I bought 4 pullet chicks from our local feed store on June 3. I wanted only 3 but after reading about sexing inaccuracy and the misfortunes that can befall baby chicks I got 4 just in case. They were shipped to the store from Cackle hatchery. I think they were probably hatched out around June 1. They were sold as Ameraucanas of course, but I from what I have read the correct terminology is Easter Eggers. I chose these over Barred Rocks, Australorps, Rhode Island Reds and Buff Orpingtons. They are all different colors and easy to tell who is who. Hens are supposed to be about 5 1/2 pounds when grown, so although a large breed they don't have the heft of some of the others. The coop is small so I thought that would be a plus if all 4 turn out to be girls then I may not have to rehome one. They are supposed to be good layers and cold hardy.
Here are the little chicks at one day. Penny is orange, Maxine is the Silver with chipmunk stripe, Hilda is dark brown/black and Olivia is silver.
And a couple more:
Our dachshund Phoebe thinks they really look interesting---and tasty:
They grow so fast! Here at 3 weeks on safari!:
And at 4 weeks:
5 weeks with watermelon:
9 weeks
Hilda:
Maxine:
Penny:
Olivia:
The chicks are 11 weeks old today-8/17/08- and hopefully all are girls. The only one I question is Hilda as she may have 3 rows in the pea comb--it is hard to tell. But the others I am fairly confident are girls--now to wait for eggs!
9/20/09 No crowing from Hilda so I guess she is indeed a pullet--time will tell.
11/15/08 It does look like I have all girls---but no eggs yet--and these girls will be 24 weeks old tomorrow. Their little faces are red but I guess they are just taking their sweet time. I am really enjoying these ladies--they each have a different personality. Penny is my pet and doesn't mind being picked up and petted. Olivia is a loner and she marches to her own drummer, usually foraging 10 feet away from the other girls--I have voted her most likely to become lunch. Maxine is the head hen and a stinker--she charges the other girls and every once in awhile will give them a peck just to let them know that she thinks she is boss. She does realize, however, that I am ultimately head hen--ha! Hilda is in charge of security at the moment and she sounds the alarm and everyone heads for cover no matter whether she sees a butterfly or a hawk above. They all love wheat bread and will leap into the air for a morsel--Hilda knows how to catch a bite in mid air. They also get scratch as a treat and various leftovers such as over ripe bananas, grapes, green beans etc. They all march into the coop at night and hop up on the roost right at dusk. I think they are content little critters
1-19-09 The girls started laying the first week of January. I found 2 cold tan eggs on the floor of the coop. Penny and Olivia are the two who are squatting so I knew it was one of them but I still don't know who is laying those tan eggs. I have also started to get the greenish eggs so it will be interesting to see who lays which ones. The nest box issue was dealt with by just picking up both girls and sticking them in the boxes and petting them while they hunkered down---it was a funny sight to see, but I think they appreciate laying their eggs in nice clean shavings and they have laid there ever since. No cooperation yet from Hilda or Maxine. They are simply stubborn and cranky little biddies. They do not let me pet them but they are not above snatching treats and begging when they see me. Another interesting thing about these EEs is that they are soooooo quiet. They have a very low clucking, purring sort of conversation that goes on all the time, but never really loud. They don't even let me know they have laid an egg. Just a bit more clucking but not much.
Hilda decided the time was right on 2-12-09 and she is laying a light blue-green egg. Maxine is the only freeloader now as far as eggs are concerned, but she makes up for it by being the protector of the flock.
First week of March, Maxine started laying a nice light brown egg.
And here are the eggs!
xxxxxx
Here are the little chicks at one day. Penny is orange, Maxine is the Silver with chipmunk stripe, Hilda is dark brown/black and Olivia is silver.
And a couple more:
Our dachshund Phoebe thinks they really look interesting---and tasty:
They grow so fast! Here at 3 weeks on safari!:
And at 4 weeks:
5 weeks with watermelon:
9 weeks
Hilda:
Maxine:
Penny:
Olivia:
The chicks are 11 weeks old today-8/17/08- and hopefully all are girls. The only one I question is Hilda as she may have 3 rows in the pea comb--it is hard to tell. But the others I am fairly confident are girls--now to wait for eggs!
9/20/09 No crowing from Hilda so I guess she is indeed a pullet--time will tell.
11/15/08 It does look like I have all girls---but no eggs yet--and these girls will be 24 weeks old tomorrow. Their little faces are red but I guess they are just taking their sweet time. I am really enjoying these ladies--they each have a different personality. Penny is my pet and doesn't mind being picked up and petted. Olivia is a loner and she marches to her own drummer, usually foraging 10 feet away from the other girls--I have voted her most likely to become lunch. Maxine is the head hen and a stinker--she charges the other girls and every once in awhile will give them a peck just to let them know that she thinks she is boss. She does realize, however, that I am ultimately head hen--ha! Hilda is in charge of security at the moment and she sounds the alarm and everyone heads for cover no matter whether she sees a butterfly or a hawk above. They all love wheat bread and will leap into the air for a morsel--Hilda knows how to catch a bite in mid air. They also get scratch as a treat and various leftovers such as over ripe bananas, grapes, green beans etc. They all march into the coop at night and hop up on the roost right at dusk. I think they are content little critters
1-19-09 The girls started laying the first week of January. I found 2 cold tan eggs on the floor of the coop. Penny and Olivia are the two who are squatting so I knew it was one of them but I still don't know who is laying those tan eggs. I have also started to get the greenish eggs so it will be interesting to see who lays which ones. The nest box issue was dealt with by just picking up both girls and sticking them in the boxes and petting them while they hunkered down---it was a funny sight to see, but I think they appreciate laying their eggs in nice clean shavings and they have laid there ever since. No cooperation yet from Hilda or Maxine. They are simply stubborn and cranky little biddies. They do not let me pet them but they are not above snatching treats and begging when they see me. Another interesting thing about these EEs is that they are soooooo quiet. They have a very low clucking, purring sort of conversation that goes on all the time, but never really loud. They don't even let me know they have laid an egg. Just a bit more clucking but not much.
Hilda decided the time was right on 2-12-09 and she is laying a light blue-green egg. Maxine is the only freeloader now as far as eggs are concerned, but she makes up for it by being the protector of the flock.
First week of March, Maxine started laying a nice light brown egg.
And here are the eggs!
xxxxxx
