California - Northern

[orrpeople]

Contemplating selling my Biele cockerel (about 16 weeks old) because he is directly related to two of the hens I plan to keep... I will post pics, but would like him to go to someone who actually knows what a Bielefelder is. (sorry, I live in Redding... I can probably count on one hand the number of people who might know this...)

 

[Stephine]

Just another reason to love my Pitas Those are not her chicks she has never been broody and is only approaching a year old now. She watched over these 18 chicks and was so calm and patient with them. She was patient with all the people wanting to pet her and the chicks. The fence was less than 18 inches tall and she could have easily escaped but never made a move to do so. Little chicks would come up to her and she would just look at them She would peck the ground and they would follow her she never made a move against them or anything.

 

[Magnolia7330]

I usually wait till about 2-3 weeks before treats and be sure they get grit first. I usually introduce them to some sand/dirt first. Let them scratch through it for a day or so.

Thank you for the reply. This is what I thought I should do, but my boyfriend has been begging to feed them treats. I will just let him know he needs to be patient, haha. He's the one who originally didn't want chickens. Now, he's already wanting more.

 

[caychris]

Thank you for the reply. This is what I thought I should do, but my boyfriend has been begging to feed them treats. I will just let him know he needs to be patient, haha. He's the one who originally didn't want chickens. Now, he's already wanting more.

Chicken Math

 

[joydix]

i give mine finely chopped lettuce...and i crunch up the dried meal worms a bit and throw down some chick grit...depending....if i hatched them maybe day 3 and if bought at feed store i let the mom just do her thing with them for a couple days and then give it to them...mostly to have something to do...learn to forage etc...was curious....do you not have raccoons or other predators where you are? rats? was noticing the run does not have wire buried at the bottom and maybe you are not done yet..i was just curious....i HAVE to have that for any kind of diggers.....

 

[Magnolia7330]

i give mine finely chopped lettuce...and i crunch up the dried meal worms a bit and throw down some chick grit...depending....if i hatched them maybe day 3 and if bought at feed store i let the mom just do her thing with them for a couple days and then give it to them...mostly to have something to do...learn to forage etc...was curious....do you not have raccoons or other predators where you are? rats? was noticing the run does not have wire buried at the bottom and maybe you are not done yet..i was just curious....i HAVE to have that for any kind of diggers.....

Not sure if you were replying to me or not, but...the only predators I know for sure are my own dog and squirrels. However, we are not done with the run yet. Still have lots of wire to add.

 

[Sylvester017]

Just another reason to love my Pitas


Those are not her chicks she has never been broody and is only approaching a year old now.

She watched over these 18 chicks and was so calm and patient with them. She was patient with all the people wanting to pet her and the chicks. The fence was less than 18 inches tall and she could have easily escaped but never made a move to do so. Little chicks would come up to her and she would just look at them She would peck the ground and they would follow her she never made a move against them or anything.

Lovely!
Would you say all Pita pullets/hens are this tolerant of new additions to the flock? I know our docile timid Blue Wheaten Ameraucana was very tolerant of new chicks or new pullets added to the flock:

 

[Sylvester017]

Is anyone on this thread interested in breeding Pita Pinta? There are so few of us breeding this fantastic breed and I would like to help anyone who is serious about breeding them to get a start. I am currently hatching chicks and will have culls available in a few months. I also have fertile eggs that can be shipped within CA. Here are a few pics of my flock:

@caychris and @PetRock have me interested in the Pita Pina. I love the Breda for the same docile qualities Pita Pinta seem to have. Any experiences with aggression or flock politics? What is the weight of a full grown Pita hen? My Breda girls have never been over 5 lbs, are prolific layers, and are extremely gentle toward our Silkie littles. I'm always interested in good layers with the gentle disposition of a smaller large fowl breed. Is the Pita hen too much over 5 lbs? We've had to re-home assertive dual purpose/layers over 5 lbs because of their temptation to bully the Silkie littles. Keeping only docile hens in the flock has made for a peaceful backyard.

Keep the stories coming about other incidences of gentleness with Pitas -- especially toward other smaller breeds in the flock, or friendliness as family backyard pets. Some chicken breeds can be so nasty that it's nice to hear about some good compatible birds like Pita, Ameraucana, Breda, etc, that are also considered decent layers. It's funny how the lighterweight birds like Breda, Leghorn, Jaerhon, turn out to be such prolific layers while the heavier dual purpose types like Brahma, Java, Jerseys, Wyans, Marans, etc, are seldom (if ever) daily layers past their pullet prime. At least, that's been our experience. I like RIR, Legs, and BR as layers but they are too big or assertive around our very docile or smaller breeds.

 

[caychris]

@caychris and @PetRock have me interested in the Pita Pina. I love the Breda for the same docile qualities Pita Pinta seem to have. Any experiences with aggression or flock politics? What is the weight of a full grown Pita hen? My Breda girls have never been over 5 lbs, are prolific layers, and are extremely gentle toward our Silkie littles. I'm always interested in good layers with the gentle disposition of a smaller large fowl breed. Is the Pita hen too much over 5 lbs? We've had to re-home assertive dual purpose/layers over 5 lbs because of their temptation to bully the Silkie littles. Keeping only docile hens in the flock has made for a peaceful backyard.

Keep the stories coming about other incidences of gentleness with Pitas -- especially toward other smaller breeds in the flock, or friendliness as family backyard pets. Some chicken breeds can be so nasty that it's nice to hear about some good compatible birds like Pita, Ameraucana, Breda, etc, that are also considered decent layers. It's funny how the lighterweight birds like Breda, Leghorn, Jaerhon, turn out to be such prolific layers while the heavier dual purpose types like Brahma, Java, Jerseys, Wyans, Marans, etc, are seldom (if ever) daily layers past their pullet prime. At least, that's been our experience. I like RIR, Legs, and BR as layers but they are too big or assertive around our very docile or smaller breeds.

They are on the smaller side for a dual purpose bird. I dont think my girls are much over 5lb if that. I know I only get the males to 3+ lb neck off dressed weight if I let them go to 24 weeks.

 

[caychris]

@caychris and @PetRock have me interested in the Pita Pina. I love the Breda for the same docile qualities Pita Pinta seem to have. Any experiences with aggression or flock politics? What is the weight of a full grown Pita hen? My Breda girls have never been over 5 lbs, are prolific layers, and are extremely gentle toward our Silkie littles. I'm always interested in good layers with the gentle disposition of a smaller large fowl breed. Is the Pita hen too much over 5 lbs? We've had to re-home assertive dual purpose/layers over 5 lbs because of their temptation to bully the Silkie littles. Keeping only docile hens in the flock has made for a peaceful backyard.

Keep the stories coming about other incidences of gentleness with Pitas -- especially toward other smaller breeds in the flock, or friendliness as family backyard pets. Some chicken breeds can be so nasty that it's nice to hear about some good compatible birds like Pita, Ameraucana, Breda, etc, that are also considered decent layers. It's funny how the lighterweight birds like Breda, Leghorn, Jaerhon, turn out to be such prolific layers while the heavier dual purpose types like Brahma, Java, Jerseys, Wyans, Marans, etc, are seldom (if ever) daily layers past their pullet prime. At least, that's been our experience. I like RIR, Legs, and BR as layers but they are too big or assertive around our very docile or smaller breeds.

As far as flock politics the Pitas never seem to get themselves involved. Only squabbles Ive ever seen is over sleeping arrangements. (if there is a prime spot either close to or far away from the boy) Then its just one trying to sleep on top of another kind of thing. Im not sure Id trust them all with chicks like this but you can get a pretty good feel for their temperament. Ive only ever had 1 male that showed any aggression really. But he was kind of neurotic from the very beginning.