I wait until they drink it dry and then mix more. If you can only check them once a day or there isn't much water left, just dump and mix more. That way you know you're giving them the correct ratio. Most of my coops have 8-10 birds in them and go through a gallon a day. My babies go through a...
I usually start my treatments on the 1st and 15th each month. Easy to remember. :) I had to work this weekend, so mine will start their treatment tomorrow.
There are much better ways to give them more estrogen. Try cabbage or broccoli instead. I wouldn't intentionally feed mine styrofoam. Too many chemicals.
Can't say that I've ever wanted a chicken on my shoulder...
I do want to add that I believe a good rooster can be ok unsupervised with kids. I grew up with aggressive chickens (hens and roos) and I won't tolerate the behavior from my birds. I won't breed an aggressive rooster, I don't care how...
I really wouldn't worry about the crowing. I've never taken it as a challenge from my roosters. Young roosters do tend to crow more. They're trying out their new trick. I have an EE cockerels who's barely 3 months old and won't shut up. LOL But I have roughly 20-30 roosters on my property and...
Their beaks will actually fade from black to bone at the tip, so that wouldn't worry me. And even in purebred flocks, faults like white on the ear lobes can surface. It could be a recessive gene from many generations back. I just wouldn't use that one for breeding or showing.
They both have curled tail feathers and long, pointed sickle and hackle feathers. Not enough red to be Marans, but they could be crosses. I've had solid black Maran/Australorp crosses. But they were bulkier than the blue cockerel. He looks more like a modern game bird cross.
I agree, they both looks like boys. Is the first one a bantam? Smaller than the others? The tail angle and body shape are wrong for an Australorp. Plus, Australorps aren't commonly available in blue. There are only a few breeders in the US working on them. As for the second rooster, the eye...
Her frame itself is very narrow, so it's not just a matter of being "skinny." Even an underweight Australorp won't look that thin. Plus, the angle of the body and tail are completely wrong for an Australorp.