California - Northern

[HighStreetCoop]

Though I wouldn't mind being wrong and having one pullet, at least.

The whole pullet/cockerel, is s/he, thing is more stressful than I thought it would be. I'm constantly second-guessing myself while watching "chick tv" (and praying that all my fav chicks won't turn out to be cockerels!).

 

[ronott1]

The whole pullet/cockerel, is s/he, thing is more stressful than I thought it would be. I'm constantly second-guessing myself while watching "chick tv" (and praying that all my fav chicks won't turn out to be cockerels!).

You get over that after a while.They will reveal there gender soon for you.

Just to let you know, I think one of the white ones is a cockerel and the other is a pullet. I also think that you have a generation after hybrids so normal sexlink and even normal straight breed characteristics do not work, like the color of the barred chick you have. If it were a Barred Plymouth Rock, the dark color would be a pullet.

 

[AmyPaperlady]

The barred one looks like a black sex link, and a male. (a pure BR would be lighter in coloring) The other 2 are too soon to tell, if they have leghorn in them, they will have larger combs.

I thought the hen had to be the barred parent to make sex links? Or is it that if the rooster is the barred bird, you can get sex links, but you can't count on it? In that case, the white ones could be red sex links--and cockerals. There are New Hampshire Red and RIR hens in the flock with the BR rooster (and a Black Australorp, which is probably the barred chick's mom, if he's a BSL.) I do know that there aren't any leghorns in that flock, though.

 

[AmyPaperlady]

Quote:
Yes, exactly, HighStreet! I told my older daughter that I thought all 3 were boys, and she got upset enough that I'm waiting until I know for sure to break the news to my younger daughter (11 and 5 3/4).

So, how old would they need to be before I start watching for saddle and hackle feathers? Thankfully, nothing my friend has is a hen-feathered breed! The chicks are fully feathered, but they're still all the rounded feathers. And they're all still just peeping, so no precocious crowers.

 

[chickenstricken]

The whole pullet/cockerel, is s/he, thing is more stressful than I thought it would be. I'm constantly second-guessing myself while watching "chick tv" (and praying that all my fav chicks won't turn out to be cockerels!).

.....and this is where I'm going to jump in

I've got the same problem.

Hi all

Almost 3 months ago I got 2 Mille Fleur D'Uccles bantams, one turned out to be a cockerel. I can't have boys (already have a neighbor who called the city on someone with chickens because their pen was up against her fence line) so I'm looking for someone to give him a good home.
If anyone is interested let me know. It's going to be rough separating them, they are both sweet and stay attached to each other whenever they are free ranging.

 

[capayvalleychick]

@BCollie there is an elderly dog in the Anderson shelter. I'm having her evaluated tomorrow, to see if she's an English Shepherd. If she is, NESR will bring her into their rescue. I was wondering - if she tests out more like a BC, can you take her as a foster in your rescue? We can only take ES, due to lack of foster homes.

Is anyone else out there in the Redding area, or even Nor Cal, interested in fostering this old girl for NESR, if she's an English Shepherd?

She's 12-13 years old, so I'm going to guess she's not a chicken chaser. Most ES are good with poultry, once they've been trained.

It's especially sad to see these old dogs in shelters. Please email me if interested [email protected]

 

[8machines]

How long do chickens go without laying eggs after molting and when it's cold? It has been a month since even one egg. If there is very little sun or moving, would that affect them? Thank you.

 

[ronott1]

How long do chickens go without laying eggs after molting and when it's cold? It has been a month since even one egg. If there is very little sun or moving, would that affect them? Thank you.

Moving can be a couple of weeks. Molting can be 6 weeks. Many breeds, after the first winter will not lay eggs with less than 12 hours of day light. We are not getting enough light now for many breeds.

This chart should help. The dawn to dusk hours are close to what they need for egg laying.


A lot of breeds seem to start laying when the hours of light begins to increase--which happens two days after the winter solstice.

 

[TheKeeper]

Jeff (@PapaBrooder) is the WORST chicken enabler ever.
I bought 8 chicks and he shows up with 30. Of course I bought the rest! Who can resist peepers?
21 splash/mottled orps, 8 Columbian orps (project), & 1 lavender/mystery with white wing tips.
Watching them grow is sure to chase my winter blues away.

 

[TheKeeper]

.....and this is where I'm going to jump in I've got the same problem. Hi all Almost 3 months ago I got 2 Mille Fleur D'Uccles bantams, one turned out to be a cockerel. I can't have boys (already have a neighbor who called the city on someone with chickens because their pen was up against her fence line) so I'm looking for someone to give him a good home. If anyone is interested let me know. It's going to be rough separating them, they are both sweet and stay attached to each other whenever they are free ranging.

Oh how pretty! I believe these are mottled d'uccle, not mille fleur, though.