Recent content by rmurrayslcut

  1. rmurrayslcut

    Brown leghorn: sex?

    I bought six leghorns near the end of the chick season and three were male.
  2. rmurrayslcut

    what’s the definition of free range?

    I agree with this definition. Now, "free range" on a carton of store eggs? That's a marketing gimmick.
  3. rmurrayslcut

    Have you ever had hens kill each other?

    The dead one was 3, the all-but-dead one was 2. Different flocks, but the rest of them live fairly harmoniously. They've been integrated for nearly a year.
  4. rmurrayslcut

    Have you ever had hens kill each other?

    I had an interesting discovery yesterday, something I've never seen in my seven years of chicken raising. I walked out of the coop into the pasture yesterday morning. Found one hen dead, with no visible injuries. Another lying three feet away, barely able to walk, with blood on top of her head...
  5. rmurrayslcut

    Are Black Sex Links early layers?

    I suspected as much. Thanks for the confirmation.
  6. rmurrayslcut

    Are Black Sex Links early layers?

    Hello, I'm a long term Rhode Island Red raiser. This year I decided to raise a flock of Black Sex Links, because I heard they were hearty, good layers, and had a nice temperament. I've enjoyed them so far - great little hens. With my RIRs, they usually started laying at around 22 weeks...
  7. rmurrayslcut

    Can you raise baby chicks in unheated garage

  8. rmurrayslcut

    Any Opinions on Black Sex-Links?

    Hello Everyone, I'm a die-hard RIR raiser. Tonight, whilst buying my new Spring flock, I went for Black Sex-Links (aka Black Stars, Rock Reds). I didn't do it blindly; I've done a little research, but I wondered what your experience has been like. I'm especially interested in those who've had...
  9. rmurrayslcut

    Mixing Breeds in the Flock

    A flock does better with a rooster, it's just Mother Nature's way. I hastily got rid of my rooster in my first flock because we're not supposed to have them in my town. Afterwards I just kept my roosters, thinking that if someone complained loudly enough, I would get rid of them then. Nobody...
  10. rmurrayslcut

    Gender

    Hackle feathers look slight for 16 weeks, but they're definitely there. You'll know in about two weeks for sure.
  11. rmurrayslcut

    Mixing Breeds in the Flock

    I agree. At four weeks they haven't even feathered---still fluffy little chicks---but my 12 week-olds are feathered and half the size they'll be full grown. I just don't think little chicks are safe around bigger birds. Wait about four more weeks and then assess the situation. If you can...
  12. rmurrayslcut

    Baby Chick with Deformed Foot- Help!

    I had the same problem, much worse but the effect is the same. I noticed it in a chick at about two weeks. She could get a long fairly well for a while. At 6-7 weeks, when her body grew, her mobility became worse, to the point that she would drag herself using her wings to eat and drink. The...
  13. rmurrayslcut

    Best All-Around Chicken Breed?

    I've never had Orpingtons, but I've had Australorps, which are somewhat similar. They're beautiful, big and have good temperaments. Good layers. I've also had BRs, and I'll never have them again. They were my meanest chickens (I had to re-home one), and their bluster doesn't match their laying...
  14. rmurrayslcut

    Best All-Around Chicken Breed?

    Mixed flocks are fun, but susceptible to hen-on-hen aggression. Go with your gut. I only have RIRs now; hearty, best personality, serious layers. Good luck!
  15. rmurrayslcut

    Mixing Breeds in the Flock

    They sure are. They're bigger, more dominant, and I personally didn't like their temperament. You're dead-on though. I had some Black Australorps that held their own against the BRs, but the rest of the flock were not so fortunate. I had to re-home a particularly aggressive BR. For all their...
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