California - Northern

[LittleBlu]

They are super cute!

I do not need ducks; I do not need ducks; I DO NOT need ducks...

Haha you do though!! You will never think of wild ducks the same! They are an amazing experience and have more personality than cats! Their so sweet and always want to cuddle with you. You won't regret it!

 

[casportpony]

I think you were talking to casaport but don't think she has dels. Does anyone breed kathyimo dels?

You are correct, I do not have dels. Had one rooster once, but that was it. Do have lots of Muscovies and Peafowl!

-Kathy

 

[caychris]

You are correct, I do not have dels. Had one rooster once, but that was it. Do have lots of Muscovies and Peafowl!

-Kathy

It appears I will have a Del Roo from FortyFiveFarms stock. They are not part of KathyinMo stock but project birds of hers.

Might still be too early to tell either way because he is 8 weeks and I had one hen that was as red faced as this at the age from my hatchery Dels.

I love the breed though I wish I could find a way to keep him but cant have roo's in the city and I have 6 8 week olds.

 

[Chickengirl1304]

Holy cow you guys!! My husband just found an opossum one of our trash bins in the chicken area! It was freaking adorable. (Sharp teeth and all)

Ok so my most obvious question is: Do they eat chickens?! This was about the size of a large rat. Not sure how big they get. I've lived in Dunsmuir all my life (28 years) and have never seen one. So weird.

 

[tommysgirl]

Sexing Help! These are all the same bird unless noted. I assumed this was a Del boy because of the comb and wattles but in recent days I have had my doubts. 12 weeks old and now it looks and acts more pulletish. the last pic is a hatchmate who looks more cockerelish.

The red leakage is not really as pronounced as you see in the pics. The hen who laid the egg is from Kim the rooster is either also from Kim or a hatchery NH which would make this a Red Sex Link.













This last pic is one of the more cockerish hatch mates...terrible pic but you see his stance and tail

 

[SpringPeeper]

Yeah 2 foster buffs down.

Congrats!

Want but unless I want to sleep in the coop I can't have.

Buffs make great pillows.

Guess who got their baby Swedish!!! Oreo and Cookie! The first pic Oreo is on the right she has black and white feet and Cookie has all black

So cute! Your other duck will be so happy to have a flock.

Ok I am going to gues....YOU!!! Congrats on the darling new additions!

Here is my new addition...Say Hello to Ike. He has been saying "Hello" all morning.

I imagine Kim will have culls in the fall.

Those dang NH roos again! I do not need to be wistfully drooling over roosters I don;t have! lol.

They are super cute!

I do not need ducks; I do not need ducks; I DO NOT need ducks...

You cannot possibly live one more day without ducks.

 

[SpringPeeper]

Holy cow you guys!! My husband just found an opossum one of our trash bins in the chicken area! It was freaking adorable. (Sharp teeth and all)

Ok so my most obvious question is: Do they eat chickens?! This was about the size of a large rat. Not sure how big they get. I've lived in Dunsmuir all my life (28 years) and have never seen one. So weird.

I have definitely lost birds to opossums in the past. Around here at least, they are ones that will kill multiple birds and only eat a bit of the belly/intestines. I have had more trouble with them than racccoons. A small one might be foraging more than hunting- for now.

 

[LittleBlu]

So cute! Your other duck will be so happy to have a flock.

I no longer have my other duckling Crackers.. She passed away on 7/25 of an infection that I didn't realize she had until it was too late. I'm very grateful to have these and I hope I can raise them well and they live their full life

 

[caychris]

Sexing Help! These are all the same bird unless noted. I assumed this was a Del boy because of the comb and wattles but in recent days I have had my doubts. 12 weeks old and now it looks and acts more pulletish. the last pic is a hatchmate who looks more cockerelish.

The red leakage is not really as pronounced as you see in the pics. The hen who laid the egg is from Kim the rooster is either also from Kim or a hatchery NH which would make this a Red Sex Link.













This last pic is one of the more cockerish hatch mates...terrible pic but you see his stance and tail

Ive noticed the Del hens can fool you but stance and legs tend to give it away more than comb and wattles. Boys do develop quick but so do some hens. They also do not as a breed tend to crow early either so it can be hard to tell. One of the tests that apparently is supposed to work with chicks is turning them upside down boys continue to struggle more. However the older they get I think the more they struggle anyway.
I tend to agree the stance seems more pullet to me.

I think one reason for the difficulty is the "sport" genetics which I think makes development between male and female very similar.

4 more weeks should make the differences more significant.

 

[tommysgirl]

Ive noticed the Del hens can fool you but stance and legs tend to give it away more than comb and wattles. Boys do develop quick but so do some hens. They also do not as a breed tend to crow early either so it can be hard to tell. One of the tests that apparently is supposed to work with chicks is turning them upside down boys continue to struggle more. However the older they get I think the more they struggle anyway.
I tend to agree the stance seems more pullet to me.

I think one reason for the difficulty is the "sport" genetics which I think makes development between male and female very similar.

4 more weeks should make the differences more significant.

Thanks for your input @Happy Chooks and @capayvalleychick ...any thoughts do you agree with caychris and me?

For comparison this is a pic of Ozzy and Harriet when I brought them home early last summer. They were a bit older than this juvie but Ozzie already had his beautiful tail coming in. Harriet on the other hand had very little in the way of comb and wattles but her markings are much more similar to this one. Also e was rangey and she was more of a football like this one...

I am baffled and think my judgement may be somewhat clouded by my desire for this to be a pullett!