Arizona Chickens

[Geranium]

@Sidechicks77 hen. A coue of mine have that tail that goes straight up. A rooster will have the feathers that arch over.

 

[SonoranChick]

@Sidechicks77 I agree with the others, that looks like a female to me!

 

[Sidechicks77]

@Sidechicks77 I agree with the others, that looks like a female to me!

thx!

 

[starri33]

Morning the broody and the chicks have been moved to the old coop and run, going to take down the dog crate that they had been living in today. left it last night for them to have something that was familiar.. getting the brooder box set up for the new batch of chicks that are due to hatch in the incubator.. will only end up with 11 or so, the other 10 are going to a friend. Might get more if the one's that I think are dud's actually hatch. then to decide what to hatch after that, found some Ameraucana eggs advertised on Ebay that I might consider getting. See if they hatch, also thinking about some silkies now that I have the old coop and run set up. They'd need to be kept separate from the rest of the flock. So it's going to be a while to not only make up my mind but to figure out what I want to hatch. lol..

 

[cavemanrich]

They'd need to be kept separate from the rest of the flock.

You may be surprised and find out that ALL your chickens will GET ALONG for the most part. Yes,,,,, sometimes you do encounter a troubled character in a hen,,,, or rooster. Suggestion is, to keep those separate,, and the rest that live in harmony ,, together.
Eventually some of those troubled may decide to join the rest and stay.
You are enjoying hatching out chics, and that is GREAT.. If you get too many, you do have friends that are willing to take them
I had Ameraucana Mutts, AKA Easter Eggers, and really did enjoy them. They lived long for me and layed pretty eggs, Each of the 3 I had layed a different color. Olive, Blue, and Pinkish.
Most chicken problem are a result of over-crowding in a confined area. You have a large coop, and run available, so you should have minimal problems. (unless your numbers get into the 100's)
Consider placing into your run area, some interesting items like chairs, tables, boxes, or crates. (items you no longer use) This will give the lower on the pecking order a place to hide from other chickens sight. What a chicken does not see will not bother her/him.
I only keep chickens as pets, and have for over 20 years now. Always tried to get a different breed to add. Never encountered a problem. Yes, initially pecking order was always shown, when I would bring in a newcomer. In short time they lived in HARMONY.
This pix is at a time when I had 10 chickens. I currently only have 5 and it is about right amount for my backyard.

Different varieties all living in harmony. As of October 2014 none in this group are with me anymore. No I did not eat them. The silver seabrite ( black and white) lived 13 years. The golden seabrite lived 9 years.

• cavemanrich
• Apr 6, 2014

 

[starri33]

You may be surprised and find out that ALL your chickens will GET ALONG for the most part. Yes,,,,, sometimes you do encounter a troubled character in a hen,,,, or rooster. Suggestion is, to keep those separate,, and the rest that live in harmony ,, together.
Eventually some of those troubled may decide to join the rest and stay.
You are enjoying hatching out chics, and that is GREAT.. If you get too many, you do have friends that are willing to take them
I had Ameraucana Mutts, AKA Easter Eggers, and really did enjoy them. They lived long for me and layed pretty eggs, Each of the 3 I had layed a different color. Olive, Blue, and Pinkish.
Most chicken problem are a result of over-crowding in a confined area. You have a large coop, and run available, so you should have minimal problems. (unless your numbers get into the 100's)
Consider placing into your run area, some interesting items like chairs, tables, boxes, or crates. (items you no longer use) This will give the lower on the pecking order a place to hide from other chickens sight. What a chicken does not see will not bother her/him.
I only keep chickens as pets, and have for over 20 years now. Always tried to get a different breed to add. Never encountered a problem. Yes, initially pecking order was always shown, when I would bring in a newcomer. In short time they lived in HARMONY.
This pix is at a time when I had 10 chickens. I currently only have 5 and it is about right amount for my backyard.

Different varieties all living in harmony. As of October 2014 none in this group are with me anymore. No I did not eat them. The silver seabrite ( black and white) lived 13 years. The golden seabrite lived 9 years.

• cavemanrich
• Apr 6, 2014

Over crowding I don't have to worry about unless like you said, I get into the 100's. I don't see myself doing that, 10 to 12 of mine are going to be going to the great run in the sky, not because I helped them, but they are getting older, the sexlinks are 3.5 now. the other two I am not sure how old they are. For the moment I've got chickens destined to be layers. Later I might look into dual's. Hatching my own means I am going to end up with extra roo's, they will be offered up for re-homing, if no one wants them, then they will have help going to freezer camp. My biggest concern is the size differences. kinda like a shepard and a chihuahua. lol

 

[cavemanrich]

Size difference should not be such an issue,, Except when you have a LARGE ROOSTER and a small hen. In my assortment I have a serama, the smallest chicken,,, and EE, that were large. I don't have roosters.
I like the way you are managing your flock. I'm not against peeps eating their chickens. Their purpose is to feed humans. I don't eat mine,,,,, since one BBQ, and I would be down to zero. We eat plenty of grocery store chickens.

 

[BlueBaby]

Over crowding I don't have to worry about unless like you said, I get into the 100's. I don't see myself doing that, 10 to 12 of mine are going to be going to the great run in the sky, not because I helped them, but they are getting older, the sexlinks are 3.5 now. the other two I am not sure how old they are. For the moment I've got chickens destined to be layers. Later I might look into dual's. Hatching my own means I am going to end up with extra roo's, they will be offered up for re-homing, if no one wants them, then they will have help going to freezer camp. My biggest concern is the size differences. kinda like a shepard and a chihuahua. lol

Silkies also have that soft skull under the head fluff. A good peck on the head from a bigger breed can kill them.

 

[Fishybiz]

Help.. when I first had the broody, she got a egg broke and I moved her and eggs to a crate, babies are now hatched and are about a week old, when can I open the door and let them all out to mingle with the rest of the flock, the babies are still really tiny.

I let mine mingle and so far after a month all is well and everybody is behaving.

 

[starri33]

@cavemanrich , Thank You, I try and do the best by them..

@BlueBaby , Thank You, that is mainly why I am wanting to keep them separate, if they were all bantams, I might consider mingling, but being so small, if one of the sexlinks decided to tramp over them, I'd be worried about them being killed.

@Fishybiz , Thank You, I've transferred the momma and her chicks, (got 3 out of 4) they are now in the old coop and run, this way they can get out and about and I am not having a heart attack thinking I need to be sitting out there with them.

Put the 2 incubators on lock down this morning. for the 24 count, I ended up with 21 as 3 were to big for it and broke. Out of those 21, I've got 6 or 7 that I question. The 6 in the little incubator 5 of the 6 look good. This ought to be fun, Hubby and I leave this afternoon for one of my twice a year gambling trips..lol, we get stay 2 nights free certificates I get a whole 100.00 to spend (I set the budget) and we have a mini vacation, did good on our last one, had my 100.00, came home with 97.00 and had a great time. Close enough I can drive over the hill, check on everyone and then drive back. Anything over 24 hours with no check up's and I bring in a house/critter sitter.