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Bielefelder x JG x JG (Biel x JG cockerel over JG hen) Biel x JG x BA, already showing a comb, and at least in one case, it's already turning pink.

So all three boys are in the bachelor pad for at least the next month. Somebody killed one of the 12 week chicks, I think trying to mate her, but she was the smallest... The girls are going in the coop at night without me having to carry them in and there's a lot less stress. At the other end...

So I have a broody in the broody cage with her babies, and another in the main coop. Last night I put the troublemaker cockerel in the bachelor pad. He was being a horny teenager, and since the adult hens were running him off he started trying the 12 week old pullets and ambushing the hens. The...

That hasn't been my experience. In this case, the first two chicks she accepted were dumped behind her while I kept her attention with the other hand. She heard them, started burbling, and from that moment they were a happy little family. That was during the day. The following night I...

She eventually took all four. They were born on the second and the third, so nearly a week old. Their first outside excursion was an adventure. They're in the broody cage attached to another coop. The other birds have been interested but basically ignored them except for complaining that they...

I may have a problem, or I may be imagining things. My broody hen goes broody twice a year, since she started to lay. First time a snake took all her eggs. 2nd time, she was so happy with her babies! Attentive, watchful. Two died in the coop at 2 days old. I assumed the rooster, but they were...

Biel x JG x BA. Hatched this afternoon. I was expecting black, since his father is black barred and his mother black.

These boys are the JG x RIR back-cross (in order of hierarchy), currently at almost 15 weeks. #1 and his brother are the same size, but he's the undisputed leader. He's the most intelligent of the three. His hackle feathers are the same bright red as his brothers, but it doesn’t show against...

This week I'll put out the morning feeding some time after I let the chicks out. Get them used to foraging early, but still have plenty of food during the day. Then their evening feeding as usual.

This morning I put out the chicks food as usual and they basically ignored it. One or two nibbled, then walked away. Time to work on transitioning them to primarily free range. The other group of chicks (Rangers and Buckeyes) are also going out to find breakfast, then returning to eat later. I...

JG x RIR back-cross cockerel. Looks just like his dad at the same age. Those bright red feathers are starting to appear. All three cockerels are getting their boy-feathers at almost 11 weeks.

This is my Biel x Jersey Giant, 27 weeks.

I let the boy out of his confinement. He's tit-bitting for the girls, wing dancing for them, and I haven't seen a forced mating since I released him. One thing I do miss is seeing them all congregate outside my window, since his bachelor pad is right there.

I just did the egg analysis for the 5 laying hens. The Bielefelder is laying 9 days on, 1 off. One is laying 7 on, 1 off. A third is laying 6 on, 1 off. This is an average, not including the winter. The Bielefelder is unfortunately the best layer, but I won't be setting her eggs because of some...

He was tucked back in this corner. I never would have found him, but the other chick was screaming and when I looked down along the wall with a flashlight I saw tail feathers. Update: he wasn't in there tonight, so apparently he found another place that the BSM (Big Scary Monster [tm]) doesn't...

Well, I went out to the coop this afternoon and the runt was back. Tonight I found his hiding place. Quite a clever one, too, except for one of the other chicks choosing to share it and screaming that she was lost. The runt didn't peep, even with a big THING prying him out of his safe place...

At least three of the rangers are cockerels. The runt disappeared the other day and I suspect he was snatched by something hungry. So of the four remaining, three are cockerels. I'm not too satisfied with Hoovers gender identification at the moment. The Rangers were straight run, so I was...

When I talk about the chicks' behavior it's mostly speculation. I'm going for a return to naturally polite behavior on the part of the roosters, which also implies a high level of intelligence and the ability to learn. I tend to see their behavior in that light, but at this point it's likely...

The boys finally let the chicks out of the coop. Still acting anxious if they're outside the fence, but they're learning to walk softly so the chicks don't get scared and scatter. It seems to be rather out of sight out of mind for the two brown boys. If they can't see the chicks they don't...