American serama thread!

[kukupecpec]

my roo's that live togeather are in a seperate area without hens.......................
The English Orpingtons are a flock so there are hens.been lucky so far.
The Orp Roo just seems to accept them
Good Luck........................

Isn't that an extreme size difference? Do you have any pictures?? That would be really fun to see! I would like to consolidate my flock, but my "Big Mama" BLRW attacked my Serama Roo, Taco, luckily I got to them quick so she just ripped his comb.

For those of you housing roos together without hens, do they need to be simple housed apart, or do the hens need to be out of sight of the roos? I built a second of my big coop (ok it's not QUITE finished...) and it shares one wall with the other coop. Can I put boys on one side and girls on the other? Or would that really not make much of a difference?

I've been lucky so far though, I have 6 large hens with 3 roosters and they all get along just fine. I WANT to split them up in to breeding trios, but that won't happen until I have more coops/runs for everyone.

 

[Lorilyn Farms]

I house all my roos together with my hens. SURE, THEY INITIALLY HAVE SQUABBLES, THEN CALM DOWN. My only problem is that my black australorp just turned b reeding and is now chasing my serama roos. I'm not liking that only bit and about to dispatch him unless I can find him a home. Tried craiglist, no takers. He escapes from the pen I built (but isn't finished) so he's out in general population. This is him, in case anyone wants him.

 

[chickydee64]

HI again,
I think I have some pic's of the Serama and English...............I'll look.
Also want to add that I would not do this on my own.put the two breeds together.to scary.

What happened is that they free ranged togther and the Seramas started going into the Orp coop to roost on thier own.
Seemed OK so I left them............been about a year and a half.
Also wanted to agree with gardeningmama that it could turn very bad with roo's together.............and if it does, can be a heart breaker.

I've been flat luckky so far also retired so have tons of time to keep an eye on things.

Sure do not want to give an impression that may cause someone a problem..............

Just sharing my personal experience................
Think I will lurk again for awhile...............

Later.

 

[cluck-cluck]

Thanks ya'all. The way my coops are set up, they will see each other, and the hens. I'll have to come up with another plan and also see if someone would adopt my extra boys. It's sad that I can't keep roosters, but I live in the city, and that's the way it is. I shouldn't have hatched more eggs, but it was fun, LOL. I'll first see if I can't keep them as indoor pets, but if they can't get along, then they'll have no companions, and that would be too sad. I'll have to find some other birds for them to be friends with, perhaps sex linked birds. Then build yet another coop, Ugh!

You don't have to lurk, chickydee64! It's good to hear everyone's experiences! I currently have 3 cockerels living with 5 pullets. They are now about 15 weeks of age. Two of the pullets are laying, as they're a bit older, yet one of those boys has inseminated one of my hens (possibly both, just got two eggs today, so If they're both with a bulls-eye, then he got both!) Yet they're not fighting at all (knock on wood) They're also not crowing (one has started to honk a bit, like a goose). I'm sitting on pins and needles waiting to see catastrophe happen! So I have two problems to deal with here, Serama and Crevecoeurs, Ugh!

Anyway, I am running out of time, I have learned a lot from everyone here on the boards, they thing is, how can I implement a workable solution. I see no other way except to build another two coops, and I know I don't have the energy. So... yah, I'm backed into a corner

 

[Gardeningmama]

You don't have to lurk, chickydee64! It's good to hear everyone's experiences!

My thoughts exactly. We all need to share what we've learned, and I especially like hearing from people with some chicken years under their belt, so to speak. I think we're all learning as we go along, from eachother, I'll be the first to admit it.

 

[Gardeningmama]

Thanks ya'all. The way my coops are set up, they will see each other, and the hens. I'll have to come up with another plan and also see if someone would adopt my extra boys. It's sad that I can't keep roosters, but I live in the city, and that's the way it is. I shouldn't have hatched more eggs, but it was fun, LOL. I'll first see if I can't keep them as indoor pets, but if they can't get along, then they'll have no companions, and that would be too sad. I'll have to find some other birds for them to be friends with, perhaps sex linked birds. Then build yet another coop, Ugh!

You don't have to lurk, chickydee64! It's good to hear everyone's experiences! I currently have 3 cockerels living with 5 pullets. They are now about 15 weeks of age. Two of the pullets are laying, as they're a bit older, yet one of those boys has inseminated one of my hens (possibly both, just got two eggs today, so If they're both with a bulls-eye, then he got both!) Yet they're not fighting at all (knock on wood) They're also not crowing (one has started to honk a bit, like a goose). I'm sitting on pins and needles waiting to see catastrophe happen! So I have two problems to deal with here, Serama and Crevecoeurs, Ugh!

Anyway, I am running out of time, I have learned a lot from everyone here on the boards, they thing is, how can I implement a workable solution. I see no other way except to build another two coops, and I know I don't have the energy. So... yah, I'm backed into a corner

Chicken Math.....It'll get ya everytime

 

[cluck-cluck]

Yup. I don't think I have too many, and I did know that I would have to deal with roosters. It's just time for the heartbreak. I didn't name my Crevies, because I knew I might not be able to keep some. The thing about those birds is that they can be duel purpose. I would love it if I could actually raise Creves and eat the excess cockerels. Just would be a whole lot easier if I had a larger operation that wouldn't allow me to get to know the animals so well,

But it would at least make the backyard system perpetual, where you could raise your animals, and not waste anything or buy from outside sources all the time.

We shall see.... I'm still new at this, but I want to make it work.

 

[artsyrobin]

Quote: actually i will let her raise him, usually they are fine that way, it is alot of fun watching mama teach the little one too... checked the egg and it is doing well-

Quote: i think part of it is the breed- seramas are very territorial, i don't keep serama roos together- but i have silky roos together, with no problem- so the breed is an issue- and the individual personalities


spent some time taking pics today-

from Castle Delight- Slick the only cockerel that hatched- never had that happen before


Gizmo, the tiniest of all of them



Monet, not sure what to call her coloring







ebony and jet- they are from June- tried to get a pic of her in my hand- but she wasn't gonna do that!

 

[kukupecpec]

I've got some baby serama questions!
I think I have some weird wing formation going on
Turtle is in the foreground - his Left wing folds/sits funny. the larger longer feathers seem like they are trying to go on top of the smaller shorter ones, but where they meet in the middle one feather sticks out and the wing is a little bent. I think this is what is making the wing stick out away from his little body.






Now Turtles Right wing seems a little crooked too! But not as deformed as the left. The arger feathers slide easily under the small ones, and are held nice and close to his body, but the big feathers stick sort of upwards. Is this normal???



This little guy still has no name. His large feather slide nicely under the small ones, but he doesn't hold them close to his body. He holds them kind of away and almost slumps his shoulders so his wings are parallel to the ground but the whole bottom edge is on the ground. Not pointing down but just held low.







Here's just a couple birds eye views of the kids. Turtle has the small head spot and darker wings - see the crookedness? He also holds his wings on top of his body where the other guy holds his down on the sides.





Are either of these things normal?
Does anyone know if I need to do something about either of their wings? But specifically turtle with his crooked non-folding wing.
Is it possible that these possible deformities were caused by incubation mishaps? These guys were in the post office in multiple limbos (disappeared for 3 days according to USPS tracking number, and sat over the weekend in my post man's truck because he knew the office was closed on Saturday and I would want them first thing Monday, then left in a cold house over Christmas before I could actually get to my parents to pick them up across town - tough egghood!) for over a week. Total dumb luck that these to guys hatched at all.

 

[cluck-cluck]

Gosh, I don't know. I just looked at my boys, they're older than yours, and their wings look so much longer because of that. Can't really compare. There is a condition called split wing, if you spread the wing out, you would see all the right number of feathers, but they would split in the middle and I think the wing usually hangs incorrectly. This would be a genetic condition and I believe recessive. When I do hold my chicks together, they do tend to put out their wings, that could be happening, but I assume you see this odd carriage of the wing all the time when they're in the brooder?

I really don't know, though, as I'm still very new to birds. There is another condition called scissor wings, you could look both of those up and see if the shoe fits? Sorry i don't know much!!!!