Basil's a Daddy :)

[CoraxAurata]

Feeling a little bit sad right now. The last chick that hatched this afternoon (number 3) has had to be put to sleep. I thought it was doing a slimy poo, but when I looked closer, there was a load of its intestine coming out of its bottom. Paul came over and we both agreed that the poor little thing would suffer unnecessarily if we left it, no way would that amount of prolapsed intestine go back on its own, so he did the deed. It's the first time I've had to face this sort of thing, but if I'm going to hatch chicks, then I should expect that not every one is going to be perfect

Oh no, thats so sad! we had a 5 week Brahma O.H. had to send on from this life his leg joint went nasty and he could only walk in circles and that reluctantly, poor boy. Its hard but its not fair to make them suffer.

((((((((((Aunty Mo.))))))))))))

[Hilary B]

Hello - sorry not been here for a bit....

As I suspect Basil of being all Marans anyway the blues are most likely to be girls but I wouldn't like to put any money on it......

IF Basil is pure Marans, but the ladies are Bluebelles, the blues can be either, but the yellow ones will be boys.
(I do understand the genetics, but don't ask me to explain it)

[MaureenHall]

IF Basil is pure Marans, but the ladies are Bluebelles, the blues can be either, but the yellow ones will be boys.
(I do understand the genetics, but don't ask me to explain it)

When I first got Basil, he looked exactly like the Bluebelle girls in colouring, he was just "bigger", so I don't think he's pure Marans. As he's grown, he's got gold in his neck and saddle feathers, but he is still predominantly blue. I'll try and get a photo to show you what I mean. I don't mind what the chicks turn out to be, but it's certainly reassuring that the yellow ones will probably be boys Thanks very much for that Hilary, what would I do without you

[Hilary B]

When I first got Basil, he looked exactly like the Bluebelle girls in colouring, he was just "bigger", so I don't think he's pure Marans. As he's grown, he's got gold in his neck and saddle feathers, but he is still predominantly blue. I'll try and get a photo to show you what I mean. I don't mind what the chicks turn out to be, but it's certainly reassuring that the yellow ones will probably be boys Thanks very much for that Hilary, what would I do without you

If both parents are crosses, you could get anything! (although yellow girls are a bit less likely than the other options)

[MaureenHall]

Here's a pic of the Mummy's and Daddy

[MaureenHall]

Well, I've now got all 7 (so far hatched) chicks here at home and what a mixed bunch they are!!!!! Looking at a couple of them, I think Rowan's had a hand (you know what I mean ) in fertilising some eggs, so I think there's a couple of "Wellbelles" here

Kirsty, I'm sorry if you were hoping for all Bluebelle-type chicks, but they're all gorgeous! I'll put another pick of them all on here when I've moved them into the bigger growing on place in the conservatory

[RedThorn]

am jealous, nice to have a real mixed bag, makes identifying the girls easier

[MaureenHall]

Oh they're sooooooooooooooooooo pretty And I've just been having a "listen" at Precious's broody coop and I'm 90% sure I can hear cheeping (might be tinnitus though ) fingers crossed!!!!!!!!

[RedThorn]

*Pinches Aunty Mo's salt* so that she can stop rubbing it in the wounds!

With my hearing, I'm just happy to be able to hear the tinnitus!

Beeping 'eck Aunty Mo, how many chicks at hatching stage through to 10 weeks have you got then!

[MaureenHall]

Not that many chicks really, I sold a Vorwerk last week and the other 2 are going on Thursday, there's just the Jersey Giant (Jenny) and Black Minorca (Alice) who aren't "little" chicks any more, they're 13 weeks now. There's only 7 definite little chicks in this lot so far. I took these piccies just now when I was changing the towel in the bottom of the brooding box. Can you see what I mean about the possibility of there being some Welsummer in some of them?

[RedThorn]

clueless when looking at chicks but looks like 3 different types there. So how many eggs in the broody coop under precious then? and how many in this lot still to hatch?

[HayleyB]

Basil is breathtaking - so he's not a bluebelle then What type of Marans do you think he is?

Shame about the little chick, I think we may be going down a similar route with Aggie (cream Legbar) I've splinted her leg in a bandage but I'm not optimistic

[MaureenHall]

Basil is breathtaking - so he's not a bluebelle then What type of Marans do you think he is?

Shame about the little chick, I think we may be going down a similar route with Aggie (cream Legbar) I've splinted her leg in a bandage but I'm not optimistic

Well I think Basil is a Bluebelle. Like I've said on an earlier post, he looked identical to the girls when I first brought him home, just bigger, and as he was most likely hatched with a big (or biggish) batch of other eggs all the same cross to get Bluebelles, then that's what I'm leaning towards.

There's 8 eggs under Precious and another 6 still in the incubator. I'm not sure if I'll get any more incubator ones though which is a shame, but hey ho, never mind, not giving up on them yet

[Hilary B]

Well I think Basil is a Bluebelle. Like I've said on an earlier post, he looked identical to the girls when I first brought him home, just bigger, and as he was most likely hatched with a big (or biggish) batch of other eggs all the same cross to get Bluebelles, then that's what I'm leaning towards.

There's 8 eggs under Precious and another 6 still in the incubator. I'm not sure if I'll get any more incubator ones though which is a shame, but hey ho, never mind, not giving up on them yet

If he was a 'Bluebelle' he wouldn't be blue! The point of the Bluebelle cross is that females are blue and males aren't!

[MaureenHall]

If he was a 'Bluebelle' he wouldn't be blue! The point of the Bluebelle cross is that females are blue and males aren't!

Oh right. Thanks Hilary