OK-- thanks for your responses. He's a sweet, quiet and observant guy, but I am worried a bit because it looks like we might have two drakes to one female, and I don't think that is going to work out very well. Thanks all! Glad this thread is here.
I don't know-- I can't tell if it's turning gray or not. Maybe around the bill? But really what I wanted to know is if the bill turns more yellow as he ages, and if a buff orpington drake starts out with a reddish bill like the females have.
Hello all,
I am new to duck-keeping. I've enjoyed reading through this thread for info about buff ducks, but I haven't yet come across this question: I am trying to figure out whether my buff duck, who is appx 12 weeks old, is male or female. It has more female coloring, but still just makes...
Thank you for the responses. I have checked the birds for lice, and I really do not think there are any. Mites are another issue, and I've got to do a more thorough search (thanks, aart). I live in dusty, dry Wyoming. I don't think mites are much of an issue up here but I'm at a loss and I...
Hey everybody,
I compost all the wood shavings in my chicken coop. I might need to dust my chickens with sevin, as a few of them are losing feathers and it might be lice or mites. I've never had to do this before.
If I dust inside the coop and over the shavings, does that mean I can't...
He's pretty, skittish, but not aggressive at all so far. He barely crows, and I haven't seen him try to mount a hen yet. He's about 6 months old, but no real spurs yet. He's our first rooster and I'm not sure what to expect. I don't know what is typical for a rooster, but he seems to be a...
Here are photos-- the first is an image of the hen with the crumpled-looking, droopy comb. The second photo is for contrast. It's one of the other leghorns, next to the hen with the droopy comb. The droopy-combed hen's comb used to look like the other's.
Hi all,
So a couple of days ago I noticed that one of my white leghorns has a very droopy comb. The rest of the flock (including two more white leghorns and 5 more mixed) are all fine. She is acting fine otherwise, eating, etc. But her comb has basically crumpled waaaaay over-- not like it...
This is so interesting. I have a mixed flock of 8, 3 of which are white leghorns. All of the other chickens are clearly molting. Egg production has slowed significantly or stopped for some of them....except for the leghorns. I can't tell if they molted already, or if it's still going to...
I am adding supplemental light to the coop in the mornings, but I am still getting fewer eggs- maybe 5 per day on average instead of 7-8, but I figure that's pretty normal. One of my barred rocks has almost completely stopped laying, and I have no idea why...
Being a very new chicken-keeper, I have only 8: 3 white leghorns, 2 barred rocks, 3 easter eggers. They are all about 8 months old. I would love to get some heritage breeds, eventually. I am also interested in whether people might have fertile eggs around for purchase (or trade?). I'm not...