We live in Wasilla, Alaska, and are starting up a micro- ranch (farm, smallholding, whatever). We currently raise rabbits, goats and chickens, and this year I'm going to try my hand at gardening. So far my chickens are my favorite thing to watch, but of course. My friend Rebecca calls it...
Wish I had pictures to show you! I have a Delaware marked EE rooster over Golden Comets, a buff Cochin and a barred Rock. The chicks I have hatched from this pairing have been So multicolored it's almost impossible to explain them all.
I have gotten the delaware markings, buff barred, red...
I have an EE roo that we like to call a Delawaraucana.... I don't know what his mix is, but he's an EE that's got coloring like a delaware, only it's not contained to just the neck, it extends over his back a ways. My hens are golden comets, one barred rock and one buff cochin. There's also...
Your golden comets... as long as they are reddish, they're girls, no worries. They will lay when they are ready! I find a good test is to try and pet them starting at the hackle feathers and petting towards the tail. If they squat, they're ready to breed, which means they will lay eggs...
I had a heck of a time coming up with a farm name for my one acre, too. It took me forever! It will come to you and just "fit" what you want, I promise. In the meanwhile, I'm having a heck of a time thinking of names!
Techinically a teensy weensy farm (like ours) is called a "Micro Farm"...
No you can't show a bird with clipped wings. I have some really light birds that have no problem jumping over a four foot wall, and some LF Brahmas that couldn't jump four feet if they tried, LOL! It's all dependent on what you want. I don't see a point in the bigger birds, but with the light...
I have light Brahmas and a buff cochin hen is in with them, as well as a barred rock hen. I can send you some of my eggs, if you'd like, and since you'll get some purbreds and some mixes, I'll make you a good deal! 6 dollars for a dozen and you pay for shipping which is about $10. I'd...
Actually, it is that easy... Just make sure your nail clippers are very sharp. I personally use a dremel. BTW, chickens can bite pretty hard, so be careful!
I think black sex links are all black and the difference between the boys and the girls is that one of the sexes ( I don't remember which one, dangit!) hatches with a white spot on the head.
We need more info to help! Pictures are good...
Are you feeding any kind of calcium back to your girls, like oyster shell or their own eggs ground up? Sometimes it's normal to have a skip in the cycle of egg making and pop out a "jelly egg". Mine do it when they are stressed by something.
You can bury the hardware cloth under the soil if you don't want to go with concrete (which can be spendy). I wish I could give you advice on it, but I don't know... We don't have rats here. Good luck and welcom to BYC!