Future plans for 2025! Breeding for large meaties, barring, lacing and EE

[DemeterAD9]

2 weeks old and they got an upgrade. I’m taking out the heat plate seeing as they either sleep on top of it or in the opposite corner now. They’ll have plenty of room to test their wings, at least for another week or two then they should get booted outside.

There are some notable differences in tail growth on some of the chick. I’m starting to put in my guesses on gender for those who have very little tail feather growth.

SLW chick, guessing male.

The two OE chicks, guessing left is male

Two of the bresse chicks, the third I get mixed up with a LF chick. Guessing the front one is male, chunky legs.

The two EE chicks from the brown hen. Guessing left is male.

The 3 brahma chicks. Again guessing left is a male.

3 LF babies.

The poor Cochin died the night before, no idea why but sometimes you just don’t get an answer. So to soothe my heart I bought some more chicks… what’s a few more right? Adding a white leghorn, cream legbar, barred rock, gold laced Wyandotte, a barred OE (diamond something or other), another sapphire OE (blue barred like the other I have) and a mystery bantam who is straight run. The barred pullets will be used for sex linked chicks next spring. If things go as I want them to the SLW and/or one of the dark brahma chicks will be a good cockerel and help me create some pretty patterned birds at some point, preferably with meaty bodies.

 

[DemeterAD9]

Almost 3 weeks and I’m becoming more certain of a few possible cockerels. I gave the brooder a cleaning and snapped a few photos. Red bowl has some dirt/sand in it for grit and/or dust bathing. Most the chicks are spastic but the SLW and black spotted chick are very curious.

The buckeye seems to be having issues passing stool. It chirps loudly when it goes and doesn’t seem to be able to pass a complete dropping. Still eating and drinks and seems energetic so I’ll wait and see. Its vent was pretty swollen but I think it’s looking better now. The 10 younger chicks are still separate, I don’t want to put them together until they all are more feathered. Don’t want the little bantam getting trampled either.

As for the meaties, largest are over 1lb and growing fast. They other cockerels with them are looking well aside from one who I think may have a touch of wry neck. I’ve added vitamins and electrolytes to their and the other chicks’ water. The cornishX are just getting wing feathers so it may be another couple weeks before they can go outside.