California - Northern

[tommysgirl]

As of this morning I have 6 of 7 of the Del eggs hatch. The 7the egg had no pip this morning but mama still seems keen on it so maybe it is just a slow hatcher. I will give a listen for peeps after work if it hasn't pipped yet. They are so darned cute.

My only incubator hatch I set 36 eggs and got 8 chicks. My broody girls have the following records

Beakface 5/5 and 3/6 (with shipped eggs)
Petunia 8/8
Norma 7/8
Jamie Lee Curtis so far 6/7

on #7

so the totals so far are me 8/36...the girls 29 /34 24/26 with homegrown eggs.

I need either a Brinsea or feathers.

I am thinking Red SL boys look very much like Dels for a week or so but I can confirm that I have 1 beautiful RSL Pullet...the rest are yellow fluff balls I will get a better look tonight. I am interested in what differences will exist between this little girl and my hatchery RSLs from my first little flock since these come from better quality stock. I imagine they will come to POL later, lay 5-6 a week instead of daily but have stronger reproductive system and be less susceptible to laying problems

Petunia is an amazing mother but she turned into a mean girl with my frizzled pullet...I found black feathers in the run and poor little Julie Taylor in the corner with a bloody bald spot. I rescued her and put Rooster Booster pick no more on her. Petunia is now housed away from everyone but her chicks and peace has been restored. All of my broodies so far have been protective. She is psychotic.

 

[ronott1]

As of this morning I have 6 of 7 of the Del eggs hatch. The 7the egg had no pip this morning but mama still seems keen on it so maybe it is just a slow hatcher. I will give a listen for peeps after work if it hasn't pipped yet. They are so darned cute.

My only incubator hatch I set 36 eggs and got 8 chicks. My broody girls have the following records

Beakface 5/5 and 3/6 (with shipped eggs)
Petunia 8/8
Norma 7/8
Jamie Lee Curtis so far 6/7

on #7

so the totals so far are me 8/36...the girls 29 /34 24/26 with homegrown eggs.

I need either a Brinsea or feathers.

I am thinking Red SL boys look very much like Dels for a week or so but I can confirm that I have 1 beautiful RSL Pullet...the rest are yellow fluff balls I will get a better look tonight. I am interested in what differences will exist between this little girl and my hatchery RSLs from my first little flock since these come from better quality stock. I imagine they will come to POL later, lay 5-6 a week instead of daily but have stronger reproductive system and be less susceptible to laying problems

Petunia is an amazing mother but she turned into a mean girl with my frizzled pullet...I found black feathers in the run and poor little Julie Taylor in the corner with a bloody bald spot. I rescued her and put Rooster Booster pick no more on her. Petunia is now housed away from everyone but her chicks and peace has been restored. All of my broodies so far have been protective. She is psychotic.

Way to go Broody Hens!

 

[CackleJoy]

Hi everyone!!! I know it's been forever since I posted. Life is just happening at break-neck speed...

.

I can't wait to meet you all at Karens on the 18th. I had set 24 eggs to bring but the hatch has been heartbreaking. Only 4 have hatched. Tomorrow is day 25, I still have movement but not much hope. I cantwait to see what you all bring so I can take home some BYCer chicks.

Take care and see you soon.

Wendy - what do you want? I've been too busy for sales. Putting all appointments off until the week of the 19th. This means I have a LOT to choose from. 50+ of varying ages.

A temporary pen has been all set up for the little ones, so they're now officially living outside. They'll stay in this pen until they're big enough to live with the big girls. It is housing 3, soon to be 5, babies. This is the biggest I could make it. I put chicken wire on top of it and zip tied it so if a hen jumps on it she won't fall in. It's in a secure, predator proof chicken run.
How long will it take for my pullets to be 3/4 the size of a full grown hen? They're about 6 weeks now. BC Marans, Cream Legbar, and Buff Polish.

Smart pen! I've done 12 weeks but used a rabbit cage in the coop for a few nights for protection. They did okay but I spent a full week on the integration. They grow a LOT from 12 to 16 weeks. 16 wks is much easier!

I am in Humboldt Count about 200 miles north of S.F. I consider North to be north of S.F. Just my feelings.....Sometimes you hear folks who live in Central CA claiming they are in Northern CA...it just ain't so..We have 14 hens and a rooster and 10 sex link chicks that are about 8 weeks old...Gonna have a lot of eggs next season...

According to the Redwood and Palm marking the 1/2 way point on 99 - a large portion of Central CA is North of South.

Welcome - this thread is fun!

I would send it to Davis for necropsy.
I've had birds get sick and the horrible feeling of not knowing.
But everytime it's a huge relief to know exactly what the problem is.
I have peace of mind knowing what I'm dealing with and how to take care of it

Davis is a blessing. Huge sigh of relief every time I get results back.

Not necessarily. Some breeds, like heritage BR's will feather in super slow. (both males and females) I've also had an English Orp that feathered in so slowly, that I just assumed it was a boy - nope, she was a hen.

I didn't know how slow they (BR) were until I bred some. Thought all this time they had bad genetics!

 

[TheKeeper]

Sounds wonderful........Lucky you.....

Definitely some nice aspects, however the predators out here are many and determined. Rats, mice, muskrats, minks, otters, raccoons, stray cats, hawks, owls, crows, ravens, coyotes, and the occasional opposum. And there's the mosquitoes carrying their nasty stuff. My aviary is practically a fortress.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thanks for the response and advice! I used to foster infant kittens, and they would just go downhill so very very fast, I think it's made me rather paranoid about baby things in general. I hate to think how I'll be when I have a child of my own someday.

I'll keep an eye out for a good poop, and her continuing to eat and drink. Thanks again!!

No problem!

Quote: They say the slower the feathering is better for crisp barring.

 

[BCollie]

Quote:

They're about 6 weeks now so I have 10 more weeks to go with them in there. The little cockerel somehow managed to get out, I'm not sure how. Thankfully none of the hens decided that they wanted to hurt him. I was outside and heard the loud stressful peeping sound that the chicks make when they're lonely, go out to find him pacing back and forth along the left side of the pen trying to get back in. All the hens were just ignoring him.

 

[BCollie]

Re different feathering rates...You guys pointed out that different breeds feather out at different rates. What if it is two chicks of the same breed & same age? One of my BLRWyandottes is nearly fully feathered at 5 weeks, it's hatchmate only has wings & should feathers. Is this an indication of gender, or are they just feathering out at different rates & gender has nothing to do with it?

 

[chickee]

Re different feathering rates...You guys pointed out that different breeds feather out at different rates. What if it is two chicks of the same breed & same age? One of my BLRWyandottes is nearly fully feathered at 5 weeks, it's hatchmate only has wings & should feathers. Is this an indication of gender, or are they just feathering out at different rates & gender has nothing to do with it?

Pictures would help. By now you should be able to tell gender by their combs.

 

[BCollie]

Quote:
I'll take some pictures in just a minute

 

[BCollie]

What are your guys thoughts on gender for these two?
Bird 1, almost fully feathered at 5 weeks




Bird 1 on the right, Bird 2 on the left



Bird 2;