***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[jcatblum]

For the chicks in question I vote the white ones are Roos. The others I can't see their combs well.... If they have a straight comb they look just like my heritage RIR. If the combs are showing signs of color this early in age they are Roos.

 

[emach0301]

Are RIR chickens that are white usually males? and the red ones usually females? Im just wandering if the woman who sold these to me knew their genders, she told me they were all pullets.

 

[Elbert Garrett]

EGH, good to see you on here! It's been a loooooong time!

Hi Betsy! Thanks, it`s good to be back here and yes it has been along time!

 

[bfrancis]

Different folks will say different things or have an "eye" for telling what they are at younger ages....ask people how many cockerels they have now too, when told they were pullets, lol. For me, at 12 weeks the cockerels start showing comb development and tails...

Some sooth sayer will tell you by your pics what they are I'm sure.

 

[jcatblum]

I dont have Rhode Island Whites, but anything with a comb that red by 8wks of age at my house heads to the auction or moves onto the rooster pen- unless he is one I plan on breeding in the future. In my limited experience with RIR pullets do not show any red coloring until they are just about to lay. Usually at least 5 months of age. We have hatched a few hundred RIR & thin them out quickly.

The rooster pen is one side of our goat pen. They know where they can find water & shelter in the pen & they fly over the fence & hunt grasshoppers for at least 50% of their food. We do feed them a scoop of food @ night but just enough feed for them to consume in a single setting.

 

[emach0301]

well, i wouldnt say that their combs are red? They are maybe a pinkish orage or so? Some of them are a little bit more defined then others? But Im really anxious to see what Ive got.

 

[emach0301]

I also wandered what everyone else feeds their layig hens? Iam looking for something that is going to give my hens all of their vitamins and at the same time, be healthy for my roosters to eat. I really would onnly like to buy one bad of feed, and not have to buy three different kinds!

 

[mjgigax]

Something for the duck lovers and gardeners!


Today has been hectic already! Hubby woke me up @ 4:30 with stomach pain in his right side. We looked into symptoms of appendicitis and decided that after he went and opened up the shop at work we would go to ER. Well after a couple hours, some tests and what will surely be the most expensive doctors visit he has had. Turns out to be a wicked stomach bug. He is a soft diet and no dairy fora few days. My poor guy!

Was in the E.R. last night with my DH - thought is was kidney stones but they found nothing, Dr. thinks it is a muscle pull? DH sure is very miserable.

 

[bfrancis]

I also wandered what everyone else feeds their layig hens? Iam looking for something that is going to give my hens all of their vitamins and at the same time, be healthy for my roosters to eat. I really would onnly like to buy one bad of feed, and not have to buy three different kinds!

Now that it's summer months, I feed 15% egg layer pellets manufactured by Big V. Winter months and high volume egg producing months I go to 20%...I personally like Big V feed several flavors for all my birds.

I do cut my feed with scratch grains, but you don't need to. I do it to give them something do, it certainly has no nutritional value.

 

[Ksane]