My animals are raised as pets and for eggs as this is my hobby. I couldn't eat them any more than I could eat my dog.
No shade on those who raise poultry as livestock, but that's not for me.
I did think about processing and feeding the bodies to my dogs but I couldn't face it. I needed to bag...
That's odd isn't it. I had 12 eggs under my broody, only 6 of which hatched successfully and 5 of them were male. I reckon all the females were in those that didn't hatch!
Thank for for these replies, I really appreciate your kind words.
They were 3 months old and certainly had a wonderful and happy chicken life during that time. At least I gave them that and a swift death.
I just wish they could have gone to good homes and lived long lives. I've always managed...
I've been keeping chickens as pets for many many years, and hatching chicks to renew my little flock and rehoming roosters and any flock members that don't fit in.
This year I had an excess of roosters (not unexpected when you hatch chicks) and I couldn't find homes for them. They were SO noisy...
I hope you get some more one day.
This little one is growing and while her head skin is redder, her comb is still small and very pale so I'm hopeful. She isn't very friendly though. Pecks me like a rooster. When I feed her from my hand she goes for my fingers not the food! And I mean "goes...
It's hard when you don't know how old it is, but I can't see any hackles or sickles yet.
Here are my two for comparison. The colouring is difficult to differentiate. Males are usually lighter.
This is my female hen and my male chick. They both look the same black/white colour ratio to me...
You could use a wire dog crate with the base directly on the ground (no tray) and put 2 or 3 chickens in there for an hour while you sit out with a nice coffee first thing in the morning. They're hungry and safe and will forage the greenery under their feet. Rotate different chickens the next...
Sorry I don't know about what the ABA says. I'm from the UK. Our seramas are Malaysian in origin as far as I'm aware and there are no standardised colours. Most I've seen (and bred) are random patterns and colourations that I've not see in other breeds. Also silkied ones which are my favourites!
100% sure this polish is a cockerel. Not just the saddle feathers but also the tail and the crest and the patterning. A pullet would have clearer lacing. This pattern distribution is typical of males.
With silkie cockerels it's not just the width but the height of the comb. Pullets' combs are almost completely flat. Cockerels have an obvious bump to them. With this comb and wattles, your white silkie is likely a boy. He may have the start of streamers coming in but I'd wait a couple of weeks...