What Breed are these 13 week old pullets?

[HatCo]

I think the numbered ones in the photos are all "Pairie Bluebell Eggers," or possibly some of the other "egger" types.

Looking through the list of possible "rare" breeds, I've ruled out all the other choices.

Your birds do not have naked necks or feathered feet, so they are definitely not Turkens, Cochins, Brahmas, or French Marans.

Looking at comb type:
Some cockerels have single combs, but you didn't number them.
#1 I can't tell if the comb is pea or rose (but her feathers are the wrong color for the Wyandottes, and they are the only rose comb breed on the list.)
#4 I can't see the comb.
I'm sure that all the other numbered birds have pea combs.
Of all the breeds on the list, only Brahams and the "Egger" types can have pea combs, and I already ruled out Brahmas (feathered feet.)



She may look like one, but she has the wrong comb type. Welsummers never have pea combs, and the #2 pullet does.

The Cockrells are all english orps.
Thanks for the explanation much appreciated.
Can I take them off starter feed since they are 13 weeks or should I keep them on that longer? I let them forage amd I supply starter chick grit (although there are small rocks & sand in ground).
They like to go into the densly wooded area across from their coop and under a house I use for storage.

 

[cherrynberry]

The Cockrells are all english orps.
Thanks for the explanation much appreciated.
Can I take them off starter feed since they are 13 weeks or should I keep them on that longer? I let them forage amd I supply starter chick grit (although there are small rocks & sand in ground).
They like to go into the densly wooded area across from their coop and under a house I use for storage.

I keep ALL my birds on chick starter/flock raiser for their ENTIRE life. I have plenty of males/chicks that come and go and the extra calcium in layer feeds can harm their kidneys. I feel an All Flock/starter/raiser type feed, with 20% protein, unmedicated, and provide oyster shells. For the OS, I have it in a SEPERATE container where it cannot get wet (in the coop). This diet works for chicks, pullets, roosters, cockerels, etc.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I keep ALL my birds on chick starter/flock raiser for their ENTIRE life. I have plenty of males/chicks that come and go and the extra calcium in layer feeds can harm their kidneys. I feel an All Flock/starter/raiser type feed, with 20% protein, unmedicated, and provide oyster shells. For the OS, I have it in a SEPERATE container where it cannot get wet (in the coop). This diet works for chicks, pullets, roosters, cockerels, etc.

Me, too. They've done very well on it.

 

[HatCo]

Man, 1 and 7 are _stunning_ birds. 7 particularly.

I named #7 Farah (as in Farah Faucett) because she is so beautiful.
#1 is Cali the wind blew as I took that pic.. i didnt know if it would be helpful but I had hoped it would because it was such a great pic..

 

[HatCo]

Me, too. They've done very well on it.

Im just concerned with the expense.. although I give them scratch and with foraging im hopeful their consumption will go down. Should I keep the feed out all the time or just twice a day (as I read somewhere)?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Im just concerned with the expense.. although I give them scratch and with foraging im hopeful their consumption will go down. Should I keep the feed out all the time or just twice a day (as I read somewhere)?

Should be available all day. Scratch = treats and is unnecessary. Foraging will def cut down on feed costs, as will rehoming those extra roosters - haha!

 

[NatJ]

Can I take them off starter feed since they are 13 weeks or should I keep them on that longer?

That would depend on what else you feed them.

It's usually best to have a complete feed available to them free choice (the entire time they are awake-- night doesn't matter, because they generally won't eat in the dark.)

Feeds can have many different names, so they could probably eat starter, grower, flock raiser, all-flock, or quite a few other things.

Feed labeled "layer" usually has an amount of calcium that is good for hens who are laying eggs, but not good for other chickens (not good for growing chicks, molting hens, broody hens, males of any age, etc.) So I do not advise switching them to layer.

Feed labeled "scratch grains" is not a complete diet. It is way too low in protein, and has some other deficiencies as well. So if the chickens eat large amounts of it, they will not be properly nourished.

I agree with the other posters who say that chick starter is fine for their entire lives. (Just put out a separate dish of oyster shell at some point before the pullets start laying, so they can get the extra calcium as they need it.)

There are many ways to feed chickens and keep them healthy, but for most backyard keepers it works best to provide a purchased complete feed for the chickens' main diet. (This tends to be the cheapest and also the easiest way to provide what the chickens need.)

 

[DrFyl]

Help please.
First time chicken mama here. I ordered pullets from Hoover's Hatchery in December.
I ordered
5 Hatchery Choice *Rare Breeds
5 Prairie BlueBell eggers.
5 English Orps varity pack
(The list below shows what can come from the rare hatchery choice).
15 was a lot for first time mom but I was willing.. but they sent 5 cockrels instead of pullets for my English orps .
So they said theyd send more but could only send in group of 10.
So now I have fourteen (one died the day it arrived) 13 week old chickens:
5 Chocolate Orps Cockrells
4 or 5 Prarie Bluebell eggers (idk what those are the Hatchery recomended them) and
4 or 5 Hatchery Choice Rare
And ten 5 week old pullets (lavander orps and varity english orps).
This new mama has TWENTY FOUR chickens .
I am finding homes for at least 4 of the 5 roos but need to know what my other pulltes are before I decide which of the nine original group I am going to keep.
☆ The pics with the 7 & 9 circled are from 2 weeks ago (couldnt get good pics of them today).
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I dont want to have so many that it burns me out too fast but I'm getting pretty attached - hubby is too.

*Hatchery Choice Rare will be any assortment of rare breeds based on availability from any bird that has a "Rare Breed" banner. The assortment will not include bantams. Breeds that could be included in this assortment: Partridge Plymouth Rock, Midnight Majesty Marans™, Sapphire Olive Egger™, Speckled Sussex, Blue Andalusian, Silver Lakenvelder, Cuckoo Marans, French Black Copper Marans, French Cuckoo Marans, French Wheaten Marans, Welsummer, Barnevelder, Prairie Bluebell Egger™, Starlight Green Egger™, Olive Egger, Salmon Faverolles, Cochins, Turkens, Blue Laced Red Wyandotte, Columbian Wyandotte, Light Brahma, Buff Brahma, Dark Brahma, Lavender Orpington.

Wow! How interesting! I have no idea what's what, but those fluffy-faced ones are really cool!

 

[luckycluk]

I

Should be available all day. Scratch = treats and is unnecessary. Foraging will def cut down on feed costs, as will rehoming those extra roosters - haha!

know what you mean about cost of the starter feed. It cost me $26 for a 50 bag of chick starter feed. My 8 , seven week olds can eat. I mean they are hungry lil stinkers. The 12 day olds can eat to and they are all growing so fast

 

[TinyRaptorDodos]

Can’t really help much with this… but if they are really prarie bluebell eggers I’ve heard they’re supposed to lay the most beautiful Robin blue eggs, I have one but she’s only a few weeks old