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.

 

[DemeterAD9]

Chunky babies and their less chunky counterparts. The RIR who is the same age is so tiny in comparison.

Today they went outside for the first time, I cleaned the brooder out and will be putting them back in for the night.

Been letting them run out of feed overnight, that way I can sleep in and not worry about waking up early to keep up with the 12hr on 12 off. I culled the cockerel chick that couldn’t walk, it seemed to be suffering and I hate seeing that.

 

[DemeterAD9]

I plan to move the fully feathered chicks outside this week, it will be a process though so we’ll see how it goes. There are about 10-12 younger chicks that will stay inside for another week or two, should be less upkeep (and smell) compared to 31.

Meat birds are 2lbs+ now, they and all the likely cockerels will also be kicked out to the growout pen this week. So far I moved another 6 cockerels in with them already, 3 white ones, the SLW, an EE and a brahma. I think another EE and an OE will join them soon.

Now for some photos! As far as patterns go there are only a few of interest. The two OE chicks look to be a female who looks nearly identical to their mom and a male(?) who has silver penciling(?) on the breast feathers. Curious to see how the possible male turns out.

Then there’s the two female chicks from the barred/laced hen, if there is lacing it is muddied and not terribly impressive so far. The blue one has a crook it a toe I just noticed today.

The large fowl mix that I helped hatch is getting some white on the breast feathers. I hope it is a pullet.

And here’s the likely male EE that will be moved out soon.

Been trying to get them used to me and they are slowly warming up. About half of them will come over to my hand and let me touch them. The rest are still skittish.