California - Northern

[juststruttin]

When I feather sexed the Marans it was correct but I did it the wrong way and thought I had 2 pullets and 6 cockerels. Luckily I had 6 pullets and 2 Cockerels...I hate it when I go dyslexic on things like that!

I feather sexed the 15 MFL I just hatched and 13 look like girls. Clearly wing sexing does not work on MFL, or I don't know what I am doing ... true dat.. In any case, I highly doubt 13 are girls, hopefully I did not do the dyslexic thing... perhaps I have 13 boys.. LOL

 

[juststruttin]

Don't get still air. Too much of a hassle unless you are only hatching quail

I totally agree. I had a hova bator still air and had all kinds of problems, I upgraded to a Genesis with turner and loved it.... I now have three Genesis. I use two as incubators and one as a hatcher. They work great, but man do they get gunky. Oxine in the water really helps.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Just went out to collect eggs again and found that my Jumbo layer, 5yo BSL, has started up again. Bring em on girls.

I'm up to 5 per day now and loving it.

Quote: I guess some more rehoming is in order. I would agree that your silkie looks to be a male, but I don't have silkies.

 

[zooweemama]

We are deciding right now whether hubby wants to build a bachelor pad for the roosters to live in. But my concern would be when they free range will it a be huge issue? My math was all whacky with my previous post. We have 1 male Showgirl, 1 male Frizzle, 1 male Silkie and 1 male BLRW...housed with one sweet little Frizzle girl. All similar ages. We really got them for pets- not eggs. So eggs are nto a concern. Is there a way to keep them- separately housed yet free ranging? Or will they swarm in on the coop girls always trying to tag some tail? I don't know silkie/frizzle type chickens well enough to make a call on this. I would not likely do it with 4 large fowl though. We have 3 roosters now and only 1 is allowed to live with the coop girls. The other 2 sleep in a large dog crate under the porch. They do occasionally try to go after the coop girls but 2 of the coop girls actually voluntarily seek the 2 big roos out and hang out with them much of the day. The banty rooster does NOT allow the big roosters to come hang out with the whole coop group though. This is working out but its only 2 roosters you know?

 

[Happy Chooks]

ANY males will try to mate with any female - doesn't matter their breed or what coop they live in. If you are going to keep a bachelor pad, you would need to keep them confined and not let them free range. And don't leave the 1 girl in there with them, they will fight over her and the overmating can kill her.

 

[debs_flock]

ANY males will try to mate with any female - doesn't matter their breed or what coop they live in. If you are going to keep a bachelor pad, you would need to keep them confined and not let them free range. And don't leave the 1 girl in there with them, they will fight over her and the overmating can kill her.

x 2

 

[zooweemama]

ANY males will try to mate with any female - doesn't matter their breed or what coop they live in. If you are going to keep a bachelor pad, you would need to keep them confined and not let them free range. And don't leave the 1 girl in there with them, they will fight over her and the overmating can kill her.

Oh I would never keep one female with all those males! Goodness. I know better than that.

No one is mating yet they are all still pretty young. But we are figuring out our next course of action. This bites.

 

[liz9910]

That be a boy. SIlkies can take 8 mths to crow. Girls can get combs, but  takes a while, dont usualy get red and very rarely have wattles.

I agree sorry

 

[chiqita]

We are deciding right now whether hubby wants to build a bachelor pad for the roosters to live in. But my concern would be when they free range will it a be huge issue? My math was all whacky with my previous post. We have 1 male Showgirl, 1 male Frizzle, 1 male Silkie and 1 male BLRW...housed with one sweet little Frizzle girl. All similar ages. We really got them for pets- not eggs. So eggs are nto a concern. Is there a way to keep them- separately housed yet free ranging? Or will they swarm in on the coop girls always trying to tag some tail? I don't know silkie/frizzle type chickens well enough to make a call on this. I would not likely do it with 4 large fowl though. We have 3 roosters now and only 1 is allowed to live with the coop girls. The other 2 sleep in a large dog crate under the porch. They do occasionally try to go after the coop girls but 2 of the coop girls actually voluntarily seek the 2 big roos out and hang out with them much of the day. The banty rooster does NOT allow the big roosters to come hang out with the whole coop group though. This is working out but its only 2 roosters you know?

You have a lot of space. You could try free ranging and seeing what happens. My showgirl too hangs out with the bantams and ignores the big girls. He also keeps the younger boys in line. I keep the silkies desperate however as the big boys do not ignore them.

 

[zooweemama]

You have a lot of space. You could try free ranging and seeing what happens. My showgirl too hangs out with the bantams and ignores the big girls. He also keeps the younger boys in line. I keep the silkies desperate however as the big boys do not ignore them.

Thanks. We have 2 kids completely ok with letting go. That helps make this less stressful. My husband had gotten attached to his Frizzle (isn't that so sweet) and my 8 yo son who has the Showgirl boy was sobbing. 3 years ago I would have laughed at this...crying over chickens? But now...it's sweet...and sad. LOL My husband is willing to let go of his little guy too but I know it makes him sad. Since the Silkies don't take up much room- maybe I can get a few Silkie girls for the one we will keep. Likely my son's Showgirl. I wish I could keep my husband's little guy too. We only got these little chickens for pets- not for eggs or anything. LOL