When I collected Ebony I was very tempted to take another girl too as the other variety of game bird the farmer had were so beautiful. We decided to stick to the plan though as we felt that two girls coming in together would already have a bond and Speckles would still be left on her own.
The farmer and ourselves agreed that we could come back later for another girl and taking another one about a week or so later would put all three on a more equal footing.
As it has gone so easily with Ebony I started thinking of adding another one sooner rather than later. I rang the farmer today and he said that he was away Friday and Saturday so we could either go today (Thursday) or Sunday. My impatience kicked in and I opted to go today.
I am so glad that I did because our new girl is so beautiful. I have called her Flame. I went with the same strategy of putting Flame straight in to the run. To my surprise the only one that chased her was Ebony.
All the other girls accepted her but Ebony had obviously had enough of five days as bottom girl and was going to be bottom girl no longer. Flame is the new bottom girl, not counting the chicks, as they too young yet for joining in with the pecking order.
New girl, Flame
Speckles and Flame are quite comfortable together
Her shape is identical to Toffee, our past brown game girl, but there is a lot more gold in her. She is a stunning girl and has the game girl gentle nature. Toffee was bottom girl for a long time and I think Flame will be the same.
She also has a red face so we should be getting eggs from her too. Extra eggs are just an added bonus at the moment.
After a lot of sadness in my flock recently I feel uplifted by the addition of the game girls. The flock feels as if the joy has been put back into it.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Aw, she’s really lovely Carol!! xx
She is really lovely, I am so thrilled.
She is really pretty! 3 of my 4 eggs hatched today and yesterday. I now have a Wyandotte bantam chick (don’t know what colour yet – supposed to be buff, blue or gold laced but looks lavender to me!) and 2 lavender pekins. The other egg isn’t going to hatch I don’t think.
As usual there’s something to worry about though- one of them has curled toes so I’ve had to tape them. Fingers crossed ??
I love the blue/lavender colour. 3 out of 4 isn’t bad. Shame about the the toes though, as you say always something to worry about. I hope the taping will straighten them. Do let me know how it goes.
Love your new girl, Flame, getting a nice flock, of happy girls.
I love her already. It is so good to have a happy flock again.
Flame looks stunning – she did remind me of Toffee when I saw the first photo. It’ll be great if she’s still in lay, as they seem to have a short season.
I asked the farmer about that. I said my two game girls had never gone broody and had always laid from March to end of May. He said Ebony had been broody and was such a gentle broody that that was why he chose her for me. He said that after taking a broody break they then start laying again and so lay later into the year. I said that it’s an unexpected bonus to get eggs too.
She’s beautiful.
She is, thank you x
Wow another lovely hen! Lots of action at the moment!
I know, it’s suddenly all happening at once!