Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[showinbirds]

 

[Bens-Hens]

Hmmm, pretties! Is there a bit of a story to go with the pic?

 

[Wrightsx4]

On the egg sellers FB page I can only find salmon. I know what you mean about the beard though, his colour seems pretty muffed from what I would expect looking at pics on the net. I did see teh parent flock, but can't recall what they looked like, it was muddy at the time anyway so everyone looked different to normal.

My guess though is that they probably are linked to another breeder in our south, who's roo's have some black, but not black beards. Looks like ours are going to feahter in similar colours.

http://www.freewebs.com/chookloop/apps/photos/album?albumid=10066665

yeah, I think you're right. The parent stock roo(s?) On their site have mostly white beards but did otherwise have coloring of the salmon favs. On the favs thread I read that it's wise to use a light bearded male to get female offspring with more pure white beards. Your link shows females with beautiful white beards so there must be something to that strategy.

 

[Bens-Hens]

He's a nice enough little fellow, and given we most likely have limited strains here I am guessing they are related. Had not heard about the white beards before.

Anyone care to have a punt at a gender guess on our two adopted 5 week old Plymouth Rocks?

I am getting mixed signals. Funny, I look at others pic and seem to be able to make the call easily, but ours are throwing me, perhaps I am desperate for a pullet and it's clouding my judgement. I have a few signs of each gender that it throwing me.

Have a go, it's free, anyone that gets it right can have a free cockerel, I have plenty!!!!




Sorry about the crummy pics, they are very camera shy.

Some form the other day already posted.






Today I also took the boys for a drive to find some new perches to put into the grow out run. The locals seem to like it.

 

[babyfoot]

He's a nice enough little fellow, and given we most likely have limited strains here I am guessing they are related. Had not heard about the white beards before.

Anyone care to have a punt at a gender guess on our two adopted 5 week old Plymouth Rocks?

I am getting mixed signals. Funny, I look at others pic and seem to be able to make the call easily, but ours are throwing me, perhaps I am desperate for a pullet and it's clouding my judgement. I have a few signs of each gender that it throwing me.

Have a go, it's free, anyone that gets it right can have a free cockerel, I have plenty!!!!

Firstly, Happy New Year to you all. ours was quiet ( I must be getting old)

Secondly, my little white chick seems to be more male each day, the comb is still smaller than the other male chick's but bigger than the definite female.

Thirdly, it's BROODys R US up here and with several hens successively trying to be broody it's been hard breaking them all, some try twice or thrice. My three chicks hatched just before xmas are doing really well, I am so delighted still with the stripy one, can't wait to see what it turns out like, I so hope it's the right gender.

No thanks to the spare Roosters, I have plenty of my own LOL. I wish I could keep my white one though. Have two adults already and that's plenty for the size of our flock. Nice try though!

 

[Farmer Viola]

Going with 1 roo 1 pullet, very redface on the left here. Also I LOVE the perches you built, fantastic idea!

 

[Wrightsx4]

I think you have one of each. One has daintier legs and a pale comb. My two barred rocks I was afraid were males at 12 weeks - big combs - but they weren't. They just get big combs sometimes (see my avatar hen!) And can be extremely bossy which may make them seem male too.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Thanks team!

Their colour seems to say both girls, as they are more black than white, one has more black legs wash then the other but one of starting to go pink in the face and base of the comb.

Just have to ride them out a bit longer to be sure. Also caught the Dark Blues Brother crowing yesterday, not sure what we are going to do about that as we want his genes to try for a blue pullet, but the rooster box is occupied with Rosie and her chicks. Not sure how we are going to tackle that one just yet, may have to build a broody box for Rosie or start processing early.

 

[Wrightsx4]

Have you tried letting Rosie handle introducing them to the flock? My broody-hen-raised chicks lived among the older flock while the human raised chicks who were 9 weeks older would've been chased away and remained in a separate pen.
Also, at five weeks old Rosie may suddenly decide she's done... that's when Betty decided her mom duties were fulfilled, but her chicks were not threatened at all by the flock since they were already accepted.

 

[Bens-Hens]

I want to work it that way but worry about the feed situation. I have no way of controlling who eats what if they are all in together.

Currently, I am feeding both the chicks and Rosie a mix of Super Poultry and Starter. I figure since Rosie is not laying that is safe for everyone. If they all go in together (chicks with layers) the chicks will have access to the same layer crumbles, and since we eat the eggs we won't be able to feed them medicated starter or in a couple of weeks grower crumbles.

Life would be easier if I could let her back into the main run, I don't think there would be an issue with getting along, it's just the feeds I have a concern over.