Against the odds hatching thread (with pictures and questions)

[UThobbyfarmer]

One of them is CROWING!!!!!!!!!!!

How is that possible?!? I read that they begin to crow at 4-5 months old... these things are a month and a half old... Whyyyyy?!? They were in the coop so I didn’t see which one it was. Will observe today. I was really hoping they’d put a bit more meat on their bones before I start culling. It’s not a real crow yet and not very loud, so I can probably get away with it for a while, if I let them out in the late morning, but still...

No way! What luck. Your she-neighbor will love that one.

Once I had a Black Copper Marans start crowing at like 1 week old. Fortunately he stopped and didn't pick it up again until a more appropriate age. I think I heard him daily for about a week before he stopped.

When they start just depends on the individual birds. I had another batch of 5 Marans or Marans cross roosters who never made a peep until like 20 weeks!

Not to panic you but I've found it seem to be contagious. Once one starts it seems to trigger the others into action. They're pretty little still so that's in your favor. Hopefully this guy is just experimenting and not super committed to crowing just yet.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

I wanted to mention at this age there will be no meat whatsoever on them. If you have to process one consider using it to make a stock. Then you can pick off a few bites of meat as it boils. I think this is the best way to use them if you're forced to butcher at this age.

 

[aart]

One of my BCMxCL cockerels started 'crowing' between 1 & 2 weeks old.
Had seen it on videos, but to see it in person was hilarious!

 

[K0k0shka]

One of my BCMxCL cockerels started 'crowing' between 1 & 2 weeks old.
Had seen it on videos, but to see it in person was hilarious!

Yeah, sounds like somebody’s choking a cat.

 

[K0k0shka]

The beginning of the end of my forsythia... No leaf is safe

Also, I know I have no hope left, but this front one... everybody’s favorite... Any remaining last chances it could still be a girl?

It’s still the smallest of all 11 chicks and the big boys have bigger combs, but...

 

[K0k0shka]

I wanted to mention at this age there will be no meat whatsoever on them. If you have to process one consider using it to make a stock. Then you can pick off a few bites of meat as it boils. I think this is the best way to use them if you're forced to butcher at this age.

Thanks! I hope I won't have to do it quite yet. At this point, the other neighbor's yappy little dog is louder than this chicken... I wonder if I should order some no crow collars now, to start them young before they get too loud... and buy myself some time before the inevitable.

 

[K0k0shka]

Here are a couple more pictures of our buddy:


And two of the more obvious boys:



These are all Orpingtons, 6 weeks old. Any hope for that red one?

 

[SharW75]

One of my BCMxCL cockerels started 'crowing' between 1 & 2 weeks old.
Had seen it on videos, but to see it in person was hilarious!

I have have a EE/bantam cochin cockeral who started crowing at about 2 weeks. He's almost 5 weeks old now and has been doing it regularly ever since.

 

[K0k0shka]

I have have a EE/bantam cochin cockeral who started crowing at about 2 weeks. He's almost 5 weeks old now and has been doing it regularly ever since.

Wow! Impatient little guy.

 

[K0k0shka]

Got myself another piece of chicken tech - a remote temperature sensor:

I noticed on the chicken cam that they were panting at night, and wanted to know exactly how hot it gets in there. Both windows are open all the way and the vents are huge, but still. It’s about 6 degrees warmer than outside, but not too bad yet. Our central air in the house broke, so right now the chickens have it nicer than us, as you can see on the display (Left number is inside the house, right number is inside the coop).

I have one chicken that pants a lot though, and was skewing my perception. He’s the biggest and very fluffy. I sat with them inside the coop for a bit yesterday morning and it was very pleasant, low 70’s, but he was panting