Any New Zealanders?

[Orpy]

I don't actually live in New Zealand, but I have cousins that live in Kaitai (?) on the northern tip of the North Island

Hi there

I haven't yet been to Kaitaia myself, but I've heard it's lovely and warm - very tropical

 

[Lainalou2]

Hello, I just joined. I'm an American living in Christchurch with my flock of five soon to be three. Roosters aren't the most welcome in city limits unfortunately.

 

[Orpy]

Hello, I just joined. I'm an American living in Christchurch with my flock of five soon to be three. Roosters aren't the most welcome in city limits unfortunately.

Hello there

Yes I've heard roosters aren't the most famous of "pets" to keep within the city limits

still sad having to give up some of your birds. I have no idea what I'm going to do with any/all of my cockerels that will hatch when I start breeding them.


How did you end up with 2 roosters? Were they young chicks when you got them?
Are you raising a specific flock? eg: red shavers, hylines

 

[Lainalou2]

I got them all as day old chicks, an assortment of breeds as well. We ended up with a heavy breed mixed hen who recently started to crow and now she seems to have given up on being a lady all together as she appears to be shedding her feathers for manlier ones. The other four ended up being bantams, two are some sort of game bantam I think and one of those is a rooster. My two I picked out both ended up being hens luckily and I have a purebred partridge Silkie and a purebred silver partridge Pekin. So we'll be down to one game bantam, the Silkie, and the Pekin and it seems like everyone in the family wants another silkie and another pekin because these girls we have now turned out beautifully in both looks and nature.

I wish I had a lifestyle block so I could keep them all, but land is hard to come by in ChCh these days and very expensive. DX

 

[Orpy]

Today 1 of my cannablistic none broody hens pecked open one of my D'uucle eggs that had only just reached its 20th incubation day - i tried to save it but after noticing the chick and the yoke sack drying out, we decided it would be more humane to cull the little thing

On a happier note (from 8 down to 6 viable D'uucle eggs) one of the 6 eggs is showing signs of pipping

I'm so keeping an eye on the eggs progress. The none broody's have all been locked out of the main coop since the incident this morning, they have plenty places to sleep for the next couple of nights (which are still in their enclosure so no predators can get to them).

 

[Orpy]

I got them all as day old chicks, an assortment of breeds as well. We ended up with a heavy breed mixed hen who recently started to crow and now she seems to have given up on being a lady all together as she appears to be shedding her feathers for manlier ones. The other four ended up being bantams, two are some sort of game bantam I think and one of those is a rooster. My two I picked out both ended up being hens luckily and I have a purebred partridge Silkie and a purebred silver partridge Pekin. So we'll be down to one game bantam, the Silkie, and the Pekin and it seems like everyone in the family wants another silkie and another pekin because these girls we have now turned out beautifully in both looks and nature.

I wish I had a lifestyle block so I could keep them all, but land is hard to come by in ChCh these days and very expensive. DX

Here's hoping it won't be too long before you have that lifestyle block to raise more show quality birds on

Both Silkies and Pekins are so cute, I didn't particularly won't the smaller breeds in my flock but when people offer me a hen I usually can't resist

so I think I've ended up with some silkies crossed with a red shaver (or some kind of bird like that) and a pekin cross (judging by her body shape), the silkie cross's are great brooders and the pekin cross is just so friendly.

 

[Orpy]

DAY 21 and I have 2 newly hatched chicks

this is chick number 2

 

[venus]

Awww so cute, well done on two successful babies. Hopefully more to come!

DAY 21 and I have 2 newly hatched chicks

this is chick number 2

 

[Orpy]

all 6 little D'uucle chicks hatched healthy

all but the 1st hatched 'yellow' chick has the D'uucle feather on 'top' of their teeny weeny feet

 

[chookbookchook]

omg I want one!!!!!! sooooo cute!