What Came Out of an Egg This Year

7 Jun 2026 · day 3

down · dark gray/black

markings · white head spot (Boss-confirmed)

features · white head spot + youngest of the clutch (last to hatch). NOTE: nest-mate Ingebird was also logged with a white head spot (2026-06-03), so the white spot is NOT unique on its own — Adelbird is told apart by being the last-hatched / smallest.

Boss ID note (2026-06-07): Adelbird is the last-to-hatch chick and carries a white head spot. Because Ingebird also has a white head spot, the distinguishing factor between them is age/size — Adelbird is the youngest.

4 Jun 2026 · day 0

features · from a blue egg; Egg #5 of the clutch, day 23 at hatch

Egg #5 (blue), day 23. Slow to clear the membrane. On the evening of 2026-06-03 the Boss applied a dab of water to the wet membrane; the chick pipped through, got air, and finished hatching ON HER OWN overnight while the Boss slept — no real intervention, just time. Free by the morning of 2026-06-04. Boss named her Adelbird on 2026-06-04. Down color not yet recorded — awaiting a daylight look / photo.

3 Jun 2026 · day 0

down · dark / brown

markings · none of note — the darker standard look; NOT silver (resolved 2026-07-21, see note)

features · Henrietta-line sister to Henriessa; Henridotta is the darker standard look while Henriessa is the silver/blue-gray one (Boss-confirmed 2026-07-21). Shares her darker coloring with Adelbird, who is slightly smaller but otherwise near-identical.

Egg #7 — Henrietta's own brown egg, marked 5/10. Hatched ~18:22 EDT on 2026-06-03. Named in honor of her mother, Henrietta (the matriarch Golden Laced Wyandotte, founder of the Henrietta line). SILVER RESOLVED 2026-07-21 — NOT HENRIDOTTA. The Boss first called her sister Henriessa "the silver one," briefly revised on 2026-06-04 to Henridotta ("it is Henridotta who is the silver one? My mistake," phrased as a question), then confirmed visually on 2026-07-21 that the silver/ blue-gray bird is HENRIESSA. Henridotta is the darker standard look — same coloring as Adelbird (who is slightly smaller). First solo portrait committed 2026-07-21 (IMG_7713-henridotta-purpleband12-21jul2026.jpg) with purple leg band #12 clearly visible — ID gap permanently closed.

7 Jun 2026 · day 4

down · brown; rust/red coming in on the face and throat

markings · rust/red wash on face and throat; NO white head spot (that mark is nest-mate Ingebird's)

features · the red/rust coloring is her tell — Boss reads it as the LBRJ sire signature

sex · pullet

prediction · pullet (medium) — Boss identified her by the red coloring on 2026-06-07 (photo IMG_5171) and attributes paternity to LBRJ. Supersedes the earlier Whitey Red Legs paternity-window guess.

Boss-confirmed correction (2026-06-07): Horstabird is a pullet ("she"), has NO white head spot, and shows red/rust coloring on the face and throat that the Boss attributes to sire LBRJ. First real ID tell; updates paternity from the earlier WRL window to LBRJ.

3 Jun 2026 · day 0

down · brown with a yellow wash on the belly (Boss-reported at hatch)

Egg #4 (blue). Worked at the shell for hours — hole open by midday but no zip. The Boss assisted: removed a tiny piece of shell (beak then visible, breathing observed) and placed a small droplet of water on the membrane to keep it from drying. The chick rested up and freed itself, hatched 16:44 EDT 2026-06-03. Down color is Boss-reported (brown with a yellow belly wash) — not yet corroborated by a committed photo.

3 Jun 2026 · day 0

down · black / dark

markings · a bit of cream on the face/beak; silver/light wing tips and a silver stripe logged at hatch (IMG_5144 / IMG_5147) — CONFIRMED as Henriessa's marking on 2026-07-21 (see note); she is the silver/blue-gray sister

features · barely distinguishable from Ingebird (both black down) — Ingebird has a white head spot and came from a blue egg; Henriessa is from a brown egg (Henrietta line)

Third chick of the June (NI) clutch, hatched the morning of 2026-06-03 from a brown egg — Henrietta is the only brown-egg layer in the flock, so she is the dam. Moved to the brooder midday Jun 3. SILVER ATTRIBUTION — RESOLVED 2026-07-21 IN HENRIESSA'S FAVOR. At hatch (Jun 3) the silver wing-tips and silver stripe were logged on Henriessa (IMG_5144/5147). On Jun 4 the Boss first said Henriessa was "the silver one," then revised to Henridotta (phrased as a question, "my mistake"), and the repo tentatively recorded silver on Henridotta at low confidence. On 2026-07-21 the Boss confirmed visually that the clearly silver/blue-gray bird is HENRIESSA — settling the flip-flop back to her (the original hatch-day observation) and marking Henridotta as the darker standard look. First committed solo portrait added the same day (IMG_7655).

2 Jun 2026 · day 0

down · black

markings · white spot on top of the head; tiny white tuft noted at hatch

features · WHITE head spot — the ID mark vs Birdimir's black spot; came out of the shell upside-down, pink skin, healthy

Second chick of the June (NI) clutch, hatched 2026-06-02 (photographed wet ~15:58 EDT). Dam noted by Boss as Birdsula (blue-egg layer). Moved to the retired old incubator (OI) with Birdimir on the evening of Jun 2, then to the brooder the morning of Jun 3. Boss later noted Ingebird had been sitting next to brown Egg #6 and may have thrown its humidity off.

22 Jun 2026 · day 20

down · natal down replaced — juvenile feathering is mostly white

markings · scattered black speckles across the wing coverts and tail; the natal black head spot has grown out into the white juvenile plumage and is no longer prominent

features · predominantly white juvenile with light black flecking on the wings and tail. The all-white body now separates Birdimir from the darker clutch-mates, but the head-spot discriminator from Ingebird is no longer reliable now that both have feathered out white.

prediction · cockerel (low) — Boss's early male call stands; no comb/wattle development or hackle-feather sexing confirmed yet at twenty days

Day-20 juvenile, photographed on a coop rail (IMG_6233). White plumage with black wing/tail speckles — a clean then/now contrast against the wet buff hatch-day down in IMG_5089. current_location stays brooder until a coop move is confirmed.

2 Jun 2026 · day 0

down · white / light (white-yellow)

markings · black spot on top of the head

features · BLACK head spot — the single most important ID mark; Birdimir and Ingebird are near mirror images of each other, told apart only by head-spot color (Birdimir black, Ingebird white)

prediction · cockerel (low) — Boss's early call is presumed male; no wing-feather sexing done yet

First chick of the June (NI) clutch, hatched 2026-06-02. Boss flagged the contrasting head spot (IMG_5141) as the most important thing to record for telling this pair apart. Moved into the now-retired old incubator (OI) on the evening of Jun 2 as a holding spot with Ingebird, then to the brooder the morning of Jun 3.

21 Jul 2026 · day 66

markings · warm solid buff-orange across the back, no stripe pattern (distinguishes her from Birdthazar); black tail coming in dark and full

features · the 'Monster Leg' nickname/alias; small pink comb consistent with a pullet

prediction · pullet (low) — Small pink comb at ~9–10 weeks leans pullet; still early to be definitive.

Descriptive pass from IMG_7556 (21-Jul-2026): warm solid buff-orange back with no stripe pattern — the tell against Birdthazar; black tail coming in dark and full; yellow legs; small pink comb, consistent with pullet. Disposition: confident, owns the yard. 'Monster Leg' is a recognized nickname/alias.

25 May 2026 · day 9

down · solid orange/buff, no dorsal stripe

markings · brown-black mottled feathers emerging on the wing shoulder

features · notably large orange legs/feet (the 'Monster Leg' nickname); strong jumper/climber — flies onto the waterer base, working toward perching on the rim

Named Birdsilla (aka Monster Leg), the 'orange dinosaur.' The no-stripe back remains the key tell vs Birdthazar. Photos IMG_4699/4705.

17 May 2026 · day 1

down · solid orange/buff, no stripe

features · long legs

Moved from incubator to brooder PM 2026-05-17 (IMG_4222) with Chick #2. Peaceful pile-and-rest with siblings.

16 May 2026 · day 0

down · solid uniform orange/buff across back and wings

markings · no stripe (key discriminator from Birdthazar)

features · monster legs (whole clutch); 'big ol' orange dinosaur' per Boss; yolk sac partially attached at hatch

Pip-to-free timeline: - ~21:32 EDT pip starts - 21:52 EDT hatch in progress flagged - 21:54 EDT half-pipped - 22:02 EDT breathing visible through shell, vigorous - 22:12 EDT FREE — total pip-to-free ~40 min, 20 min faster than estimate Yolk sac still partially attached — left in incubator until absorption before any handling.

23 Jul 2026 · day 68

features · pink #03 band on left leg assigned during hands-on capture for banding. Bird was unhappy about capture — confirmed large adult size.

sex · suspected cockerel

prediction · cockerel (medium) — Comb/wattle development at day-66 pointed cockerel; saddle/hackle feathers will confirm at 12–14 weeks.

Leg-banded today. Pink #03, left leg. Portrait photo committed (IMG_7791). Boss noted the bird was 'not at all happy' about capture.

21 Jul 2026 · day 66

markings · dark charcoal body with rust coming in on the wings — the Wyandotte × RIR cross phenotype (reads the same in either sex)

features · comb bright red, upright, single with clean points; wattles already drooped and flushed red

sex · suspected cockerel

prediction · cockerel (medium) — At ~9–10 weeks a pullet shows only tiny pale comb nubs and flat wattles. Henriella has a bright-red upright single comb with clean points and wattles that have already drooped and flushed red — that is cockerel hardware. Body/wing coloring is the cross phenotype and is not sex-diagnostic. Saddle/hackle feathers will confirm at 12–14 weeks.

SEX SUSPECTED COCKEREL (flagged 21-Jul-2026). Boss-approved alternate name 'Henriello' pending sex confirmation. Supersedes the day-38 tentative pullet read; comb + wattle development at ~9–10 weeks now points the other way.

23 Jun 2026 · day 38

markings · slate / blue-gray body with distinct pale-edged feather lacing across back, wings and breast; rust-auburn wash on the breast and lower hackle; dark grizzled grey-black head with a pale whitish throat and face

features · the laced/scalloped slate plumage — clearly echoes the Golden Laced Wyandotte dam (Henrietta); small single red comb just beginning to develop; near fully feathered out of juvenile down

prediction · pullet (low) — Small single comb and clean lacing lean pullet, but day-38 is still early to call sex confidently. Lacing now expressed confirms strong Wyandotte (dam Henrietta) influence on plumage.

Calibration: the day-0 'grey-and-white down' and day-9 'slate body + dark head cap' readings are tracking — the Wyandotte lacing the early notes anticipated is now clearly visible. Still camera-shy. Three Boss-supplied photos (#meet-the-lobsters, 23-Jun-2026): IMG_6283, IMG_6292, IMG_6269.

25 May 2026 · day 9

down · slate-grey body

markings · dark brown-black head/crown cap; dark mask through the eye; pale cream throat patch; grey wing feathers emerging

features · bicolor beak (dark upper, orange tip); the dark head cap is the instant tell vs the two buff siblings

Named Henriella (Henrietta line). Camera-shy temperament. Photos IMG_4709/4710/4712.

17 May 2026 · day 1

down · grey-and-white

features · fluffed out nicely

Moved from incubator to brooder PM 2026-05-17 (IMG_4222) to keep April 26 eggs undisturbed. Peaceful pile-and-rest with siblings.

16 May 2026 · day 0

down · grey-and-white

markings · magnificent coloring (Boss's words)

features · visually distinct from the two buff siblings — never confuse

First chick of the Henrietta line. Was vocalizing distress at 21:23 EDT while Birdthazar was harassing; settled once Birdthazar moved to brooder.

17 May 2026 · day 1

down · buff/yellow

markings · dark chipmunk stripe down back

features · dark eye, orange beak; alert, exploring

sex · cockerel

prediction · cockerel (medium) — Wing-feather sexing (IMG_4225, 15:50 EDT): feathers across wing read as approximately uniform single row → cockerel pattern. Pullets show two distinct lengths.

48-hour health check at 13:56 EDT cleared. Wing-feather sex provisional, not 100% on every cross — confirming as he matures. **Named Birdthazar** if male holds.

16 May 2026 · day 0

down · light buff/yellow

markings · dark chipmunk-style stripe down the back

features · monster legs (whole clutch — not useful for ID); aggressive temperament out the gate

prediction · cockerel (low) — Down pattern not yet sexed; aggression noted but not a reliable sex marker at day 0

First of three from this clutch. Pecking batchmates and knocking remaining eggs around — relocated solo to brooder by 21:22 EDT to stop interference with rest of hatch.

23 Jun 2026 · day 59

markings · predominantly black body, saddle and tail feathering; rust-auburn hackle over neck and crown; faint rust wash on wing

features · single red comb just beginning to develop; near fully feathered out of juvenile down

prediction · pullet (low) — Calibration vs day-23 call: the earlier 'blue-gray base' prediction is reading too light — she's feathering out predominantly black with a rust hackle, leaning to the LBRJ/RIR sire over Birdadonna's blue-gray. Comb still small; sex not yet callable.

Boss-confirmed ID, 23 Jun 2026, #meet-the-lobsters. Two photos in the run (IMG_6271 front, IMG_6259 rear). 'Camera shy' per Boss. Day-59 grown-out reference for the hatch-day-down → adult-plumage calibration.

18 May 2026 · day 23

markings · blue eyes; distinctive coloring around the beak; slight rust-colored feathers in wing area; slight white tips on wing

features · white feathers on belly; distinctive white feather on wings (key Birdadette vs Birdadotta differentiator)

prediction · pullet (low) — Visual cues lean pullet but too early to call confidently. Dam (Birdadonna) is blue-gray with golden auburn hackle; sire LBRJ likely RIR.

S7-cam frame; young pullet stage.

25 Apr 2026 · day 0

down · brown-and-cream striped

features · orange beak

Hatched day-22 from Birdadonna's egg set 2026-04-03. 3rd-generation named line.

16 May 2026 · day 40

markings · warm buff/golden chest; dark brown lacing across back and wings

features · compact round body; comb just beginning to pink

Per Boss: 'such a very fine bird' (IMG_4040 / IMG_4042). Early mis-call as Welsummer corrected — she's an EE.

6 Apr 2026 · day 0

down · gray-brown downy

First successful 2026 hatch. Hatched right on Boss's desk next to the keyboard.