Arizona Chickens

[LarryPQ]

Here's a non-answer: It depends.

Some chicks are easy to tell from birth. Sex-linked chicks are bred to show different color fuzz at hatch. Others have different types of wing feathers. Boys will have 2 lengths, girls will have 1 length wing feather.

Auto-sexing (I think that is the correct term) also have different coloring at hatching. My Cuckoo Marans are an auto-sexing breed. Girls are blackish at hatch, boys are significantly lighter. But there is still room for error. If they are all boys or girls, you may be confused for a while.

Some breeds have big combs, so boys MAY get big combs (in comparison to the girls) almost immediately: but this is really dependent on the individual bird, not the breed. LOTS of room for error.

Some birds get their hormones WAAAY early. Enjaytoo's silkie crowed at 5-6 weeks. Much too early! I have a CM pullet named "Androgenous", since she has a bigger comb and droopier waddles than her brothers: but she is DEFINATELY a girl.

Some chicks will keep you guessing all the way until the end. Most long-time keepers have an eye for boys versus girls. Even though I am a newbie, I can spot them around 3 weeks, then I lose them, and then again at 8 weeks. I think it is easier to see the bird's gender if it is NOT yours. Mostly because you don't spend all day looking at it, and HOPING it is one versus the other.

 

[budkingston]

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I got some Buff Orps from Privettes, and two of them, at 2 months exactly, have combs like adult hens! naturally, this could be a problem. The other 3 have combs that are more like a racing stripe. Could it still be that these are hens that have a little too much machismo or are they really roos waiting to blossom?

Oh, they are a tad larger as well.

 

[a2ms4chickens]

Just a quick update on my hen, Reba, who had ascites.

She rejoined the flock Saturday night, and as of last night, she has made it back up to the highest perch. I picked her up tonight and she is gaining some of her weight back.

It is such a relief to know that she is getting better. It's amazing how much you worry about these little girls, huh?

Angie

 

[LarryPQ]

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Need pics. Optimist Laree says maybe you have 2 normal chickens and 1 runt? Were they supposed to be pullets or were they straight run? I bet some people here could spot them right off. Big comb though...

a2ms4chickens: I am glad reba is feeling better! I get so worried when a chicken feels "light", you know?

 

[Enjaytoo]

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Great news! I know what you mean, it is indeed amazing the lengths we go for our feathered kids

 

[a2ms4chickens]

I think I read on this thread about trying to find someone to process chickens? Well, I found this on the Tucson Craigslist, in case anyone is interested.

http://tucson.craigslist.org/grd/1559656985.html

Angie

 

[Mahonri]

Do you think Shawn would come from Tucson to Phoenix?

Unless I sell a bunch of Pure Wheaten Ameraucana roos, I'm gonna be sending them to freezer camp at about 16 weeks of age.

I figure I have 21 of the 38 chicks that are roos... last two hatches were mostly pullets so I guess I deserve more roos this time.

 

[a2ms4chickens]

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He might, you never know. Maybe he has family or friends up there he can visit while he is there. Of course, it all depends on how much equipment he has to haul up there.

Good luck with that one!

Angie

 

[LarryPQ]

Why bother with the plucker? Skinless is healthier.

Edited: http://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/zip/1561187674.html

Sell the good parts for scrap metal, and make the cab & frame a tractor!

 

[AZKat]

I got my first egg today. My Blue Andalusian pullet laid her very first egg. I know it was her, because she's the only one who is supposed to lay a white egg. This one was pretty small, when I cooked it up I only got about a tablespoon of scrambled egg, but otherwise it was a perfect little egg, and tasted delicious.