Ancona Chicken Thread

[Rochelesmit]

Our little Ancona chick is our favorite chick of the bunch! Such a spunky personality!

 

[elizmartin]

My Anconas started at about 21 weeks. Are their combs and wattles red? Do they squat?

Since you have 9 other hens (are they laying?) it does seem like the pullets would just follow their lead into the nest boxes but who knows the mind of a chicken? Keeping them in for a few days is a good idea. At least you will see if they lay.

When i used to allow mine to free range they would all seem to have their own favorites….several would like to hide in dark places among the hay on a barn table, in the trailer, *in* the bushes….it became a challenge and sometimes only discovered when seeing one leaving the undergrowth. specified laying boxes did not help in my case ( i have an bald eagle family that has taken residence, so no one can free range without me being outside for the day……they are majestic but have already taken 2 meals.)

Since i have had Ancona's i have never seen broody behavior…..i do not know if it has been bred out of them or what would trigger it to kick in. I hope to find out since it would be ashamed to not be able to sustain its breed without help.

 

[tandykins]

Finally!!



I put them in my chicken jail coop along with my broody hen who isn't laying (and lays brown eggs anyway) - it's a smaller coop with an enclosed run - so that I could keep track of their laying. Nothing for two days and then this bloody egg.

I've been pulling my Anconas aside from the other chickens the last week or so and giving them a large supply of mealworms every day to see if upping their protein helped - I suspect that did the trick.

I noticed that when I fed mealworms to the whole flock, the Anconas didn't really get any. Unfortunately now my mealworm population has gone way down. XD Scrambled eggs it is!

 

[ThatFarmerChick]

Today I will be holding my baby Anconas to bond with them. I have two that are 3 days old today.

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

I got my first Anconas on Saturday. They are just hatchery chickies, but they are adorable. I can't wait to see how they turn out.

 

[ThatFarmerChick]

I picked mine up yesterday. They are so precious and early maturing. They have almost tripled in size and their wings are almost covered in those first feathers. I love these two little girls.

 

[Ducks4us]

I have a almost 3 week old ancona chick! She has been the quickest to mature. Taller and more feathered than the rest of my baby chicks! Her name is martha. I cant wait to see what she turns out like. I read alot of mixed reviews on their personalities! Also seems like they are pretty good flyers which concerns me a little. Im out of city limits with a fully fenced yard . But its only 4 feet tall and i really want to be able to let them free roam around the yard during the day. I guess i may have to clip her wings if it becomes a problem. She also seems to be th noisiest ! Lol which is cute in my opionion !

 

[Ducks4us]

 

[bruceha2000]

I have a almost 3 week old ancona chick! She has been the quickest to mature. Taller and more feathered than the rest of my baby chicks! Her name is martha. I cant wait to see what she turns out like. I read alot of mixed reviews on their personalities! Also seems like they are pretty good flyers which concerns me a little. Im out of city limits with a fully fenced yard . But its only 4 feet tall and i really want to be able to let them free roam around the yard during the day. I guess i may have to clip her wings if it becomes a problem. She also seems to be th noisiest ! Lol which is cute in my opionion !

Mine CAN fly but rarely do. Tuck the wings in tight and run is the primary mode of transportation like they don't realize they can fly faster. My understanding is that chickens USUALLY don't want to fly over something they can't see the other side of so they go to the top of the fence first. One technique to stop them landing there is to string a wire a few inches above the top since they can't land on it. Of course if they WANT to be on the other side, that won't stop them, 4' is not an issue for a chicken.

 

[Ducks4us]

Mine CAN fly but rarely do. Tuck the wings in tight and run is the primary mode of transportation like they don't realize they can fly faster. My understanding is that chickens USUALLY don't want to fly over something they can't see the other side of so they go to the top of the fence first. One technique to stop them landing there is to string a wire a few inches above the top since they can't land on it. Of course if they WANT to be on the other side, that won't stop them, 4' is not an issue for a chicken.

Okay good to know! Thank you