The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[jlynnet]

The chicks are very cute! All of them. Can't wait for mine to hatch.

 

[delisha]

Quote:
There is something wrong..I do not know nor can I guess I am really sorry. With out additional information I am at a loss. I would assume it is something genetic since more than one chick is affected. I would not hatch out any more chicks from those birds. If they are from several different hens I would assume the male is a carrier of something. It could be possible your whole flock has something and your chicks are ill from it. This is just guessing from information given.

Quote: They are a week old now.

The chicks are very cute! All of them. Can't wait for mine to hatch.

It is very exciting..when are yours due?

 

[aoxa]

After this comment, I'll research a little before I guess/comment again, but are you saying that the girls have skinny toes/legs and a smaller/slimmer beak? I bought a doz Silkie eggs from someone on BYC so not sure of the show quality. His head feathers look like those men that wax their hair back and it's starting to lose control. I'll get a pic tonight. I am finding that Silkies are a laid back kind of bird. He's in with 6 leghorns. When I reach in, he just stands there watching, the other 6 do the suicide thing. They scream and throw themselves against the side of the cage. It's amazing, it's the very same hand several times a day bringing food and water. My little poults don't do that.
Those that I moved outside are doing great. I had that great worry of the heat lamp coming unplugged. It's been below 20 the last 2 nights. They are all over the run.

LOL.

I love poults. Oh my gosh mine were SO friendly. Betty would fly right up to my head. She was an acrobat! I had them in the garage away from all the other birds for 6 weeks. I would take them inside for visits. If I get turkeys again, they will be a heavier breed that won't fly so crazy.

By beak I mean that it is rounded like a pullet. Boys have a hawk type beak.


This is PeepBlessed's photo. It has worked for me about 80% of the time.










Here is a comparison of a male I rehomed - he is still alive! He is the one I've talked about with the club foot. Middle chick. See how clearly his beak is different?

I just snapped some pictures..wow I can't take pictures worth a darn



I really like this batch of Ameracuana's





My Partridge is sooo pretty I hope its a girl..what color is bred to a partridge?

Poor Silkies and FF on feet.

Partridge to partridge. I did partridge to blue a lot as well. But if you can - breed partridge to partridge. If not, breed to blue just to see what you get

Your white looks like a boy!

 

[delisha]

I think it is a boy too.I have three other whites and hope they are girls..to early to tell since they are a week old.

I only have one partridge..I might just sell her..stick with solids. i would like some blacks..and a few more blues.

 

[zinia8]

3/4/13
Went to TSC to look at chicks awww lookie SS.Told myself no you don't need them. And I went home. Well needless to say the DBF kept telling me on the drive home "you know you want them you know you NEED them." So after being home for two hours I went back.

There was only suppose to be 6 chicks. The kid who was working must of snuck in an extra.
3/11/13

So far out of the 7 chicks I have 2 SS roos and one brown leghorn which I would assume is part of the hatcheries infusion into the SS.
3/24 roo

Roo I named chunk

Brown leghorn

 

[dbaydak]

Bulldogmama,

Sorry to hear about your babies and the power outage. I hope all goes well and they make it. Good luck and lots of prayers.

 

[jlynnet]

My babies are due to hatch on April 7.

 

[aoxa]

I think it is a boy too.I have three other whites and hope they are girls..to early to tell since they are a week old.

I only have one partridge..I might just sell her..stick with solids. i would like some blacks..and a few more blues.

Ooh if only you were closer.. I'd take her in an instant. NO ONE has partridge here.

I just happened to hatch mine from blue x buff mating. They were good looking partridge too!

If I can get those buffs from BC I will try to do the same again.. just to see.. Probably won't luck out like that again though.

 

[Mumsy]

My Partridge is sooo pretty I hope its a girl..what color is bred to a partridge?

Poor Silkies and FF on feet.

They look wonderful! Loving all of them.

Partridge to partridge breeds true. Partridge to Blue or Blue Splash will get you started on Blue Partridge. A new variety many are working on projects now.

 

[Mumsy]

It was sunny all day today and I spent it outside with my chickens in the orchard. It involved moving lots of birds in and out of the barn and pens so that I didn't have roo on roo problems. It was so fun watching my Silkies on grass for the first time and also interacting with the other flocks.

My three month old white chicks are turning out lovely.




The surviving Grey roo Stinkus doesn't know what to do with himself but I enjoy his nutty behavior. He may well have lead poisoning but he acts normally for a six month old.




He is such a pig pen in the FF I heavily trimmed his crest, beard, and muffs. I like this guy a lot.


Judy the Broody is really tough on the rest of the flock but she seems to have a soft spot for the Silkies. Her brood would go in and out the cage to eat with the Catdance trio. I had them caged while another roo was out and about.

I had a great day!