Newby - Samantha

[Allears]

Hi All,

Greeting from Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

I'm so pleased I found this forum! I never intended getting any chickens, but I do have an adopted goose. I think she's an Embden x. She's white, with a few buff feathers on her back (but is about two years old already, has clear blue eyes and an orange face and feet, a real beaut. She was only supposed to stay with me until her injured leg healed, that was more than a year ago and she is starting to build a nest now, so.....

The reason I joined the blog. I volunteer for an NGO that rehabs injured and orphaned owls (sorry chicken lovers, but all creatures deserve our care). We collect the culled day old chicks from a chicken farm nearby (this is not going well so far...) When I loaded the bag into my car it started "peeping". I couldn't leave it like that so I went through the bag and found these two, who are now a week old.
I know they're both supposed to be male, but the one (left) is very much finer in appearance than the other. The legs are more delicate, the wings finer and it has a head. It also talks non stop and is far more flighty than the other chick. I think they are white plymouth rocks. Any chance one could be a female? I checked the forum for sexing tips, but I know so little about chickens.

I'm in town, but thankfully the garden is large and my neighbours are very understanding about the goose, but if these two chicks are males, I'll have to rehome them both.




Your input welcome, thank you.
Samantha

 

[mymilliefleur]

Hello and

Samantha!

 

[Allears]

LOL Sorry guys that should read,.... "but the one (left) is very much finer in appearance than the other. The legs are more delicate, the wings finer and it has a smaller head.

I didn't mention that I also have a hand reared Rock Pigeon who lives outdoors but comes in by teh backdoor each evening to sleep on top of my kitchen cupboard.

The goose shares the backyard with my tortoises.

The owls and other raptors (hawks, goshawks, kestrells) get rings and are released back into the wild. We e humanely euthanase any animal that can't be released, or provide for itself in the wild.




Samantha

 

[Allears]

Thanks so much, still trying to find my way around the forum.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[drumstick diva]

The goose is beautiful. I think the tortoise has outgrown his pond.

. You can also post photos of the chicks at "what breed or gender is this.". They may be too young at this point to sex however. All very young chicks looks the same to me. I understand your work, but, all critters need some help to survive in this world.
Welcome to Backyard chickens.

cockerel chicks in hatcheries face a lot worse fate (thrown in trash compactors).

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Lovely pictures, love the owlets.

 

[TheDrake]

Lol I love your variety. And it's funny you added the "smaller" head cuz I was like has a head haha like the other one doesn't? Welcome to BYC. Hope your chicks are female because you are going to get attached to them (I know I would)

 

[whoop whoop]

I envy you the owls, been trying for years to get owls to stay in my area, but they are chased away all the time. Put up owl nesting boxes everywhere but no joy... still waiting...

 

[Allears]

If the area is poison free and there are few owls it could mean that the there is a short supply of rats, mice and snakes. That's not such a bad thing