This is Elvis. He is one good looking bird and he knows it. He suffers fools poorly and he is certainly in charge of his kind.
The ducks are much larger but that doesn't worry Elvis. There has been more than one pitched battle between Elvis and Mr. Duck over who owned the yard. Something must have been settled because I haven't seen these contests lately.
Just like we all change as we age, Elvis did not start out looking so majestic.
The ducks are much larger but that doesn't worry Elvis. There has been more than one pitched battle between Elvis and Mr. Duck over who owned the yard. Something must have been settled because I haven't seen these contests lately.
Just like we all change as we age, Elvis did not start out looking so majestic.
He could very well be one of the chicks in the picture. He is certainly in the cage. We ordered 24 pullets and one rooster and it was some time before we could pick him out.
All these chicks are Barnvelders from Holland. They were bred to lay eggs. Apparently Holland supplies Europe with eggs.
All these chicks are Barnvelders from Holland. They were bred to lay eggs. Apparently Holland supplies Europe with eggs.
This is Elvis Jr. Some days I think he is just a little darker than Elvis. Some days I can't tell the difference. My guess is he is a product of Elvis and one of the half Barnvelder hens or he is all Barnvelder. His left leg is bent and he walks and runs with sort of a hop and a jump. He and Elvis remind me of Matt Dillon and Chester (google it, kid).
Why half Barnvelder you might ask? The weather got hot (duh) and the Barnvelders stopped laying. We tried to order more but they were not available. Well we were after eggs not a trophy at the livestock show.
Why half Barnvelder you might ask? The weather got hot (duh) and the Barnvelders stopped laying. We tried to order more but they were not available. Well we were after eggs not a trophy at the livestock show.
This is a black Austrolorp. There are other types of Austrolorp. If it's important they are the australian take on the Orphington breed.
What was important to me was that they did well in hot weather and could survive our cold spells. They have done just fine considering everything.
Before I could figure out how to control the raccoons they did a lot of damage. I think our yard was overpopulated because the first I really remember them was after these beauties came.
What was important to me was that they did well in hot weather and could survive our cold spells. They have done just fine considering everything.
Before I could figure out how to control the raccoons they did a lot of damage. I think our yard was overpopulated because the first I really remember them was after these beauties came.
The Barnvelder is a little larger than the Austrolorp. Normally it's pretty hard to notice.
Everything here started with these two breeds. There may be some pure Barnvelders produced here but not pure Austrolorps. They had no rooster.
Curiously enough, there were no roosters of any sort being hatched here. There cannot be many of the original barnvelders left.
Austrolorps make better moms than the barnvelders in my opinion. We really had very few eggs hatch until they showed up. Some of the Austrolorps did it under very adverse conditions. A couple picked my shop versus spots we designed for sitting on eggs. The first one that sticks in my mind was in the top shelf of a bookshelf. The babies all got down, I guess they fell. I guess they had to see how it was done because the Barnvelders were hatching so few.
Everything here started with these two breeds. There may be some pure Barnvelders produced here but not pure Austrolorps. They had no rooster.
Curiously enough, there were no roosters of any sort being hatched here. There cannot be many of the original barnvelders left.
Austrolorps make better moms than the barnvelders in my opinion. We really had very few eggs hatch until they showed up. Some of the Austrolorps did it under very adverse conditions. A couple picked my shop versus spots we designed for sitting on eggs. The first one that sticks in my mind was in the top shelf of a bookshelf. The babies all got down, I guess they fell. I guess they had to see how it was done because the Barnvelders were hatching so few.
Both breeds produce tan eggs. I cannot tell the difference once the hen has matured.
A neighbor came knocking on our door one night last year. He had a barred rock hen. She was the last of his flock and was missing feathers on her back from a raccoon. We took it and it became part of the flock. Again, she lays tan eggs with the only difference being they are a little larger. These eggs are marked with a pencil and are going under a broody hen.
A neighbor came knocking on our door one night last year. He had a barred rock hen. She was the last of his flock and was missing feathers on her back from a raccoon. We took it and it became part of the flock. Again, she lays tan eggs with the only difference being they are a little larger. These eggs are marked with a pencil and are going under a broody hen.
The barred rock is the lower center hen. She has grey and white spots that look like stripes. In the upper right are two guinea hens that fit the same description.
I have not seen her in any of the hatchlings but expect to one day.
I have not seen her in any of the hatchlings but expect to one day.
Poor example (the picture, not the chicks) of mixed breed chickens.
You might think they would share most characteristics. They do but they just don't mix uniformly.
You don't know who is the mom because the hens all lay eggs in one spot and one hen is selected (or fights) for the privilege of hatching the eggs.
Once the eggs are all hatched the hen (or duck) is usually happy to be removed from the cage. Then she hangs around keeping her eye on the clutch till shortly before they are released.
You might think they would share most characteristics. They do but they just don't mix uniformly.
You don't know who is the mom because the hens all lay eggs in one spot and one hen is selected (or fights) for the privilege of hatching the eggs.
Once the eggs are all hatched the hen (or duck) is usually happy to be removed from the cage. Then she hangs around keeping her eye on the clutch till shortly before they are released.
This is our nursery. Right now we have five adolescent chicks who all appear to be austrolorp that have a 10 day swing in age. Mom probably figured her job would never be done. She was very patient.
These kids were very skittish and it's tough to get close enough to get a good picture of the span in their size. It's getting less and less daily.
These kids were very skittish and it's tough to get close enough to get a good picture of the span in their size. It's getting less and less daily.
Austrolorp hen with one barnvelder and one austrolorp appearing chick. The hens are colorblind (figuratively) in ways we could only wish for.
This one has an austrolorp bottom and a barnvelder neck. head, and wing.
We had an old white duck that was killed by a neighborhood dog. There are white splashes on several of our ducks. Bird genetics is a strange field and I am intentionally pretty ignorant.
We had an old white duck that was killed by a neighborhood dog. There are white splashes on several of our ducks. Bird genetics is a strange field and I am intentionally pretty ignorant.
Now if you don't like the combination above, here is the mirror image. A very austrolorp head connected to a very barnvelder body.
To be honest, these birds are strange but I find them to be beautiful. Hens, hens, hens, and no new roosters.
To be honest, these birds are strange but I find them to be beautiful. Hens, hens, hens, and no new roosters.
No they don't really mix. The eggs are in the same nest but there are no chiduckens. They set on each others eggs and even tolerate each others young briefly.
You need to remove a chicken from a duck nest (or vice versa) quickly when hatched but not immediately. Tolerance has it's limits.
You need to remove a chicken from a duck nest (or vice versa) quickly when hatched but not immediately. Tolerance has it's limits.
This guy was born this year. Obviously a lot of austrolorp and obviously a rooster. I kept his clutch confined a little longer than usual and started noticing some differences that said he was a rooster. The differences became huge and then he disappeared.
It was then that we clued in. Elvis and Jr had driven them off. The roosters recognized new roosters a lot earlier than us. I really wonder why Elvis Jr. was allowed to survive.
It was then that we clued in. Elvis and Jr had driven them off. The roosters recognized new roosters a lot earlier than us. I really wonder why Elvis Jr. was allowed to survive.
New Sheriff in Town: This week we went to Huntsville state park and when we returned home this guy was here. Our granddaughter told us that he had been fighting with Elvis. He is full grown and not easily intimidated. May have been driven off elsewhere and showed himself to us when he dared.
Looking at pictures makes me think that he is a Plymouth Rock. That breed is related to the barred rock we already had.
The ladies here all rejected him and Elvis I and II hated him. Personally, I just saw this as a way of genetic diversification. Sheep and Goat owners are always buying and selling rams for that purpose. This was free.
The ladies here all rejected him and Elvis I and II hated him. Personally, I just saw this as a way of genetic diversification. Sheep and Goat owners are always buying and selling rams for that purpose. This was free.
This is Elvis Jr. moving as quickly as he can and the object of his focus is the New Guy. He was seen wooing a fair maiden. Elvis doesn't like it. May get noisy around here.
I might have run off the new guy had I not realized that Elvis I and II have probably run off a number of their descendants. It was no use this time. New Guy now has a spouse and is not afraid to move into the flock.
I might have run off the new guy had I not realized that Elvis I and II have probably run off a number of their descendants. It was no use this time. New Guy now has a spouse and is not afraid to move into the flock.
Wish I could have taken this during the day. From the left are the newly wed mixed breed hen and the New Guy. Then are two ducks who have decided they were meant for each other.
Then a mixed hen, Elvis (I or II?) and the barred rock. Life goes on. What a melting pot.
Then a mixed hen, Elvis (I or II?) and the barred rock. Life goes on. What a melting pot.
I used to see this type action in the Navy and when teaching school. New guy comes in and everyone needs to test him. Then someone (gal) likes him and the fights would start. If he could handle himself things would settle out. What cannot endure forever is the status quo.
This picture represents more than you know. Today the new guy was chasing Elvis and feeding with the flock. I don't know what the future holds for him and I don't know what next year's hatchlings are going to look like. Considering what you have seen you can probably envision a few color schemes as well. If you are interested I can post some pictures when they pop up.
This picture represents more than you know. Today the new guy was chasing Elvis and feeding with the flock. I don't know what the future holds for him and I don't know what next year's hatchlings are going to look like. Considering what you have seen you can probably envision a few color schemes as well. If you are interested I can post some pictures when they pop up.
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