The Saga of a Chicken-Dad

[Abronsyth]

Whenever I take the nuggets anywhere they stay on me for at least 20 minutes before exploring. This results in a lot of adventures involving me crawling around while they just sit or stand on my back. They'll also just lay down in my lap while I crab-walk around.


I can't believe they'll be 3 weeks old tomorrow! Max is still bigger than Jack, but Jack's legs are much thicker, and his spurs are already growing in. Good news, so far I can count at least two spurs on each leg! Hard to tell on Max so far...keeping my fingers crossed that she has at least two pairs as well.

Color wise their legs are coming out splendidly. Jack has beautiful legs, they scales are perfectly aligned, and the colors are bold. Max's colors are good, but her leg scales are kind of weird? Like not aligned properly. I'm hoping she grows out of it with age and they shape up.

Assuming I can finally snag a job this summer...I plan to get some more (black) sumatras as well as some (red shouldered) yokohama chicks. Those chicks will not be old enough for the poultry show in July, but I'm hoping Max and Jack are in fine feather by then for the pullet/cockerel show.

They're both great, personality wise! I cannot open the brooder without Jack jumping onto my arm, and they both love sitting on my shoulders, arms, and lap. Jack is very bold with other chickens- he even challenges the 1.9 pound silkie cockerel, haha. Thankfully Wonton just ignores him for now. Max is more timid around other birds, but once she settles in she has no trouble holding her own and putting other birds in their place. I have to be a very watchful "chicken dad" when we let them all interact. 10 of the silkies are just fine as are 4 of the sebright group, but there are three birds that I really have to watch. One silkie, Salsa, we're pretty sure is a cockerel and not a very nice bird. He relentlessly harasses the others and doesn't stop until Wonton (who is the biggest by far) gets after him. Then there's Cashew and Macadamia. They're lower ranking sebrights, and are really bad about trying to go after my babies. For now I still get involved since my babies are still smaller than them.

The sebright group is going on 6 weeks old. So far we think we definitely have one cockerel, Pistachio. The group consists of 4 gold sebrights, one easter egger, and one dutch? bantam. The dutch is the smallest bird, and she's such a little angel <3 One of the sebrights is attempting to crow, but she just really doesn't look like a cockerel at all, as far as comb/leg development goes.

The silkies are going on 7 weeks old. We're almost certain that there are at least two cockerels, possibly three, but it's hard to tell. Wonton, who is already 1.9 pounds, is definitely a roo, and so far a very good one. He takes his duty very seriously, and continuously is breaking up fights and getting after the instigators (Salsa, sometimes Coriander). Not to mention he's a big love bug. Salsa is a pain in the you-know-what. He just cannot leave the other birds alone! Chives may or may not be a cockerel. Development wise we're leaning toward yes, but attitude wise we're leaning toward no. It's hard to tell still, they're just babes. The other 8 silkies are almost certainly pullets, they all have dainty little legs! Oh man, they're all so pretty and fluffy!

So in total we have 19 chickens:
3 weeks old
- 2 Sumatras

6 weeks old
- 4 Sebrights
- 1 Easter Egger
- 1 Dutch(?)

7 weeks old
- 11 Silkies

Only my sumatras are standard sized.

It's been too cold and rainy to bring them out or work much on the coop...so that's all for now

 

[Abronsyth]

It's good to be back! I was going through withdrawal, haha. Anyways...wow, have Max and Jack really taken off growing! It's very clear now that the hatchery did indeed get it right with Max being a pullet and Jack being a cockerel. Jack has just the slightest hint of waddles, which hopefully stay very small, and his legs are twice the thickness of Max's. His leg structure and color is coming out splendidly. Max actually has better leg color, but her scales are still looking really weird, and I know it's not mites or anything...hopefully they'll clean up.

They're both growing in feathers at an astonishing rate, and in a weird pattern, haha! They yellowish down on their cute little butts is being replaced by black down and it looks ridiculous. Here is a comparison of before and after:

The other day was splendid so they got to spend a couple of hours out in the chick-pen on their own. They're old enough now at 4 weeks that being out there without me hovering over them isn't too scary, so long as I check on them and let them know it's all okay.

Now for some pictures of the chicks from the other day!

They turned 4 weeks old this past Monday!

We also have 7 more chicks on the way, hopefully arriving tomorrow...
4 black sumatra pullets (mine!)
3 bantam cochins (my sibling's!)

So that bumps the total up to 26 chicks, but we have at least four roosters to rehome, possibly more considering how the sebrights are behaving...the only roosters I'm fond of so far temperament wise are my boy Jack, and Wonton the silkie.

 

[Abronsyth]

Well, we ordered another 7 chicks from a different hatchery, and they arrived today, a day behind schedule. Sadly one of the cochins was lost during shipping, and I'm pretty sure one of my day old sumatras is on the way out. The other chicks are all perking up quite nicely, though.

Two cochin bantams are my sibling's, they're named Queso (black? birchen? hard to say) and Churro (golden laced).
Four sumatra pullets are mine, named Elise, Eliza, Grace, and Mary. Mary is the little one I am concerned about...she seems underdeveloped? She won't open her eyes, and her legs are extremely weak. I'm hoping she either pulls through, or goes gently.

We also ended up with 8 cockerels being added for "warmth and comfort," they're all rhode island reds and dwarf the bantams and sumatras...we'll be selling them off.

In the future I'm going to order hatching eggs when my sumatra hens are broody so I do not have to have chicks shipped. I ordered hatchery chicks this time around for the sake of a slightly wider gene pool to work with. In the future I'd like to import some eggs, if possible, to bring in more new blood. I was initially thinking I want to work with sumatras and yokohamas, but now I really would just like to work with standard sumatras.

 

[Abronsyth]

Unfortunately I do not have good news to report.

All of the cochins have now been lost, which broke my little sibling's heart. However, we have found a somewhat nearby breeder who happens to have some spangled cochins left over.

Elise, my smallest sumatra pullet, is on her way out. She's still hanging in there, and I am doing what I can, but I do not think she'll be with me for much longer.

Grace and Eliza, the other two 6 day old pullets, are perking up nicely. They seem way underdeveloped at a week old, which is concerning. They have good appetites and look healthy, otherwise.

Jack and Max are 5 weeks old today! Gods, are they sassy little things. They'll peck at my hands and bicker with each other, but both of them still and very much wanting to cuddle with me. Jack lay down in my hand and I had to scoot him off, he wouldn't leave on his own, haha. I'm setting up our big brooder right now, they should be in it by tomorrow if not later today.

Now if only I could find a local sumatra breeder...

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Your chicks are so cute! It's fun to see them grow.

For your extra roosters would you consider making an all rooster flock?

 

[Abronsyth]

Your chicks are so cute! It's fun to see them grow.

For your extra roosters would you consider making a rooster flock?

No, our birds are free range, so we have enough roosters to accommodate each flock of hens, but no more than that.

If I had extra sumatra roos I would build extra pens for them, though, heh. That and if we have any cochin roosters (we just drove way down south of here to pick up some locally bred chicks including 5 gorgeous cochins and 4 OEGB), my sibling plans to have them neutered.

 

[Alabama Fly]

I love reading about your chick adventure and seeing your chicks. All adorable. Got my fingers crossed that you don't lose anymore.

 

[Abronsyth]

So a more pleasant update..!

Jack and Max have finally been moved into our big brooder downstairs (it's an old livestock water tank). They are loving the perches and the huge increase in space to run around and play...but they are not so happy about being separated from me. They'll be okay, though, I'll bring them up to hang out on the couch regularly <3

My mom got four Old English Game Bantams, two of which are 3 week old pullets (Pecan and Wally). She and my sibling are thinking that when they're a week or two older they can be moved into the brooder with Max and Jack...I'm not so sure about that. Max and Jack are getting very big, and very spunky. Of course OEGB are extremely spunky, as well.

The other two OEGB mom got (Brazil and Pili) we decided to try putting in with Grace and Eliza since they're about the same age. HUGE success!! Grace and Eliza took to them immediately, and showed them to the food and water, and would not settle down to sleep until their new flockmates came under the brooder with them. I'm sure they'll grow up well together. Of course since I plan to integrate Grace and Eliza in with Max and Jack...my sumatras might end up adopting all of my mom's OEGB. Not sure how that'll work if the bantam girls accept Jack as their rooster...I mean sumatras are a small breed, but not that small!

Eliza and Grace are doing very well, much improved in spirits now that they have more flockmates again. They are very energetic and have fantastic appetites, which is a relief.

I swear I'll get some good photos soon!

 

[Abronsyth]

So I am back to just Max and Jack.
I lost the last of the IDEAL chicks last night, found her this morning.

Max and Jack are growing like weeds, though, and we spent a lot of time yesterday laying in the sunshine together, Max and Jack sunbathing beside me. I wish someone had been there to take a picture! They're almost seven weeks old now. I need to get my butt in gear and get their coop finished...would help if some certain birds (*cough* silkies and bantams*) would stop making a mess in the shed...

Here's a picture of Max climbing onto my shoulder