As of late May 2015 my flock was split between my friend Carolyn and Joe & Sandy.
It was hard to do but it was one less chore for Patty & Debbie to do while I was in Alaska.
I have not replaced them since we have gotten home and still miss them but not the chores.
So since I have found 2 sources of eggs and am enjoying not doing those chores with my busy
life for now, no chickens in my life.
I will keep this tab up for now....I enjoy looking at the photos :-)
It was hard to do but it was one less chore for Patty & Debbie to do while I was in Alaska.
I have not replaced them since we have gotten home and still miss them but not the chores.
So since I have found 2 sources of eggs and am enjoying not doing those chores with my busy
life for now, no chickens in my life.
I will keep this tab up for now....I enjoy looking at the photos :-)
A TERRIBLE TRADGEDY STRUCK MY CHICKEN COOP IN AUGUST 2014!! A STRAY DOG KILLED 12 CHICKENS INCLUDING WHOOTEN, OREO, Willie the Bantam rooster AND ALL MY WELSUMMER HENS.
THE BANTAM WELSUMMERS AND THE MAMA AND BABY BANTAM HENS SURVIVED.
IT WAS AN AWFUL SIGHT TO FIND.
SO, I START OVER REBUILDING THE FLOCK.
AS OF DEC. 2014 I HAVE 3 RHODE ISLAND RED HENS, 2 WELSUMMER HENS I BOUGHT, A NEW WHOOTEN ROOSTER, THE BANTAM WELSUMMER AND HER DAUGHTER FROM LAST YEAR. THE DAUGHTER HATCHED OUT 3 CHICKS IN NOV. I'LL KEEP THE HEN. I ALSO HAVE THE LITTLE BLACK JAPANESE BANTAMS.....2 CHICKS WERE HATCHED OUT THE NIGHT OF THE ATTACK SO I HAVE A REPLACEMENT ROOSTER AND A NEW HEN.
I'LL GET UPDATED PHOTOS OF THE NEW FLOCK SOON.
THE BANTAM WELSUMMERS AND THE MAMA AND BABY BANTAM HENS SURVIVED.
IT WAS AN AWFUL SIGHT TO FIND.
SO, I START OVER REBUILDING THE FLOCK.
AS OF DEC. 2014 I HAVE 3 RHODE ISLAND RED HENS, 2 WELSUMMER HENS I BOUGHT, A NEW WHOOTEN ROOSTER, THE BANTAM WELSUMMER AND HER DAUGHTER FROM LAST YEAR. THE DAUGHTER HATCHED OUT 3 CHICKS IN NOV. I'LL KEEP THE HEN. I ALSO HAVE THE LITTLE BLACK JAPANESE BANTAMS.....2 CHICKS WERE HATCHED OUT THE NIGHT OF THE ATTACK SO I HAVE A REPLACEMENT ROOSTER AND A NEW HEN.
I'LL GET UPDATED PHOTOS OF THE NEW FLOCK SOON.
Chickens
Welsummer Rooster
Here is Whooten, the welsummer rooster. He is so handsome and a good protector. He was hatched in the spring of 2012.
He had more tail plumbs but either the cat, Ranger or the dog, Shep got after him one day and pulled some out...now he seems to be molting the few that are left :-o
Photos of the lovely purebred welsummer hens are further down this page.
Unfortunately something killed my dear Whooten in May 2014.
I was so sad....I ran 2 batches of eggs in the incubator and 2 hens set on eggs fertilized by him so we are starting over with a rooster chick of his to be his replacement.
He had more tail plumbs but either the cat, Ranger or the dog, Shep got after him one day and pulled some out...now he seems to be molting the few that are left :-o
Photos of the lovely purebred welsummer hens are further down this page.
Unfortunately something killed my dear Whooten in May 2014.
I was so sad....I ran 2 batches of eggs in the incubator and 2 hens set on eggs fertilized by him so we are starting over with a rooster chick of his to be his replacement.
Above is Oreo the Chicken...she is 9-10 years old in 2013 and very friendly.She is a buff brahma. I got her from my brother's wife Sandy, when they had to move and she couldn't take her chickens. She is such a nice bird. She layed a few eggs in the spring of 2013 and one in Sept. 2013. I am going to incubate that egg and hope to get a little hen chick to keep since she is so old. Here she is in the nesting box.....maybe she'll give me another egg today :-)
Bantam (Miniature) Welsummer
This is my only Bantam Welsummer. She was hatched in July of 2012. She is the best Mama. She hatched these 6 chicks in Aug. 2013 and didn't loose any of them to predators. She teaches them how to search for food and how to hide from hawks. Thanks Nancy for getting me hooked on Welsummers!! 2 are roosters and 4 are hens. I kept the 4 hens.
Jan. 17th, 2014 the 4 hen chicks from this brood started to lay eggs at 21 1/2 weeks old. The mother hen's eggs are a pale brown but the chicks are fathered by Whooten that has the dark egg genes so their eggs are darker brown with spots.
Jan. 17th, 2014 the 4 hen chicks from this brood started to lay eggs at 21 1/2 weeks old. The mother hen's eggs are a pale brown but the chicks are fathered by Whooten that has the dark egg genes so their eggs are darker brown with spots.
Welsummer Hens
Above is a full sized, purebred Welsummer hen. They are nearly double the size of the Bantam Welsummer. They lay very dark brown eggs with even darker brown spots.
Above are 6 of my 9 purebred, full size Welsummer Hens. They are a nice addition to my hen house. They were hatched in March of 2013.
Mama and Baby Bannie Setting Together
Here are mama and baby bannie setting together
in April 2013.
They set on 15 eggs for 21 days.
click on photo to enlarge
in April 2013.
They set on 15 eggs for 21 days.
click on photo to enlarge
My Mama and Baby Japanese Bantams hatched out 5 clutches this summer....it is great fun to watch the little chicks peep around. I also added the Lovely Welsummer Rooster and hens to my flock this summer. They lay a very dark brown eggs and are good setters. The rooster is so beautiful! We call him Whooton Welsummer :-) A mink killed 2 of my last 3 welsummer hens in Feb. 2013. The remaining hen is very broody so that is good...I like mama raised chicks. I did get an incubator and Tom got me the egg turner so I hatch out some chicks for fun :-)
One Chick so Far!
Mama and Baby Bannie's first chick to hatch.
click on photo to enlarge
click on photo to enlarge
click on photo to enlarge
click on photo to enlarge
Here is the proud family of Japanese bantams. (photo coming when I find it...I deleted the smaller version and now can't find it to make it larger...oops)
Mama Bannie has the grey hood.
The solid black hens are her 1 & 2 year old daughters.
The
proud fellow with the large red comb is Willie...he stays right with the mama's
and babies...a super great rooster!!
click on photo to enlarge
Mama Bannie has the grey hood.
The solid black hens are her 1 & 2 year old daughters.
The
proud fellow with the large red comb is Willie...he stays right with the mama's
and babies...a super great rooster!!
click on photo to enlarge
Here is Baby Bannie (the mother's name :-} with her little ones just hours old. The have two favorite nest spots to hatch out their babies.