2018 Newbie Chat!

[CannedMonster]

We got 8 eggs today!
We think one of the Speckled Sussex finally started laying.
It had a large blood smear on it too.
My SS, Australorps and my Silver Penciled Rocks still haven’t started yet but I know it’s probably because it’s winter and they’ll start in the next few weeks.
I already have buyers that want my eggs so I’m excited about getting more.
Now that we have extra income from my job I can get a coop built for Angus and his girls and put them in the other yard separate from Oliver and his flock.
Hopefully I can get my bantams to bond with a new rooster and my LF roosters will leave them alone.

I’m still struggling with how to go about getting a new bantam roo.
If I order him as a chick I can choose his breed and color and get him vaccinated for Mareks.
But I have to wait months for him to mature and he has to gain the respect of the older bantam girls before they’ll let him breed with them.
Then there’s the issue of my current boys.
He’ll probably get chased and intimidated by my LF roosters.
They could even try to kill him but I doubt that because they’re tolerant of each other and not as aggressive as some roos can be.
I really want a bantam roo that will stand up for himself with them.
He has to be a breed that isn’t too docile.

If I get a bantam rooster that’s already mature I run the risk of illness and possibly Mareks since I don’t know if he’s been vaccinated.
But he’ll be able to bond with my bantam girls right away and if he’s confident enough he’ll have no problem showing Oliver and Angus not to mess with him or his girls.
I have seen bantam roosters beat up LF roos and even become the dominant rooster
Usually they’re game fowl bantams though.

Please feel free to chime in with your thoughts on the matter!
I want to consider all the pros and cons of this decision.

 

[CannedMonster]

My mind is blown today!

I have realized for some time that although the Australorp breed and the Jersey Giant breed are extremely similar, you can tell the difference by the color of the bottom of their feet.

Apparently I have had it mixed up.
The Australorp has pinkish skin on the bottom of their feet and the Jersey Giant has bright yellow.

This means that Charlotte and Sumi are Jersey Giants!!!

Only Oliver is an Australorp.

I can’t believe a hatchery would mix them up like that.
I should be able to get the breed I ordered and paid for.

I would expect this sort of disappointing service at TSC...NOT a hatchery.

Big FAIL for Meyer Hatchery!

I still love my birds and like them but now I can’t breed pure Australorps

 

[Anna Ranieri]

My mind is blown today!

I have realized for some time that although the Australorp breed and the Jersey Giant breed are extremely similar, you can tell the difference by the color of the bottom of their feet.

Apparently I have had it mixed up.
The Australorp has pinkish skin on the bottom of their feet and the Jersey Giant has bright yellow.

This means that Charlotte and Sumi are Jersey Giants!!!

Only Oliver is an Australorp.

I can’t believe a hatchery would mix them up like that.
I should be able to get the breed I ordered and paid for.

I would expect this sort of disappointing service at TSC...NOT a hatchery.

Big FAIL for Meyer Hatchery!

I still love my birds and like them but now I can’t breed pure Australorps

Awwww hun, that's terrible! I know you love your birds and you wouldn't be without them, but wanting a particular breed only to be given a different breed is just plan wrong!
If it were me I'd get in contact with their head office and complain, you bought these birds in good faith, trusting you were being sold Australorps and now you can't pure breed them, the company should give you compensation, its the least they can do

Have you reached a decision about the Bantam rooster you want?

 

[CannedMonster]

Awwww hun, that's terrible! I know you love your birds and you wouldn't be without them, but wanting a particular breed only to be given a different breed is just plan wrong!
If it were me I'd get in contact with their head office and complain, you bought these birds in good faith, trusting you were being sold Australorps and now you can't pure breed them, the company should give you compensation, its the least they can do

Have you reached a decision about the Bantam rooster you want?

No I’m still thinking about the bantam roo issue.
Happily I realized I may have been mistaken about Sumi.
Her “under” feet area is not bright mustard yellow like Charlotte.
It’s not what I would call pink though, like Oliver. It’s more of a flesh-tone color.
I think she’s Australorp.

 

[CannedMonster]

Some photos from today.

Charlie

Taka

Below is Charlotte challenging Pippin. She ended up chasing Pip across the yard and she got separated from Cleo. Pippin was successful in keeping most of the others away from Cleo. She just avoided the more dominant birds.

Angus and Oliver were great with Cleo.
Angus ran over to look her over and Oliver just ignored her which is great.

My red sex link, Red.

Here, Emily is challenging Oliver. She chases him almost as much as Angus lol. And poor Ollie wants nothing to do with it.

Here’s Angus with Red and Paisley, a partridge Rock.

Cricket, Pippin and baby Cleo.

Elsie and Sweetie

Poppy has a lot less speckles than the other two.

Peekaboo, Ivy!

Handsome Oliver

Itsy, my OEGB, makes her way out of the prefab coop.

Mom! Where’d you go!?

 

[llombardo]

Coyotes are out in full swing. All surrounding areas have released warnings about leaving dogs and kids out unsupervised. A family a few miles from lost a 20 pound dog to 2 coyotes. So it's not just small 10 pound dogs. We are doing a buddy system here. My senior pup is never out there without the german shepherd. Generally there are 3 dogs out at a time. The coyotes seem to be moving in groups instead of solo.

So I'm assuming that anyone dealing with colder weather and snow should be careful. The coyotes are pretty bold right now. Free range chickens or chickens not in a secure pen are not safe, especially now.

I still have the rabbits in the run and I have kept the electric fence on to protect them until I can remove them safely. I don't want them to end up dinner and I'm pretty sure they picked this spot because they didn't want to be dinner either..lol They seem to be pretty content. I keep the heated waterer going for them and I feed them rabbit food and hay. They may never leave, but they are safe..

 

[No More Empty Nest]

Some photos from today.

Your chickens are lovely! I love your Speckled Sussex, so beautiful. Charlie is cute too!

I miss having a dog. My last dog passed away around the same time my parents did. I knew by everyone's ages and health issues that they might all be leaving us within a few years of each other. Our cat too. All within 5 years. Was a very sad time. I needed to have some time afterwards when I wasn't being a caregiver and worrying about someone (animal or human) constantly. That time is up now.

So now I have chickens! I've been looking at puppies on Petfinder, but I'm probably going to have to have a knee replacement within the year so I might wait till after that.
Our other dogs were a couple years old when we adopted them from rescues. I'd kinda like to have a puppy this time.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Some photos from today.

View attachment 1640701
View attachment 1640702
View attachment 1640703

Charlie
View attachment 1640704

Taka
View attachment 1640705

Below is Charlotte challenging Pippin. She ended up chasing Pip across the yard and she got separated from Cleo. Pippin was successful in keeping most of the others away from Cleo. She just avoided the more dominant birds.
View attachment 1640707

Angus and Oliver were great with Cleo.
Angus ran over to look her over and Oliver just ignored her which is great.

My red sex link, Red.
View attachment 1640710

Here, Emily is challenging Oliver. She chases him almost as much as Angus lol. And poor Ollie wants nothing to do with it.
View attachment 1640711

Here’s Angus with Red and Paisley, a partridge Rock.
View attachment 1640729

Cricket, Pippin and baby Cleo.
View attachment 1640735

Elsie and Sweetie
View attachment 1640738

Poppy has a lot less speckles than the other two.
View attachment 1640740

Peekaboo, Ivy!
View attachment 1640743

Handsome Oliver
View attachment 1640745

Itsy, my OEGB, makes her way out of the prefab coop.
View attachment 1640746

Mom! Where’d you go!?
View attachment 1640749

These are wonderful pictures thank you so much for posting them.
Can't believe how big Cleo is already! She is growing up so fast! She is so beautiful, as are all your birds

 

[Anna Ranieri]

No I’m still thinking about the bantam roo issue.
Happily I realized I may have been mistaken about Sumi.
Her “under” feet area is not bright mustard yellow like Charlotte.
It’s not what I would call pink though, like Oliver. It’s more of a flesh-tone color.
I think she’s Australorp.

That's great news! Then you can get your pure bred Australorp, really pleased for you
I read that Australorps can have white under their feet too, so maybe she has an off white, which would explain the flesh colour - just a thought.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Some photos from today.

View attachment 1640701
View attachment 1640702
View attachment 1640703

Charlie
View attachment 1640704

Taka
View attachment 1640705

Below is Charlotte challenging Pippin. She ended up chasing Pip across the yard and she got separated from Cleo. Pippin was successful in keeping most of the others away from Cleo. She just avoided the more dominant birds.
View attachment 1640707

Angus and Oliver were great with Cleo.
Angus ran over to look her over and Oliver just ignored her which is great.

My red sex link, Red.
View attachment 1640710

Here, Emily is challenging Oliver. She chases him almost as much as Angus lol. And poor Ollie wants nothing to do with it.
View attachment 1640711

Here’s Angus with Red and Paisley, a partridge Rock.
View attachment 1640729

Cricket, Pippin and baby Cleo.
View attachment 1640735

Elsie and Sweetie
View attachment 1640738

Poppy has a lot less speckles than the other two.
View attachment 1640740

Peekaboo, Ivy!
View attachment 1640743

Handsome Oliver
View attachment 1640745

Itsy, my OEGB, makes her way out of the prefab coop.
View attachment 1640746

Mom! Where’d you go!?
View attachment 1640749

Especially love the pic of Pippin in the flower pot. Such a cute pic.