TN Lavender cuckoo project

[Mike Gilbert]

You\'d be huge, too, if you had 20 chicks parked under you!  She hatched some and so did her daughter, both on the same day thanks to some careful setting of the eggs under both!  I\'m letting the more experienced, older hen raise them.  It\'s working great so far.  Imagine her suprise when I add 25 black ones this next week from Paul.  We\'ll see if she adopts them all or not.

I would be very surprised if she didn\'t try to kill them.   Be careful.

[crystalcreek]

I have noticed that all the birds are more prone to pick on a newcomer if it is a different color.  You\'re right; I better not chance it.  Maybe I\'ll give them to the other broody instead.  I\'ll have to divide the pen in half to separate them.  

[HappyMtn]

Going to try an post an updated pic of my little cockerel. His legs are very pale blue, btu I love the barring in his tail. Haven't posted here since the changes.

[HappyMtn]

Some updated pics from August:

[HappyMtn]

Another:

[HappyMtn]

Some new chicks hatched by a wheaten Am broody. You can see the nice clear head spot:

[HappyMtn]

One more pic- color comparison of lav cuckoo and blue cuckoo. The blue is a marans.

[HappyMtn]

Looks like I will have a few chicks available later this week if anybody wants to get in on this. Pick up in SE TN- 1 hour N of Chattanooga.

Also- its cooled off enough to ship, so I can save up eggs as well. 

[CindyM]

Here is a picture of a beauty from your eggs Amy. I thought I would share with everyone. Actually 3 pictures. I know the leg color with cuckoos is an issue but I am working on that  . I love them  . The hatch mates to these (pullets) have dark slate shanks but they are black and lavender, no cuckoo.

And the last two pics is the same cock just two angles to show is unique and lovely color. His shanks are just like the pullets. I think I have found him a home locally as I can't use him in my breeding plan. Thanks so much Amy for sharing your beautiful birds with me!!!!

[HappyMtn]

Thanks Cindy!
OK- question- was the last roo one of the chimpmunk looking babies? I have been talking to Harry and he think we might have lav silver on our hands. That would probably be what one would look like. Wild!

[CindyM]

Yes, here is a picture of him as a baby. I called him owl face    because of that yellow around the face. But he grew into that big beautiful boy.

[HappyMtn]

Wow! Yes- those are the stripes! How interesting.  He must not have any cuckoo in him- look at those legs! 

[CindyM]

I would guess that is what is at work as well. The black boys that I rehomed had silver leakage in the saddle and hackle feathers. I have the 1 Lavender Rooster from that very first batch of eggs from you and he is absolutely stunning. No leakage of any type at all!! I plan on using him in my lavender pen as he is the best lavender specimen I have come across yet. 

I wish I lived closer I would think about meeting you to get some of those chicks 

[HappyMtn]

The solid lav pullets I got from that generation are really nice too.
I can send you some eggs from the next generation if you want, but I have no cuckoo girls so any barred ones will be single factor. 

[HappyMtn]

Almost forgot this thread was here! Getting ready top hatch from the next generation. I have a decent lav roo that I am putting over the whole flock, including a pale slate-legged lav cuckoo pullet and a cuckopo split for lav pullet. They have both finally started laying and egg color is a super saturated teal.