Pretty Mocha

Mocha was the very first hatchling every on the DaM Farm. She is a cross between a Buff Orpington and and Partridge Chantecler. When she was first born, she was yellow with brown markings and we got to calling her Skid Mark. She's turned into quite the beauty. She is a lighter brown than the Chanteclers but not yellow like the Orpingtons. She does have some brown/black markings vaguely like the Chanteclers, though.

I'm hoping she's a she. It's hard to tell with crosses. If she is a she, she'll become the matriarch of the DaM Farm flock. A nice thing about the crosses is that it seems they have the rosebud combs. Rosebud combs do not typically get frostbitten. Tobias, our Buff Orpington Roo, did get frostbite on two or three points of his comb this winter. The comb turned black and then the black parts fell off. It didn't seem to bother him a bit. But if it could be avoided I'd like that.

I'm anxious to see how the mixes eggs turn out. I'm hoping they will be about the same size as Buff Orpington eggs which are HUGE. Mixes also tend to be very mellow and laid back. Mocha, in particular does not seem to get ruffled easily. She's an observer, she watches the antics of the others with curiosity but stays detached. And she isn't the least bit bossy. Now if she just stays a she, I'll be happy.