[GrannieAnnie]

As some of you know, I'm trying to take a back seat and let Brian take on more of the  poultry looking after!

Well, while I was in Kent last week he had to look after all of the chooks, including the day old chicks we collected on 21st Feb.  This week, I have pushed him into still looking after the chicks much more than me, although I've still been letting the older ones out, feeding them and I did clean out a shed yesterday!

However he did manage to run out of gas for the chicks on Thursday, after sevral reminders from me to phone and order a new cylinder!  Won't be here until Tuesday, so lst night at 11.30 we were scrablling around trying to find the infra reds in the greenhouse and getting them hung up!

Last year we were enquiring about getting some black chicks and our hatchery said they were getting some in the New Year.  Well they didn't get them, but said that their ex director who is the chap who was going to supply them with eggs may want to sell a few of his breeding stock for the Shaver Blacks.

So Brian spoke to the breeder and we went over to Norfolk on Thursday to pick up 20 hens and 2 cockerals.  

That was an experience!  I've not seen so many chickens in a shed for years!  they must have been at the maximum DEFRA stocking density, they could hardly move!  But they all looked happy and they were lovely and clean with plenty of food.

However, they weren't black, so I said to the stockman, what breed are these chickens?  The hens look like Barred Plymouth Rocks, no they be shaver blacks he said, and what are the cockerals?  They look like RIR's.  No he replied, they be shaver blacks too!

Well, I know that basically a shaver black is a cross betwwen a RIR and a BPR, so I don't think he's been in the business very long! lol

Anyway, got them back home and they are very good, but it took them a day to come out of their house as they'd never been out before, bit like the ex batts!  Poor things, but then they didn't want to go in either!  So the 2nd night I put a torch inside the door and then ushered them in and they went in much better.

They don't like layers pellets much, so Brian told me to put them on wheat and oats, but I don't think there's enough goodness in that for them.

But have a look at the photo's.  Notice anything strange about the cockerals??

[GrannieAnnie]

These are the girls!

[compostqueen]

Solid combs???  I know nothing about such things 

You have a busy life GA 

[joyfull]

if the combs wer smaller I would say they had been nubbed dubbed (thanks Tom  ).

[themagicaltoad1]

Ooooo Grannieannie that's one very psychotic looking hen you have there

[joyfull]

this link shows the colouring the other way round Grannie 

http://bjeggs.com/2009/06/01/shaver-black-sex-link-chickens/

[GrannieAnnie]

this link shows the colouring the other way round Grannie 

http://bjeggs.com/2009/06/01/shaver-black-sex-link-chickens/

Ours are the parent stock Joy, the link you put on here shows the progeny.  Apparently when they hatch, the females are black, and the boys have a white star on their heads .  Then the girls look a bit like the black rocks and the boys look like the barred plymouth rocks.

And yes, although the comb is a bit big, they have been dubbed, and their beaks have been trimmed.  They do this to try to stop pecking as all the cocks and hens live together in these huge sheds.

We bought the breeding stock from Robert Haynes who used to own Joice and Hill Hatcheries, but Hendrix-Genetics bought him and his partners out in January 2010.  They already owned 40% of the shares.  So when the chicks grow up, they will be genuine Shaver Blacks Robert said, so we aren't doing anything wrong by calling them that.

Just hope Brian doesn't amke a mess of looking after them!   

Oh and yes toady, they are a bit psychotic, what about this one then? 

[Lindeggs]

GrannieAnnie, one of those pics should be your avatar!  Great photos of a couple of wild-looking chooks!

[GrannieAnnie]

No no Lindeggs!  My Penny dog is my mascot!  She will never be replaced by a chicken!!   

[Casey76]

Just  be aware that some of the females will have a yellow spot on thier heads too!  It will be smaller and more defined than they boys, but it might still be there.

The offspring will look like black-rock types - black bodies with gold flecks in their neck hackles

[GrannieAnnie]

Thanks Casey, I wasn't told the girls could have a mark too!  And yes I know the girls will look like black rocks, as the phto in Joy's link shows, but at least I won't be trying to sell them as black rocks like some people do!

[jinty1911]

You have a couple of mad looking chicks there   

[alancane]

Is there an anger management course your hens can go on?  lol