American serama thread!

[vasher]

Is there a correlation between chick size at 2 or 4 weeks and adult size?

 

[nchls school]

Is there a correlation between chick size at 2 or 4 weeks and adult size?

I would say "Yes", but with lots of exceptions. In general small chicks do make smaller adults...but how small, only time gives that answer. And there are plenty of small chicks that get quite large. That works in reverse too-some larger chicks mature into small adults.

In short, there is no way to tell for sure how a chick will develop; it's a waiting game.

 

[nchls school]

Oh and I don't let them free range...I do the movable cage thing as well! Besides they can Fly!!! I don't want my Seramas sitting in the trees, laughing at me! I can just imagine them...sitting up there, with little smirks on their beaks!!! I lost two of my pretty little Easter egg hens this past summer, due to their flight abilities...they would escape over the enclosed chicken yard fence and strut about in the grass...showing off! Then get involved in foraging....as darkness creeps over the day...suddenly they realize that the others have gone into the coop...and find themselves alone, with a fence between them and the safety of the coop...they forget about flying and run back and forth in front of the fence...that's when the Owl strikes...and I couldn't do anything about it, since I was at work (night shift)...they were the only adult birds I lost from my flock due to predators....lost a few youngsters to weasels and a squirrel in the spring...got rid of the weasels and replaced the chicken wire on my movable cages with hardware cloth and added hardware cloth skirts around the bases...no more squirrel problems.

After losing one pullet to a mink I am paranoid; the birds are just too hard to replace and some are just not replaceable. Even my moveable screen cages are reinforced to the point of silliness. But in two years I have not lost another bird to predators.

 

[the poppster]

After losing one pullet to a mink I am paranoid; the birds are just too hard to replace and some are just not replaceable. Even my moveable screen cages are reinforced to the point of silliness. But in two years I have not lost another bird to predators.

it's not silly!!! I don't blame you one bit! People think I'm too fanatical about keeping them safe. Hey! They're my birds. They depend on me to keep them safe....it's my responsibility to take care of them, to the best of my abilities. They can do what they like. But I hate to hear people complaining about predatory losses....and when questioned they admit that they just let their birds free range all day...losses come with the practice. You have to be willing to lose birds if you choose to free range your birds without supervision...yes! I supervise my laying flock, when I let them out for their daily romp around the yard and near by woods. I let them out of their enclosed run for about an hour or so, just before dark....and I stay outside and watch them....I enjoy it, they love it, and as soon as they all have had their fun, pecking and scratching....they return to the run and go to roost in the coop, I close everything up and check for stragglers. Once everyone is accounted for, I "Lock" everyone up for the night...all safe and sound. I love to watch them "Flow" out of the run door, when I let them out...some of them fly!!! It's a hoot!!! They follow me around the yard like a pack of dogs. My neighbor thinks it's so funny!!! He says that they think I am the boss hen!!! Maybe they do? It's quality time to me. Time with my "Therapy Birds!!!" Priceless!!!

 

[walkerman78]

We have 12 of 15 of our Ebay ordered eggs developing nicely. 3 never did anything, guessing those were just not fertile. My question is what day is lockdown? I have read many different opinions on this, some say treat them like any other chicken egg other say day 17 or 16 and should hatch day 19. What does everyone think, which way have you had the most success? Thank you in advance for any input. Just want to have the most successful hatch we can have.

 

[nchls school]

Quote:

 

[nchls school]

We have 12 of 15 of our Ebay ordered eggs developing nicely. 3 never did anything, guessing those were just not fertile. My question is what day is lockdown? I have read many different opinions on this, some say treat them like any other chicken egg other say day 17 or 16 and should hatch day 19. What does everyone think, which way have you had the most success? Thank you in advance for any input. Just want to have the most successful hatch we can have.

Day 17, but don't rule out day 20-21 as hatch day. Most of mine hatch on day 20.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Gave away most of my broodys chicks and older chicks and im selling the adults...these birds are just to retarded for me to keep and since they barely lay its not worth feeding them no one buys useless birds around here if they don't sell im processing them i always thought silkies were dumb...nope these are dumber then silkies and quail combined

 

[nchls school]

Gave away most of my broodys chicks and older chicks and im selling the adults...these birds are just to retarded for me to keep and since they barely lay its not worth feeding them no one buys useless birds around here if they don't sell im processing them i always thought silkies were dumb...nope these are dumber then silkies and quail combined

Sounds like you've has a bad day (or more). There are times, too, that I wonder what I'm doing. Because you're right in that numerous people consider serama worthless and there isn't much of a market for what we raise.

I am curious though-why "retarded and dumb'? I've always thought serama to be smarter than the average...

...what I'm doing. For me it boils down to just fun and entertainment; though I am hoping, that in time, the serama will at least pay for their feed, but if not, I'll just make the flock smaller.

 

[froggiesheins]

Gave away most of my broodys chicks and older chicks and im selling the adults...these birds are just to retarded for me to keep and since they barely lay its not worth feeding them no one buys useless birds around here if they don't sell im processing them i always thought silkies were dumb...nope these are dumber then silkies and quail combined

GOODNESS GRACIOUS! Seramas are prolly one of the smartest chickens around? Are you SURE they really ARE seramas? Lots of shiesters out there selling little birds that they claim are seramas.
My serama are the most fun birds on earth.
Where on earth do U live?