Arizona Chickens

[flower]

The chickens are 7 weeks old, it's time to force you guys to look at more pictures! There are 3 New Hampshires (a German line), 3 Barred Rocks (Good Shepard line), and 1 Black Sex Link. All from desertmarcia.

I'm pretty sure that 2 of the Barred Rocks are roos, and I have no idea about the New Hampshires. All girls?




Boy, girl, boy?










Girl?

I do not have too much experience with any of your breeds but i know that the barred bird is famous for allowing you to determine gender by the barring. In the males it is more defined and wider spaced, black and white, in the female the white is dusky and the barring is less defined. I had some Dominques and that was true.

 

[flower]

I just remembered! I have been wanting to ask, has anyone heard of Gabbard Farms? A lot of places say they have prize winning stock.. . . But do they. Pictures can be misleading.

I went to their website and am excited to see all the different breeds that they have listed including SILVER SPANGLED HAMBURG which is one of the breeds that i have been considering for some time. Besides being attractive, hardy, good layers, and good foragers, they have been hard to locate in the standard size. I have a golden spangled and she is all of the but not as attractive as the silver. So I am seriously considering placing an order. Fifteen is the lower limit of an order. What breed are you interested in buying ?

 

[pdx2phx]

Ok,

in a fit of chicken nerd-dom, I entered "chicken" into the UK National Archives search.

They have some WWII propaganda film clips up there that you can watch, including one about a hen who travels around town, lobbying for more food....I figure most of us can identify with this activity!

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...m/videos/1900-1945/world-war-2/more-eggs.flv3

 

[MaddBaggins]

MaddBaggins - If you decide to try to help her for one more week with the supplements suggested, I forgot to mention one that someone brought up on another thread and I had completely forgotten about it, but if you can, also get her some chopped raw liver.

I got the poly vi sol and gave her some drops this evening. Then we headed to my friends house to see the other half of the flock that he took. Randy, the Buff Orpington roo has gotten huge. I think he remembered me, we chatted for a bit.
I'm going to head out now to see if Button got into the coop tonight.

 

[MaddBaggins]

She didn't make it in. I found her on the ground by the ramp. I'm still sure it's some kind of injury because she wasn't like this when her and Sasha were in their own little coop. I'll give her more poly vi sol tomorrow morning and some extra treats. I'll see what she looks like tomorrow when I get home from work.

How do most of you cull a bird? When I quail hunt and a bird is still alive, I break the neck. Is that a preferred chicken method?

 

[Demosthine]

For the chick I had to cull last week, yes, I just broke the neck with a swift swing of the hatchet, with the neck braced against the floor of my trailer. If she is too lively, you can use a nail on either side of her neck to help secure her or usd a second person.

For the larger birds, I prefer severing the arteries in the neck. It is much easier to wrap them in a towel and do that, as opposed to getting them to lay down nicely.

If you choose that's the best for Button, I hope it is swift and painless for all of you.

 

[cbnovick]

I went to their website and am excited to see all the different breeds that they have listed including SILVER SPANGLED HAMBURG which is one of the breeds that i have been considering for some time. Besides being attractive, hardy, good layers, and good foragers, they have been hard to locate in the standard size. I have a golden spangled and she is all of the but not as attractive as the silver. So I am seriously considering placing an order. Fifteen is the lower limit of an order. What breed are you interested in buying ?

I've heard very mixed results and actually poor ones on their hatching eggs...fyi. if you look up 'hatcheries' on BYC there are many reviews for most.

 

[cbnovick]

I do not have too much experience with any of your breeds but i know that the barred bird is famous for allowing you to determine gender by the barring. In the males it is more defined and wider spaced, black and white, in the female the white is dusky and the barring is less defined. I had some Dominques and that was true.

Great chicks!!! It does appear in at least 2 of the photos that you have at least 1 male and 1 female...the third looks to be another male possibly...at 7 weeks the size difference (especially height and leg width) and the overall light coloration of the male should be good indicators for sexing...I have GSBR's and I have german/Good Shepherd New Hamps...It looks like all females on those, although a few more closeups of them would be needed. The Hamps mature earlier than the BR's generally...so males usually 'show themselves' by now with more comb and wattle development and size difference. You will enjoy these quality birds...congrats!!

 

[cbnovick]

Oops, I should have quoted post by Squeakyballs---

 

[squeakyballs]

Thanks cbnovick and flower. I think you're right... at least 1 male and a female. The other, most likely, is male.

maddbaggins, good luck!!