Ancona Chicken Thread

[Amyable]

Cute bobbie! It will probably take a couple months to tell what he/she is. Congrats!

Guess what? I have a broody Ancona too! She snuck off in the brush maybe 10-12 days ago, I finally found her late last week and she has 13 eggs - little twerp! Hopefully they're not all barnyard mixes, but I got rid of all my roos (yes, even my Ancona boy, he was mean) about the time she went awol. Should be interesting.

 

[buffalogal]

I should have given an update; Ms Bentley managed to hatch two, an Ancona/Dominique cross, and an Ancona/Leghorn cross. I suspect a rat snake stole the rest, we've caught two since she started setting.

 

[Bedste]

Do you know how to tell a pullet from a cockeral at hatch? I have some new chicks and I have noticed that the heads look different on a few of them. Is there a way to sex them this young??

 

[Amyable]

Quote:
I don't know of a way to sex them, I waited until obviously large combs on males at around 3 months.

My broody Ancona girl has hatched out 9 babies. I had forgotten how impossibly cute those chicks are. Get this - they are ALL pure Anconas! THat hen was monogamous! I can tell you the Ancona roo was NOT.

 

[buffalogal]

Quote:
Congratulations, new peeps are great. Do you only have Ancona roosters? I ask because my experience has been that depending on what the other breed is, the Ancona marking on the chick is dominant and they all look purebred, it's when they start to feather in that I can see they're a bit "off'.

 

[Amyable]

Quote:
Congratulations, new peeps are great. Do you only have Ancona roosters? I ask because my experience has been that depending on what the other breed is, the Ancona marking on the chick is dominant and they all look purebred, it's when they start to feather in that I can see they're a bit "off'.

That's interesting. At the time I had the Ancona, some juvie Barred Rocks that were just becoming frisky, and a blue Ameraucana (all processed now). I never saw the Ancona hens let anyone except their own roo mate them. I guess I have to wait a bit longer just to be sure. But the chicks are not variable at all.

 

[ca]

Quote:
I currently only have one white leghorn rooster with my flock. He thinks he is the king of the world. Except one of my ancona hens totally kicks his butt and chases him all over the yard when he approaches her.

it is hilarious because he has this defeated annoyed look on his face. She has no issues with my black minorca rooster though. Maybe she thinks he is an ancona that lost the spots?

 

[aggies2011]

My two hens and my only two Anconas! these two are probly the best chickens ever! they are so Pretty and very Sweet!
They be in a pen with a Barred Rock and Turken Rooster so i wonder wat the chicks will look like!?!?!

cant wait to see wat i get!!

 

[IzzyChooks]

Quote:
Congratulations, new peeps are great. Do you only have Ancona roosters? I ask because my experience has been that depending on what the other breed is, the Ancona marking on the chick is dominant and they all look purebred, it's when they start to feather in that I can see they're a bit "off'.

Two weeks ago we had 8 Ancona chicks hatch. A week before they hatched my children told me they had found the Salmon Faverolle rooster in the Ancona's pen several times! But at hatch, they all looked very Ancona. Now I'm not so sure - ones back feathers have started to brown up and two have small yellow feathers on their legs.

I was planning to sell them at the local auction but now think it's best keep them until I can be sure they are 100% Ancona [I bought 6 "Australorp" chicks 5 months ago, only to find 4 matured smaller and with Rosecombs, making the Wyandotte crosses, which was disappointing]

Can anyone guide me on how to determine if they are pure Anconas, as I've never hatched Ancona chicks before? How long until they start to look like the mature birds?

 

[elizmartin]

I posted this elsewhere also, while i was coming home from work this afternoon, the radio had Garison Keilor with Prairie Home companion recording from the Minnesota State fair. When i turned it on he was introducing Dwayne Urch with a Black Polish and a Hodelin Hawkins??? with a Jap. Silkie. Garison asked lots of questions and it was enjoyable.....later he also had the food judges on...eliz