I got a wild hair to get ducks early in 2014. I wanted to start herding with my mini aussie, and fresh duck eggs never hurt anyone! Then I started researching and learned I couldn't have them where I live. But a backyard chicken bill was going up to the city council in April/May so I waited and hoped (it was passed the stage that I could help. I did email council for what it was worth) and it was shot down. So, no legal poultry. Ducks weren't even covered under the bill, but I thought I could probably squeak passed that. So, I started thinking indoor.
I wanted quail! that was the ticket. Indoor quail. Then, I found out you have to have a permit. Once you have a permit, you can only buy from other permitted people. No one here is permitted. I can't get caught up in federal game laws (I can lose my CPA license for pretty much anything) So, I thought my dream was over.
Then a fellow BYC member talked me into bantam chickens. She had some 5 week old bantam cochins she would sell me. Well, I already had the indoor cage and they were so small. I planned to free range each evening in the backyard, this could work!
I came home with two bantam cochin hens and one silkie of unknown gender.
If you're thinking, hey, that 'hen' has a pretty red comb. Yeah, just a few days after I got 'her' she decided to very quickly start developing. I kept hoping maybe she was just a fast developing hen, but at 8 weeks 'she' began to crow and by 10 her comb was huge!
Gwyn the Him around 7 weeks
Scooter 8 weeks
Buffy 7 weeks
Shortly after these pictures, Gwyn began to crow. then shortly after that... well, 'she' looked like this.
Very pretty, wish I could have kept him. But an indoor crowing chicken in a place where chickens aren't allowed? He had to go. Luckily, he went to a nice home that caponized him and put him in a bachelor pen. He should live happily free ranging with all the other boys.
Then there were two.
I didn't think I'd replace him, but while looking for coops on craigslist (I'm always looking for a deal just in case I want to get it!) I found two bantams. I really only wanted one of them, a mille fleur Old English Game Bantam, but they came as a pair and at $10 I could definitely find someone to take a hen off my hands.
This is where we are now. These two, Beauty and Flower, are still in quarantine. Flower is teeny tiny. She'll fit right in. Beauty....isn't a bantam. BYC members think she's a Sumatra, and probably a full sized based on how big she already is. But, I really like her. We'll see what I decide to do.
See the cuteness? SEE IT? And she is supposed to be close to lay, but I honestly don't know how old they are. Mostly, I just know they are very flighty but doing well in quarantine.
I wanted quail! that was the ticket. Indoor quail. Then, I found out you have to have a permit. Once you have a permit, you can only buy from other permitted people. No one here is permitted. I can't get caught up in federal game laws (I can lose my CPA license for pretty much anything) So, I thought my dream was over.
Then a fellow BYC member talked me into bantam chickens. She had some 5 week old bantam cochins she would sell me. Well, I already had the indoor cage and they were so small. I planned to free range each evening in the backyard, this could work!
I came home with two bantam cochin hens and one silkie of unknown gender.
If you're thinking, hey, that 'hen' has a pretty red comb. Yeah, just a few days after I got 'her' she decided to very quickly start developing. I kept hoping maybe she was just a fast developing hen, but at 8 weeks 'she' began to crow and by 10 her comb was huge!
Gwyn the Him around 7 weeks
Scooter 8 weeks
Buffy 7 weeks
Shortly after these pictures, Gwyn began to crow. then shortly after that... well, 'she' looked like this.
Very pretty, wish I could have kept him. But an indoor crowing chicken in a place where chickens aren't allowed? He had to go. Luckily, he went to a nice home that caponized him and put him in a bachelor pen. He should live happily free ranging with all the other boys.
Then there were two.
I didn't think I'd replace him, but while looking for coops on craigslist (I'm always looking for a deal just in case I want to get it!) I found two bantams. I really only wanted one of them, a mille fleur Old English Game Bantam, but they came as a pair and at $10 I could definitely find someone to take a hen off my hands.
This is where we are now. These two, Beauty and Flower, are still in quarantine. Flower is teeny tiny. She'll fit right in. Beauty....isn't a bantam. BYC members think she's a Sumatra, and probably a full sized based on how big she already is. But, I really like her. We'll see what I decide to do.
See the cuteness? SEE IT? And she is supposed to be close to lay, but I honestly don't know how old they are. Mostly, I just know they are very flighty but doing well in quarantine.