Hi. About 45 years ago, when I was a kid, we had bantam chickens. In 2009 I finally convinced my husband that we should have chickens. After a lot of preparation, I ordered a box of chicks from Ideal Poultry. As it had become late in the season, May 2010, and I wanted to hatch chicks in the future, I ordered 10 straight run Barred Plymouth Rock, 11 straight run New Hampshire, and 4 Ameraucana pullets. I did not realize until later that ordering straight run BR was a bad idea. I ended up with:
9 BR roosters
6 NH roosters
5 NH pullets
1 BR pullet
4 Easter Eggers (the Ameraucana pullets turned out to be non-standard colors)
for a total of 15 roosters and 10 hens. I told all of the chickens that earning a name guaranteed that named chickens would never be eaten. Eventually the most aggressive roosters earned a one way ticket to the freezer instead of a name.
I put Lennon, the friendliest NH rooster and one who had been injured by roosters who earned freezer tickets, in with the pullets. Mr. Milquetoast, the smartest and friendliest of the BR roosters, stayed in the bachelor quarters. The lone BR pullet was named Rosemary. The NH pullets were named Parsley, Sage, Thyme, Saffron, and Cumin. The EE pullets were named Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Clove. Thyme earned her name by taking the time to go broody at six months of age and hatching three chicks in December seven months after we received the box of chicks. She never went broody again. Two chicks survived to adulthood, both NH roosters. Lennon eventually succumbed to the injury he had received. His offspring, BC (big comb) and LC (little comb) moved into a rooster duplex that I built for them.
Mr. Milquetoast stayed in his rooster retreat at night but spent free-ranging time with the hens. None of the hens went broody so last year I took a dozen eggs to a local farmer who hatched them in his incubator for me. 8 of that dozen hatched and the farmer added one of his BR chicks as he could not tell tell them apart and did not want to risk having any mixed breed chickens. The four hens and four roosters, half BR and half NH or EE, and one BR rooster are a year old this month. All of the roosters descended from Mr. Milquetoast or Lennon are friendly toward people. The other BR rooster is not aggressive but not friendly either. Hatching the eggs turned out to be just in time as Mr. Milquetoast, LC, and some of the older hens have passed away from various causes. Remaining from the older hens are Ginger, Clove, Cinnamon, Thyme, and Cumin. BC is the remaining ofspring from Lennon.
Yes, I currently have 6 roosters and 9 hens. The 4 young hens and one young rooster are referred to as "the young flock". Another young rooster is called "The Lone Ranger", and the last three young roosters are known as "the Three Stooges" as they share a pen and stay together when free-ranging. Other than the Three Stooges, only one rooster is out free-ranging at a time. LC and the older hens sometimes free-range together. The older hens do not get along with the young flock.
I would like to maintain a flock with friendly and smart roosters descended from Mr. Milquetoast. BC is not as smart as either Lennon or LC were but he is still a very good rooster.
I would rather have hens hatch future eggs so I ordered Silkie chicks. I split a box order with another person. The chicks arrived last week: 4 straight run white Silkie bantams, 2 BR pullets, and 8 NH pullets.
While researching determining the sex of Silkies I found a great thread on BYC. I think I joined back in 2010 but, if so, it was not with my current email address. I have now joined with my current email address.
Mr. Milquetoast is the rooster standing on my shoulder in my avatar. He let me take several photos (no one else was home at the time). He eventually became too large to stand on my shoulder but he always enjoyed being close.
I am looking forward to being a member of BYC.
9 BR roosters
6 NH roosters
5 NH pullets
1 BR pullet
4 Easter Eggers (the Ameraucana pullets turned out to be non-standard colors)
for a total of 15 roosters and 10 hens. I told all of the chickens that earning a name guaranteed that named chickens would never be eaten. Eventually the most aggressive roosters earned a one way ticket to the freezer instead of a name.
I put Lennon, the friendliest NH rooster and one who had been injured by roosters who earned freezer tickets, in with the pullets. Mr. Milquetoast, the smartest and friendliest of the BR roosters, stayed in the bachelor quarters. The lone BR pullet was named Rosemary. The NH pullets were named Parsley, Sage, Thyme, Saffron, and Cumin. The EE pullets were named Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Clove. Thyme earned her name by taking the time to go broody at six months of age and hatching three chicks in December seven months after we received the box of chicks. She never went broody again. Two chicks survived to adulthood, both NH roosters. Lennon eventually succumbed to the injury he had received. His offspring, BC (big comb) and LC (little comb) moved into a rooster duplex that I built for them.
Mr. Milquetoast stayed in his rooster retreat at night but spent free-ranging time with the hens. None of the hens went broody so last year I took a dozen eggs to a local farmer who hatched them in his incubator for me. 8 of that dozen hatched and the farmer added one of his BR chicks as he could not tell tell them apart and did not want to risk having any mixed breed chickens. The four hens and four roosters, half BR and half NH or EE, and one BR rooster are a year old this month. All of the roosters descended from Mr. Milquetoast or Lennon are friendly toward people. The other BR rooster is not aggressive but not friendly either. Hatching the eggs turned out to be just in time as Mr. Milquetoast, LC, and some of the older hens have passed away from various causes. Remaining from the older hens are Ginger, Clove, Cinnamon, Thyme, and Cumin. BC is the remaining ofspring from Lennon.
Yes, I currently have 6 roosters and 9 hens. The 4 young hens and one young rooster are referred to as "the young flock". Another young rooster is called "The Lone Ranger", and the last three young roosters are known as "the Three Stooges" as they share a pen and stay together when free-ranging. Other than the Three Stooges, only one rooster is out free-ranging at a time. LC and the older hens sometimes free-range together. The older hens do not get along with the young flock.
I would like to maintain a flock with friendly and smart roosters descended from Mr. Milquetoast. BC is not as smart as either Lennon or LC were but he is still a very good rooster.
I would rather have hens hatch future eggs so I ordered Silkie chicks. I split a box order with another person. The chicks arrived last week: 4 straight run white Silkie bantams, 2 BR pullets, and 8 NH pullets.
While researching determining the sex of Silkies I found a great thread on BYC. I think I joined back in 2010 but, if so, it was not with my current email address. I have now joined with my current email address.
Mr. Milquetoast is the rooster standing on my shoulder in my avatar. He let me take several photos (no one else was home at the time). He eventually became too large to stand on my shoulder but he always enjoyed being close.
I am looking forward to being a member of BYC.
and Welcome To BYC! Sounds like you have an interesting flock!
