Progeny from heroic rooster

[sakerobot]

Today the older batch is exactly 8 weeks old, 6w5d for the younger ones. The snow has finally melted, so all chickens were very happy today. The 15 young ones haven't had much of a chance to enjoy their new yard since moving to the coop because of snow.

 

[sakerobot]

Progress pictures.

Adonis, 9 weeks:



Apollo, 9 weeks:


Ares, 9 weeks:


I think this is Aristotle, 8 weeks:


Aristophanes, 8 weeks:
Alcibiades, 8 weeks:

This is a 9w pullet that's almost entirely white, looking shiny in the sunlight:


A BR pullet of 9w, next picture she's next to Aristophanes who appears to be about the same size as her despite being a week younger:

 

[NatJ]

Progress pictures.

Adonis, 9 weeks:

View attachment 4093454View attachment 4093455View attachment 4093456

Apollo, 9 weeks:

View attachment 4093458View attachment 4093459View attachment 4093461
Ares, 9 weeks:

View attachment 4093462View attachment 4093463View attachment 4093464
I think this is Aristotle, 8 weeks:
View attachment 4093472View attachment 4093474

Aristophanes, 8 weeks: View attachment 4093470View attachment 4093469View attachment 4093468
Alcibiades, 8 weeks:
View attachment 4093475View attachment 4093477View attachment 4093478View attachment 4093479
This is a 9w pullet that's almost entirely white, looking shiny in the sunlight:
View attachment 4093480View attachment 4093482View attachment 4093483

A BR pullet of 9w, next picture she's next to Aristophanes who appears to be about the same size as her despite being a week younger:
View attachment 4093485View attachment 4093486

You've got a nice set of cockerels to choose your next rooster from!

And all of them, male and female, are looking really nice as they grow older

 

[sakerobot]

You've got a nice set of cockerels to choose your next rooster from!

And all of them, male and female, are looking really nice as they grow older

They are all looking great and have not had any health problems of any kind, except for Apollo getting pinched by the gate door. He now follows us around like a puppy after we treated him.

We actually want to try to keep as many of them as will cooperate. From reading other experiences, roosters that grow up together, look like each other, and are related have better (not guaranteed) chances of getting along.

At 23 hens, each rooster would get 3.83 hens, but we're willing to add more hens to accommodate better.

I have plans and materials to expand their yard by about 24x48 on one side and 24x30 on the other, their current yard is about 25x50. An additional big coop will be added and be separate from the original big coop, so we will have the option of splitting them into two yards if needed.

But if that fails, or only some of the 6 can coexist, we'll need to find other options. We want soup to be the absolute very last resort option for them.

 

[NatJ]

They are all looking great and have not had any health problems of any kind, except for Apollo getting pinched by the gate door. He now follows us around like a puppy after we treated him.

We actually want to try to keep as many of them as will cooperate. From reading other experiences, roosters that grow up together, look like each other, and are related have better (not guaranteed) chances of getting along.

At 23 hens, each rooster would get 3.83 hens, but we're willing to add more hens to accommodate better.

I have plans and materials to expand their yard by about 24x48 on one side and 24x30 on the other, their current yard is about 25x50. An additional big coop will be added and be separate from the original big coop, so we will have the option of splitting them into two yards if needed.

But if that fails, or only some of the 6 can coexist, we'll need to find other options. We want soup to be the absolute very last resort option for them.

That sounds like a reasonable set of plans. Yes, more space is likely to be a big help.

 

[AntiqueB]

They're quite striking.

 

[sakerobot]

The ages are now 10w2d for the older ones, and 9w for the younger ones.

From left to right, Apollo, Ares, and Adonis:

Ares has the biggest comb and wattle:

Adonis started revealing what look like Buff feathers, they're more visible when he lifts his wing:
I hope this helps anyone wondering what a Delaware Rooster crossed with a Buff Orpington hen can produce. Trying to find examples was not very fruitful back when we searched.

So far he's the only one that I've noticed with such feathers.

Now for the younger ones. This is Alcibiades, he has the most white feathering out of all the cockerels. He tends to keep his distance from humans more than the other males.

Here's Aristotle, still the darkest of the BR patterned males:

And Aristophanes, who is the lightest BR:



And a couple pullets enjoying life:

 

[sakerobot]

We finally removed the fence between the adults and the young ones. Everything is going great, except that our Speckled Sussex likes to pick on the young ones. She's used to being the smallest one in the flock, which she will be again in a couple weeks when they outgrow her.
Jessica with some pullets, some of which might be hers:

The nicest one to them seems to be the Dark Brahma, not once has she pinched a feather or even tried to take anything from them. She's currently the largest bird.

 

[sakerobot]

This morning, one of the roosters was crowing inside the small coop before I opened it. He was doing it several times, and it might have actually started 2 days earlier when I thought I heard a crow, but only once.

My guess is it's one of the older 3. Ares has the biggest comb and wattle, might be him based on that. He and his batch are 11 weeks and a day old today. Last picture is from 2 days ago.