Fox.
Below is a photo of one Golden Phoenix pullet on November 2009: Behind her is a Blue Andalusian pullet... the Phoenix is about 2/3 the body size of the young Blue Andalusian. I butchered the 'wimpy' Golden Phoenix rooster... he was smaller than the other breeds, and although he was a month older than the Blue Andalusians, he produced a better fryer.
The Phoenix layed early and very often. I had two Phoenix pullets and gathered four eggs every three days. The eggs were small but not tiny. The Phoenix were very calm and fit in well with the other chickens in the coop. They seemed to take the cold well: we had temps in the minus 30's and they did very well.
As I began making plans for incubation and hatching in 2010, I decided to give away the two Phoenix pullets.
I WILL TRY THE SILVER PHOENIX AGAIN!!! I liked their attitude and their appearance.
No comments:
Post a Comment