Rhode island reds

Yesterday I rang the president of the Waikato poultry association who was the breeder of the RIR I circled at the nat. Poultry show. She is a lovely lady who invited us out to her place that afternoon. She showed us all her birds and gave us 10 eggs to put under grace. The too is pure red and most of the ladies are. You can see in the photo there is a black orp/RIR lady and a silky cross. We can't tell which eggs are theirs so hatch day is going to be exciting.

Navjot at seven weeks

Nearly three weeks old in Hamilton

Winston/ Betsy

Navjot

King Tubby

Mrs Cherry

Tuppence

Honestly Winston

This is the difference 6 days makes

2 weeks old Hamilton

Our babies are 2ish weeks old. I think the leg test is fairly accurate now and Betsy is already showing some colour in her his huge wattles!

Im still unsure about Tuppence. Everything about her but the legs says boy. She will wander up to 4 metres away from her family and is so brave and curious.

(lots of baby wings)

King Tubby fights it and shes a bit bigger than the other black australorp 

Navjot, I will be REALLY surprised if shes a boy

and Mrs Cherry. Got to be a girl. very sweet, very shy. the 2 australorps have different colouring on their bellies too, King Tubby is white while Mrs Cherry is yellowish. The hatched this way.

We need to talk about Tuppence

                                            They should be a week old but theyre 4-5 days

 

 Hello Grace

 Nosey Florence

Thsi is Betsy. Usually she puts her feet up but her early wing feathering indicate GIRL

 King Tubby, fights it the whole time

 Mrs Cherry. I bet shes a girl

 Navjot.

 Tuppence. Tuppence never fights me but she wanders away from the others all the time. and look at this feathering.

I just dont think she is a RIR. She should be dark caramel and not have BLACK coming through.

Day 24 Hamilton

Last night the last of the chicks came out, Navjot the Barnevelder. Im so glad the hatch is over. 3eggs didnt hatch, 2 australorps which look like they didnt develop past a week and the blue barnevelder who broke into the air pocket but didnt get any further. I think it got cold while John was concentrating on the first hatchlings.

Today John took the chicks onto the grass. They didnt do much as they are still so new so it was hard to get many good photos.

 King Tubby's tiny comb

Holding Tuppence, she fell asleep!

 Navjot, look how much darker than last time

 and next to Betsy, the blue lace wyandotte (on the right)

 twins!

 Tuppence

 Betsy

 Still quite hard to get them all in one shot

 Betsy is far bluer than Rose was.

 King Tubby the Australorp