The Aloha Chicken Project

[alohachickens]

The Thanksgiving hatch chicks are growing and looking great! Of the 22 hatched, I culled three to the neighbor (too much white) but I peeked in on their coop, and they are still doing fine over there. I lost two, the group piled up one night and two on the bottom were smooshed. Which was weird, I haven't had that ever happen before, or since. I moved bowls into the corners of the grow out pen, though, to hopefully prevent that in the future. (Crosses fingers.)

Three of the chicks have been of special interest to me. Lots of orange and white. One, the only orange mottled with yellow legs, was lost in the pile-up. (Of course.) The other two have pink Sussex-colored legs. One may have barring, but the other looks fine. This is the one that I'm not sure will be barred?

One hen (I think it's a hen?) that I've named "Pepper" may be too barred? I'm not sure if she will work in the program or not. All I do know, is she is HUGE in body. So cute and fat!

Also have buff mottled? Which is a brand new Aloha color over here! Won't it be fun to see how those look when grown?

Mostly, these look like purebred Sussex chicks. I'm hoping they look a bit more "different" when grown. One big baby rooster is very friendly, he perches on my shoulder sometimes. Actually, all of these chicks are extremely friendly, unlike the usual more flighty pure Alohas. The influx of Sussex and Buff Rock is starting to show not just in bigger birds, but in more domesticated temperament.

One Sussex-ish chick is showing a lot more reddish brown than a regular Sussex. However, very little white? Will have to wait and see.

Verdict is still out on who will be helpful and who will be culled, will have to grow them all out a bit longer. HMMM. Will be interesting!

More chicks to be hatched out soon . . . .

 

[notinoz2007]

i love looking at pictures of your birds, its exciting thinking about the colors mine will be.

in any of your aloha hatches did you have problems with feather picking? they're outside in a small coop with 2 heat lamps, plenty of food and water, and treats to keep them busy. today we spent the day building a bigger space for the chicks who are now 2 weeks old, i'm hoping that they'll love the extra space and wont be so bored. thus, stopping our feather picking issues.
i was joking with my friend today that when i send you pictures of these birds for you to select the best, you wont be able to tell because none of them will have feathers left!!
any tips for a beginner?

 

[heritagehabitatfarms]

just read threw the whole thread and i have subscribed... i love projects and this is a very nice one... when i build some more pens ill have to get a start...

 

[MaBo]

Exciting variety of colorings! It's also great that you've found some other local folks to hatch out eggs. Hopefully the thread will really start hopping with new-chick pics! I plan to have my incubator running by next weekend. I also sent 18 eggs home with someone who lives in Bellingham, WA. which should hatch around 1/20. The eggs were from two Aloha hens, and fertilized by either my RIR/NHR roo or Buff Rock roo. (no separate pens yet). As has been discussed, this generation should be solid-colored (no mottling/spotting) offspring. I'm real curious as to what this will look like, but more importantly, what sizes we'll get. Lately I've been going out at night and picking up various hens, just to compare their weights and body... and WOW, my two older buff hens feel SO heavy! Then I pick up the smaller Aloha hens and it feels like I'm picking up a quail or something. Huge difference. No wonder they can still fly with clipped wing. I'm looking forward to the size improvements!

 

[notinoz2007]

are the alohas feather sexable at 3 or 4 days? or do we wait until they crow or lay an egg?

 

[LarryPQ]

They are not feather sexable.

 

[notinoz2007]

thanks, and wow at the new site! now i have to spend the day figuring it all out.

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

I can't wait to get chicks from mine!
I think my Sussexes will be a good influence on temperment as well, though 4 out of 6 of my alohas are as friendly as my buff Orps (which is to say they run to see if I brought them things and follow me around like dogs, but won't let me pet them) Only my puffy-cheeked pair is skittish. I need to get going on an incubator soon!

 

[skillswife]

Weird, thought I responded to this but apparently not, lol. Anyhow I am excited to be joining the world of Aloha's, thanks to Laree! Yippee!

 

[alohachickens]

Notinoz - Feather picking is not a normal "Aloha" trait. That's very frustrating to deal with, and I had one batch that went nuts with it, and none before that or since? It was totally random and totally aggravating! I have heard it is nutritionally linked, and I think it was that brand of feed - I bought something different for that one batch of chicks, and soon as I switched back the behavior stopped. Try special foods to boost protein. I give my baby chicks diced hard-boiled eggs sometimes. I've also heard it can help to give them a cabbage head to peck on, if it's boredom related?

Also I've heard red colored light bulbs minimize pecking? Hope that helps!

Babies are still doing well, not enough changes yet to justify new pics, still don't know who will be helpful or even who is a hen and who is a rooster yet? HMMM. Will be hatching out more chicks next month, whoo-hoo!