chicks this year

[niglefritz]

We didn't have many chicks/ducklings this year, and don't know why. Anyway, we had a hen who hatched out 5 little marans. We are happy that this time, they actually have the traits that they are supposed to. Last year they came out looking very, very odd, and that was a complete surprise considering that we didn't cross any. They have the proper feathering and color, no beards or muffs, no rose combs or any other odd thing...they look accurate. We got 1 blue (hen), 1 black (cockerel), and 3 splash (1 cockerel in the bunch). I would have preferred no splash, as I don't care for them at all, but I am happy that they look right this year. We will keep them for eating eggs if for nothing else. We need more of those. I will have to look up the genetics chart to see if it is worth using them for anything other than eggs, considering that we do have a blue rooster and now a black too.

I would like to get some new blood in there too, but anyone who has any of these lives so far away, and shipping for eggs is so very much that it makes it too expensive.

Our oldest has been training the splash cockerel (we thought it might be a hen earlier...oops). He is now coming separately when called and does a few other things.

[Sweetened]

We had a 100% duckling loss this year and don't know why. They'd get to a certain point and fall over dead within 12 hours.

Lost about 85% of our chicks when we moved them out to the coop, and NOT to coccidiosis, but to rats =/ figured out too late.

[niglefritz]

We found that with our muscovy ducklings, it seemed as though when they hit a certain young age, they would be healthy one day, dead the next. It could have been 12 hours...we didn't time it, really. We wondered if it could have been some sort of diet deficiency. We think this happened more when they were confined than if they were loose.

It is an interesting thing...hardly any eggs most of the summer and only now have one silkie and one guinea been laying...just in time for winter. Oh well.

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