Chick Roster

Friday, May 14, 2021  (12 days before May’s “Flower Moon” rises fullest to Earth)

My new flock: back row from left to right, Black Jersey Giant, Color Pack, Cuckoo Maran, Amber Sex Link, Dominant Copper, Rhode Island Red; and front center, Welsummer. I think each is identified correctly, but who knows when they’re in a heap. I wanted a Welsummer, and in other choices considered diversity.

Some details:

The interesting Black Jersey Giant originally was bred in the 1880s, in New Jersey. My hen will mature to about 10-12 pounds, compared to average breeds weighing 6-7 pounds. As a fellow chick-looker was telling me how much she loved her gentle Black Jersey Giant, I became sold.

A Color Pack (also called an “Easter Egger”) is a cross of several breeds. She’ll annually lay about 280 predominantly blue and green colored eggs. These chicks are color sexable, so mine’s definitely a hen.

The Cuckoo Maran, from France, is a rare and popular breed. “Cuckoo” refers to her feathers, darker-colored and with lines not well-defined. Similar breeds have more clearly-defined colorations and lines.

Sex Links, Amber and Black alike, are my favorites, and they’re also color sexable. They’re gentle, friendly egg-layers, and essentially want to hop into their human’s lap. This time around, and “just because”, I chose an Amber.

The Dominant Copper is interesting, having emanated from the Chez Republic, it lays incredibly dark eggs, and gets along well in a mixed-breed flock. This little sweetie is my first Copper.

Rhode Island Reds are very popular. They’re reputed to be very predator-aware and lay bunches of eggs. This is my first experience with the breed.

Then, the Welsummer. Wanting this breed again is behind this new flock. My current Welsummer, the last survivor from my original flock, always was my favorite. She’s now eleven years old (ancient for a domestic chicken) and doing well. Thoughts of losing her made me re-think having or not-having more chickens.

Well, I’m a weak one. Although intending to select only three, I couldn’t resist the seduction of unending chicks, with cuteness, variety, and potential. After forcing myself to draw a hard line, I’m baby-sitting a lucky-seven number of chicks.

Dear Friends: Irresistible weaknesses: European chocolates, northern vodkas, baby anythings. Diana