Thanks so much for the great info! So you ferment their layer food as well? Love this idea! We too free range all day...year round but still looking for ways to cost cists especially when it's more beneficial for the birds' health!
My poor cross beak chick, it is getting bullied by the other now. it is no longer boss like it used to be. I moved it in with ones that were just hatched but it barley larger than. I am going to spereate it and give it some save-a-chick. It looks about the size of a 1 week old chick and it is really 5 weeks old. Maybe the vitamins and electrolytes will make it a little stronger.
Okay, I need help evaluating my birds. These birds were hatched April 1 and the photos were taken today, July 15th, so they are 3.5 months old. None of the birds were particularly thrilled to be on a dog grooming table, so they were pretty hunched up.
I LOVE this bird's color. It is clear with no rust or fading at all. It has always been this beautiful clear blue.
However, he is not nearly as big as the other four cockerels I have, two wheatens, a blue wheaten and a blue. I kept thinking (hoping? in denial?) he was a pullet even though his comb was a little larger and redder than the birds I was pretty sure were pullets. He just isn't as obviously cockerel as the others.
His muff and beard are not very big as the other cockerels but he's had muck in it (as they have) and I've been spraying them in the heat of the day so it is probably a bit damaged.
My poor cross beak chick, it is getting bullied by the other now. it is no longer boss like it used to be. I moved it in with ones that were just hatched but it barley larger than. I am going to spereate it and give it some save-a-chick. It looks about the size of a 1 week old chick and it is really 5 weeks old. Maybe the vitamins and electrolytes will make it a little stronger.
I had to cull mine around that age. It started drastically losing weight and was slowly starving. I hated to do it but loved it enough to put it out of it's misery.
Here's the second cockerel. This is the same one I've previously posted pictures of on this list. Again, hatched April 1, and photos taken today, July 15. He, too, wasn't happy to be on the table.
This bird is a much bigger bird than the splash I sent in earlier. He has a really lovely long elegant neck (don't know if that is important in chickens). Although the second picture doesn't show it, I think he has good eye color--a dark rich mahogany brown. His eyes are large and very expressive. I think he has really nice muff and beard. In the second picture you can see his bird is all gunked up. I think he has a nice body. He's a big, solid bird and very elegant. He has abundant feathering that is loose. I think when he matures, his plumage will be spectacular.
I'm just not crazy about his color.
Do you see the taupe color to his muff? There are those undertones to his feathering. Maybe it is because the feathers are old. I don't know anything about the plumage of chickens as they grow up from a day old to a magnificent rooster and I've never in my life seen a blue before him. The new feathers on his hackles and back are incredibly shiny. I don't know if that shows up in the photos but they positively sparkle. He seems to be a very dark blue.
The second to last picture shows his comb. It seems fairly small and there are three rows of peas.
I want to breed blue/blue splash so am thinking--just thinking--of keeping one of these two cockerels. I suspect the blue is a much superior bird but I don't know if the color is a serious fault or not. I used to show Shelties and Collies, so a clear blue is a big deal for me. I don't have any idea how bad the color is or even if it is faulty (maybe I'm finding fault where there is none or maybe the feathers are just old and faded). I have no judgement on the value of a color fault.
I just sold a black Ameraucana hen to an eggs-only home that I had pulled out of my breeding pen for the same type reasons- she had a definite brown tint to her muff and beard and her underfluff, too. I've not heard anyone say NOT to breed from it but given the big deal brown fluff is given on the Black Copper Marans threads and that I have enough Ameraucana hens for my plans without her I decided it was better not to breed from her. Wish I had thought to take a picture before I sold her.
I had to cull mine around that age. It started drastically losing weight and was slowly starving. I hated to do it but loved it enough to put it out of it's misery.
I thought about doing that if things came to that point, but one to try one last thing, the sav a chick stuff. About 5 mins after I had typed that post (i had already mixed the stuff with water and got a spot ready for it inside) I went out to get it and it was dead! I couldnt believe it, it was acting a little weak but I had just been out their 10 mins ago. I already took all the other chicks out, but wanted to bring it inside anyways because of its condition. It hadnt been having trouble until a few days ago and slowey decreased in the pecking order and wasnt eating nearly as much. I wanted to try one last time to save it but I guess I was 5 minutes too late. Sorry about your chick
I thought about doing that if things came to that point, but one to try one last thing, the sav a chick stuff. About 5 mins after I had typed that post (i had already mixed the stuff with water and got a spot ready for it inside) I went out to get it and it was dead! I couldnt believe it, it was acting a little weak but I had just been out their 10 mins ago. I already took all the other chicks out, but wanted to bring it inside anyways because of its condition. It hadnt been having trouble until a few days ago and slowey decreased in the pecking order and wasnt eating nearly as much. I wanted to try one last time to save it but I guess I was 5 minutes too late. Sorry about your chick
I took a quick look at my chicks the other day and both of my blacks have really think legs an 1 or 2 of my blues. I will take closer look probably one tursday and make my guesses as to whos what and we will see if I end up being right.probably not lol
