California - Northern

[Meg2000000]

Adorable! Where did you get them?

Hi Jersey. I got these little guys from a local chicken lover in Concord. I don't think he's on BYC but he seems to know a ton of people on here! His name is Paul and he's been super helpful!!

 

[ronott1]

Hi Meg,

They look like they are having fun! Very nice looking chicks.

Ron

My Barnevelder chicks are three weeks old today! Although 3 of my 5 died all in a row, these two guys seem to be hanging in there.

I think this little one is a boy:


This one, I think, is my one remaining girl:



Here are my two dogs, Wilson and Gia, meeting the chicks for the first time. Look suspicious?! We will definitely be keeping an eye on those two!:

 

[CALI CHICK]

EE's are supposed to be hard to tell the gender with. They can get saddle and hackle feathers on both pullets and cockerels.

I wonder what these are. Do you think someone is trying to breed Olive Eggers? You should post pictures to the EE Braggers Forum (They like to see the face with the comb and wattles along with a side shot with the feet) to let the experts there help you figure out gender.

My guess is not worth much, but if that is a cross with a French Black Copper Maran, at 8 weeks the cockerels should have red or copper color coming out on the wings.

Oh, just to let you know, it takes them quite a bit of time to get that crowing going. They sound so funny when they start

and they are not very loud.

You can safely wait until they crow and still have several weeks to find them a home.

Nice looking EE's or OEGs.

Ron

Thanks, Ron. The eggs were sold to me as "Americanas" so I've just always called them Easter Eggers! I've had chickens start crowing at 7 weeks before and right now have an 8 week old silkie that crows in the morning when he thinks it's time to get out of the coop! I either keep him in the house all night or go get him @ 6 am so he doesn't wake anyone up. It is cute to hear...more of a croak than a crow!
I am almost certain they are cockerels because I can compare these 3 with the other two. In behavior, size, comb color/shape they say "boy" to me. That is a good idea about posting pictures on the EE forum. I can ask them why the 2 girly ones seem to be growing their feathers in slower?

Usually (I thought) the boys got their feathers slower?

 

[ronott1]

Quote: Hi Cali,

Are the others black too? I picked up EE eggs from a lady at the Elvirta feed store and there were three different types of EEs that hatched. There were 2 cockerels--one completely white the other white with red tips on the wings. The Pullets were one white and two with duckwing patterns. The Cockerel started crowing at 9 weeks. The other one was not crowing when I sold them. The problem with EEs is what they are mixed with. The ones that make yours black could be a bigger breed than the other ones. Think Marans, Black Australorp or Black Orpington.

I posted pictures to the EE braggers thread for help figuring out the gender(except for the big whit one that crowed

)

Ron

 

[CALI CHICK]

Hi Cali,

Are the others black too? I picked up EE eggs from a lady at the Elvirta feed store and there were three different types of EEs that hatched. There were 2 cockerels--one completely white the other white with red tips on the wings. The Pullets were one white and two with duckwing patterns. The Cockerel started crowing at 9 weeks. The other one was not crowing when I sold them. The problem with EEs is what they are mixed with. The ones that make yours black could be a bigger breed than the other ones. Think Marans, Black Australorp or Black Orpington.

I posted pictures to the EE braggers thread for help figuring out the gender(except for the big whit one that crowed

)

Ron

Here is the whole gang pictured below. These were purchased directly from a breeder (chicken owner) in North Highlands. We literally gathered the eggs from the nests and I drove home with them!

The parents were onsight and he called them all "Ameraucanas". However, I don't think these chicks look like the hens. So, you might be right about these babies showing some "other" ancestry.

 

[CALI CHICK]

Ron,
I just hope I get colored eggs someday or I will be bummed!

 

[ronott1]

Ron,
I just hope I get colored eggs someday or I will be bummed!

My EE has laid 4 eggs so far. Her hatch mate is a Blue Marans and I am still waiting for the first chocolate colored egg from her.

Next fall I will have Crested Cream Legbar hatching eggs and chicks. They lay nice blue eggs and you can tell the gender from hatch.

I hope you get some pullets!

Ron

 

[CALI CHICK]

My EE has laid 4 eggs so far. Her hatch mate is a Blue Marans and I am still waiting for the first chocolate colored egg from her.

Next fall I will have Crested Cream Legbar hatching eggs and chicks. They lay nice blue eggs and you can tell the gender from hatch.

I hope you get some pullets!

Ron

Oooh, I will definately keep those Cream Legbars in mind for some true blue eggs! I also want to get some FBCM hens for chocolate eggs. I buy my LF chickens for their egg color and my silkies for their beauty (IMHO)

 

[ronott1]

We made it to the South Fork of Stony Creek for our hike and picnic. We decided not to bring back lady bugs this year and we did not catch any fish. It was a great trip though. It is a beautiful place.

Lady Bugs at the creek:







This is my Youngest Daughter Amanda:



It was a very fun day, but I was very tired when I got home.

Ron

 

[Meg2000000]

We made it to the South Fork of Stony Creek for our hike and picnic. We decided not to bring back lady bugs this year and we did not catch any fish. It was a great trip though. It is a beautiful place.

Lady Bugs at the creek:







This is my Youngest Daughter Amanda:



It was a very fun day, but I was very tired when I got home.

Ron

I've never seen so many ladybugs in my life! How amazing!