A little newbie help? Pics Inside

[PandoraChick]

Hi everyone...I am beginning to winder if the farm store we purchased our starter chicks from could have mislabeled them. We were told all the yellow/redish ones were just 'Red Pullets", and the black ones were straight run Barring Rock, they said about 50/50 chance of them being rooster or hen. The reason I am wondering now, is because most of the yellow ones act more like Roosters, and are less tame. The black ones are VERY friendly, walk right up into our hands. We have 13 total right now, but will be sending all the roosters and some hens to my brothers working farm. We only want to keep around 6. I have an order for some white Cochins and and checking into a cp, other breeds for May.
Here are some pics if anyone has any ideas.
Thanks!

Thanks for looking and if there are any secrets to find out the sex, please let me know. I did try the holding them upside-down, but I am not convinced with the results.

 

[starforever61]

when they're just born, you can look at their wing feathers, females willl have longer wing feathers than males.
also theres the key trick. take a key on a string and hold it above YOUR hand. it will either circle or go in a straight line. depends where you are. where we are located, girls make the key go in a circle and boys in a straight line. i dunno, it's never failed us.
then there's vent sexing. i'm no expert and i know it's very very difficult, but if you're really interested in that you can google it. good luck!

**ps, it's really hard to tell, they're all so young! also feather sexing only works when they're just born because a day or two after, the feathers even out.

 

[akcountrygrrl]

So, I just had to pop in here and say that your harlequin is gorgeous. I have two Danes - 1 harlequin and 1 black. I simply love them. As for the chicks... I would say wait a bit. Once the barred Rocks feather out some more, it'll be a little easier to tell. There's supposed to be a way to tell based on the spot on the head but I can never remember how it goes. On the sexlinks, I believe if the feathering is coming in red, they're pullets. Roos should be white from the start.

 

[PandoraChick]

Thanks!I am dane-obsesses too...

I figured we'd have to wait awhile to be sure...But I do think some of the ones that were supposedly all pullets are roosters, LOL. A couple of them do have whiter feathers coming out on their wings. I think they guy had it backwards, which is fine as we do have a place for them.

 

[newchknmama]

I gotta chime in on the dog too.. Gorgeous!! I love them they are my favorite dog. When I Finally graduate college, that.. will be my gift to myself.. to finally have another dane

The chicks are cute too

 

[ChickenWisperer]

The production reds tend to be much more flighty and aggressive than breeds like rocks. You'll just have to wait to see.

I wouldn't mix the cochins and production birds unless they are raised together. I did with my giant blues, and the end result was not pretty - they were chased constantly, run off from the feeder, attacked, etc. My girls lost a lot of weight, feathers, and even blood before I finally got rid of the production RIR's.

If you're wanting VERY friendly birds that lay lots of eggs, get Australorps. My girl is just the best ever - super friendly, smart, and a prolific layer. She's 5 years old and still lays every other day.

 

[farmerChef]

You dane is pretty, we had a harlequin (named Harley), and a black before that. Now we have a black and white dane, not enough to be mantle, but to much to be black, but its not like were showing him or anything.

Barred chicks can be sexed be they're head spots. evenly round spots, usually small, are females. uneven or broken spots, often now the back of the neck to, are males. there is a good thread on here using Dominique chicks, if I can find it, all post it for you.

Red sexlink hens will have some white, but be mostly red. The roosters will be white or yellow chicks, and feather out to be white with a little red. You can sex them at hatch by what color they are. You can look under the Star breed page to see pics. Different hatcheries call their sexlinks different things, it's like a brand. Red Star, Cinnamon Queen, etc.
Sexlink info: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=261208

 

[PandoraChick]

Thanks for the tips on the Cochins and the Australorps. If we add them(white cochin) in May and they are about 4 weeks apart, would that still be considered raising them together?
I really loved everything I read about them and people here thought they would be a good choice for my young daughter. If the barred rocks turn out to be female, I will be happy. I may give my brother all of the RIR, Both male and female if that's the case. We are doing this mainly for a hobby and a few fresh eggs. Maybe a 4-H project for my daughter next year.
I really just want tame, friendly chickens that can deal with midwest temperatures and lay eggs for us to eat...Is that a big order to fill, LOL?

 

[ChickenWisperer]

Quote:
Welcome. Not at all! It just takes some sifting

I would be hesitant to raise them together, with the size difference.

My breed suggestions for little pets -

Barred Holland. The only dual-purpose white egglayer, these birds are AMAZING and I'll never have another flock without them.
Speckled Sussex. Great, friendly birds, good layers.
Faverolles. Some of the sweetest, tamest, most friendly birds you'll ever own. Amazing, prolific layers all through winter. However, don't obtain them if you have the production birds in your flock - they can't stand up to them and will most likely be picked to death.
Dorking. Great, friendly birds.

All of these will lay good amounts of eggs, are super friendly, and will give you some color variety. If you want some variety, then consider Spitzhaubens and Polish - my spitz runs after me in the yard. My polish isn't particularly friendly, but will walk up and talk to me and is calm. Though they don't handle extreme weathers well.

My cochins were standoffish, but that may have been individual temperaments. Don't expect very many eggs out of them

 

[thea71701]

i have heritage rose comb rirs that are very sweet. i have some silkies with them and have had no prob. i did have some production rir that were the meanist birds i have ever tryed to rise. they were always in a bad mood lol. they killed two of my silkies befor i new what happend. needless to say I DO NOT HAVE THEM ANY MORE!!!!!