Partridge Ameraucana

[Beth C]

I hear ya' - heat index was 114 yesterday. A friend posted a picture on FB of a church sign that read: Satan called. He wants his weather back!

[Don]

We had a great spring all things considered.  It was a little cooler than normal some days and then Bam!   We move into record breaking temps.   Its been 104 real temps for the last few days which is above the all time record.  The birds can't find enough shade. On our east porch in the shade this afternoon its even 98.  They just stand panting with their wings spread like Johnny said.  Hopefully it will cool off before we have any more losses.  A friend's a/c is not working, one company said they could come out Tues afternoon.  Anyone in Alaska have room for an old Curmudgeon with several hundred birds?

[Beth C]

I hear ya' Don - I want to be the reverse snow-bird: I want to head north for the summer! Yesterday I lost a nice buff hen and the hardest blow of all, Felix, my buff cock and favorite bird on the place. I don't get attached to many, and this is why...

[OldChurchEggery]

The heat here in Virginia has been terrible, too. On top of that, a mob of raccoons ripped through the wire of my grow-out pen and killed all of my spring hatch. Because of the heat, they were all nestled on the ground trying to stay cool. Once again, I am going to have to start over from scratch with my Silvers. Maybe the third time's the charm?

[Beth C]

Oh, Erica, that is just heartbreaking! I am so sorry...

[OldChurchEggery]

Thanks, Beth. We had quite the adventure yesterday evening- apparently one of my silver pullets escaped the melee! She was running alongside my car as we came down the driveway around 8 o'clock last night. I don't know if she fluttered out through the ripped wire, got carried off but escaped, or what but I sure was glad to see her. After that 100 degree heat yesterday she was very thirsty, otherwise she was just a little raggedy in the feathers. So, not a total loss after all. I don't want to go off on too much of a tangent in this Partridge thread, so back to the business :-)

[bantamhill]

I am sorry to hear of your coon issues. I am up to 18 racoons and keeping the traps baited. I too lost all of my spring hatch but three . . . 138.

[Birdcrazy]

I lost my #1 Blue cock to a racoon a month ago. At least I have about 15 of his cockerells 5 weeks to 13 weeks old to see if I can replace him. Also some prospects from chicks that I bought from Paul Smith this spring. There was some talk of caps for the club earlier. With all the posts on racoon problems, any thoughts of coon skin caps. Sounds like Michael could be a good source for starts.

[Nina Turner]

^bump!
 
Hello, Ken.
Is there any further development in 2015 on your LF partridge project?
I recently joined ABC but I have been following this topic for about a year.

I'll be joining you on partridge eventually, but I am currently experimenting with EEs. I think I could have both eb and Pg in 6 of my 2015 (hatchery- Dunlap) pullets (ER/eb, or e+/eb/Ml), and two older hens Fall 2013/ Spring 2014 (e+/eb?) from a hen purchased from a local 'breeder'; and I will attempt to segregate for eb by mating with an eWh cock next spring. (Or they could be ER/e+/Ml, time will tell!)

Thank you for your posts!