Recent content by Gavwyn

One-of-a-kind handcrafted chicken tractor! Large enough for up to 6 standard hens, or up to 9 bantams. Includes 2 built-in nesting boxes. Long-lasting hardwood oak handles, cedar shake roof, lightweight cypress frame, with stainless steel cupola, multiple ventilation options for summer, wire...

I think Ethel is your roo - the comb and wattle are too large for a pullet, and it looks like the saddle feathers have pointy ends. I had a couple of Copper Marans last year, and the pullets didn't look that mature at Ethel's age. My opinion, anyway!

Hmm, interesting! Thanks, Matt! Okay, so if it's a hen-feathered cockerel, will the feathers eventually be more sickle-shaped once replacement saddle feathers come in? Or do hen-feathered roosters always exhibit more rounded feathers? Alternatively, in case it's a crowing pullet, have you ever...

Thank you, JeanR! I appreciate your help. Both chicks have slate colored legs, and appear to have white (leaning toward pale blue) ear lobes. Alas, I wish I liked roosters. Do bantams tend to crow incessantly? And is there a great likelihood he'll turn mean as a snake?

I purchased two hatchery quality Dutch Bantams from my local Tractor Supply the first week of March 2014, so they are 16 weeks old this week. I THOUGHT they were both pullets - until I heard a crow coming from their pen yesterday! I raced across the lawn over to their pen to see which one had...

I've found that permanent markers, even the Sharpie brand, aren't resistant to UV light, so the lettering will quickly fade on the zip ties; however, you can always string a colored plastic bead through the zip tie before you apply it to the chicken's leg as another ID system. Good luck!

Thanks for the heads up about the DNA testing! As tempting as that would be, I'll wait patiently and learn the old fashioned way... til s/he crows or lays an egg! :)

When they get a little older (like, between 4-8 weeks), you can also look at how thick their legs are: the skinnier legs are usually the girls; the sturdy, thick legged ones are typically the boys.

If the two chicks in this photo are the same age, then I'd guess that the chick on the LEFT is a boy; the chick on the RIGHT is a pullet. Why? See how the chick on the left doesn't have any tail feathers yet, while the one on the right does? The girls usually get tail feathers first (I say...

Yes, it's true! You have to wait a bit longer to see saddle feathers, but saddle feathers grow in sooner than waiting on them to crow - which, in my experience, takes even longer. (And yes, I know that some people have their roosters crow much earlier, but mine never do! I don't hear crowing...

Yes, it will help us if you can tell us what breeds you have, and if they are large fowl (standard sized), or bantam (the miniature sized chickens). Or, if you don't know the breeds, if you'll send photos, we can help you try to identify the breeds. In my experience, some breeds are slower to...

Here she is at 3 weeks (photo taken yesterday). She's going through her awkward teen phase, so I feel a little embarrassed for her! Any guesses on gender? (As you can tell, I'm wishfully thinking it's going to be a pullet!)

I think this chick is an Old English Bantam chick. Here's a photo of mine at the same age:

I think this one is a Dutch Bantam. S/he looks a lot like mine (see below). I think I have what's called self-blue, or lavender, but I'm not sure what feather color your chick is.

So pretty, Shannondee12! I love how fluffy your gal is! These Silkies are a marvel to me - it'll be fun to watch what color she ends up being! Thanks again for sharing a photo of yours...