Button question

[NancyDz]

Since no one responded to my updated post I thought I'd post a new one instead.


I got a pair of buttons in January, supposed to be 6- 8 weeks old at that time , so now they would be 10-12 weeks old. Up until yesterday only the female was making noise but yesterday afternoon after I complained that the male wasnt... well he started making the
Pew pew noises. THey started up again this morning at 5am! Now he never shuts up ! LOL
I guess I shouldnt have wished for it eh? Still no eggs, should the female have started by now? They both seem very comfortable and havent been bonking even since the first week I had them. They've also suddenly gotten a lot more active running around, etc. Since these are my first buttons is this all normal activity. Do they usually make a lot of noise, This morning when I was trying to sleep it seemed to call every 5 to 10 minutes

Can I cover them to keep them quiet until I get up???

Thanks for any info!


Nancy

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

Maybe you ended up with 2 males.. And they are calling for a mate.. Mine are all paired up.. And they usually only make noise in the morning.. And right after it gets dark.. During the day.. They may talk a tiny bit.. Then they are quiet..

To bad you couldnt post a picture of them.. So BYC'rs could take a look and maybe tell if they are male and female from their color.. But the color thing doesnt always work.. I have a female, that lays eggs, with a full white bib.. And I have a silver male with no bid. Bought him as a female from a pet shop, oops...

Also mine get noisier during the day if they run out of food or water.. Or is it just mine that do that.. I guess they have me trained.. LOL

 

[NancyDz]

Thanks sunny,

There is pictures posted on my other thread here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=126224


Everyone seemed very sure one of mine was a female.


Nancy

 

[shelleyd2008]

You need to check the vent feathers. It does sound like it is two males. If 1 were female, she should have started laying by now. If they have red or pink feathers by their vents, then they are both males. Mine don't usually call, just a few times a day.

Okay, I just checked out your pics, and it looks like it is 1 of each. The male doesn't have a bib because he looks to have blueface in him. Plus, he has red vent feathers, as can be seen in the 'rear-view' pic. I'm not sure on the other, as there is not a real close shot of her 'rear'. But it looks like a female. All male buttons have red or pink vent feathers, except whites and pieds (I think). So if they both have them, they would both be males. You should be getting eggs by now, but it's not set in stone. Mine started laying around 9 weeks, which is the norm, but it depends on a lot of things, light being the biggest factor. How many hours of light do they get daily?

 

[Akane]

They are also coming of age and settling into their new home. This is the noisiest time and they will probably quiet down a little soon. My pairs make more noise than trios or groups but even then so long as the male has a mate he only calls occasionally.

 

[NancyDz]

They get at least 12 hours of light but it's mainly from a lamp right next to their cage, There is daylight but it's been so dreary here until Yesterday that I thought in the winter they would be better with the lamp? I don't have central heat either so I thought it might be chilly for them near a window? Also what is the best calcium supplement for them? I've been putting oyster shell in there but I dont have anything to grind it so I've tried smashing it in a bag with my rolling pin but its still fairly big. Can I give them crushed chicken egg shell too? I have tons of that hehehee

Thanks!

 

[citalk2much]

i feed mine bone meal from the health food store also I do egg shells and I boil their eggs crush them shells and all and feed that to them

Lamps with regular bulbs are not great light they would do better with a dayligt bulb.
Also if they are not warm enough they will not lay

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

Quote:
Sorry I didnt see your first thread.. I took a look at the pictures and it does look like you have a male and female.. Maybe they are not bonded yet.. She made more noise at first to call a male.. Now maybe the male is now trying to impress her..

One of my males.. If I try to switch females on him.. He will make a huge amount of noise until I return her.. Actually they both make alot of noise until I put them back together.. The reason they may be making more noise is they are courting.. Once they settle down and decide they want to be a bonded pair.. They should calm down a bit..

Another reason you might not be getting eggs is because of the weather.. Mine stop laying when the weather gets gloomy and cloudy.. When the sun gets bright again.. They start to lay again..

Give them time.. Soon you should have more eggs than what you know what to do with..

 

[NancyDz]

Thanks, I feel better now.

citalk2much, what would be too cold? I would say at the coldest my house is 50-60, I do have an electric heater and a woodstove but at night it cools down. I work from home so
I try to keep it comfortable for me with a long sleeve shirt at most. I'll try getting a daylight bulb for that lamp.



Also last night/ this morning at 2:30 am when it's pitch black the male starts his call ! Woke me right up, he pew, pewed at least 15 times before he stopped

Are they nocturnal? I'm just shocked that he's making noise at night when it's dark?


Nancy

 

[citalk2much]

Mine do that from time to time he was just calling. Mine do it most of the time in the evening.
I don't have central heat either and I live in Michigan so I feel your chill. That is to chilly for good laying in buttons try a heat lamp with like a 40 watt bulb. You have 2?one male one female?