California - Northern

[Sylvester017]

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.

Male chickens generally tend to be at least a pound or two heavier than females. Even the Breda roos get up to 6 lbs while the hens are only 4 to 5 lbs. The Breda roos really tower over their smaller hens. Breda males and females alike have extremely large tails which make them seem larger than they really are. Same with fluffy Ameraucanas -- all the underdown makes the Am's look heavier than they really are.

This Blue Wheaten Ameraucana was about 5.5 lbs but looked a lot heavier because of all her thick under-fluff.


Breda hens are not heavy birds but have huge tails and long vulture hocks/feathered toes.


Another pic of the Cuckoo Breda tail.


Blue Breda pullet.


Blue Breda pullet basking in the shade with Silkies shows her long tail feathers.


At only 2.1 lbs this Blue Breda juvenile pullet already had a long tail.

 

[Sylvester017]

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.

Male chickens are unpredictable because they have a certain role to fulfill in flock politics. I judge a breed more by hen temperaments. Of course, there's always an oddball that doesn't fit the breed description but I believe as a whole a breed can be defined by hen temperaments. Even different varieties within a breed can be defined separately. I have found through research and owner/breeder feedback that in BBS Breda they seem the most outgoing curious unafraid with Blue's being the smallest in size, the Cuckoo's are the most timid and being the tallest in size, and the Mottled turning out the hardiest so far. Even within dog breeding it's been found that Blue varieties have issues. So much to learn -- the more I learn the more I realize I don't know!

 

[joydix]

That is so CUTE.....i love it when they care for each other....

 

[joydix]

yes i was replying to you...cute run...we have so many kinds of predators here i had to make fort knox...so i was just curious. i was wondering if non broody's might kick in and offer some kind of care....

 

[Honora]

@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.

My Pita Pinta hen is a cool customer. She is the peacemaker of the flock and she used to break up fights between the cockerels. She tolerates chicks being around although she is not especially friendly to them; she just ignores them. My hens are pretty used to having chicks around since I have a couple that regularly go broody and hatch chicks. She is the second-in-command hen, and will enforce the pecking order but is not aggressive.

She is very calm and friendly with my kids also. Unfortunately she has had a lot of health problems, particularly with laying issues, so I don't know how much longer she will be around, but she is a great chicken and I'm very happy to have her in the flock.

 

[GMOfreeMama]

3 mos old feather footed White Marans Cockeral available in the North Bay. Re homing fee applied to prevent consumption.

 

[Sylvester017]

My Pita Pinta hen is a cool customer. She is the peacemaker of the flock and she used to break up fights between the cockerels. She tolerates chicks being around although she is not especially friendly to them; she just ignores them. My hens are pretty used to having chicks around since I have a couple that regularly go broody and hatch chicks. She is the second-in-command hen, and will enforce the pecking order but is not aggressive.

She is very calm and friendly with my kids also. Unfortunately she has had a lot of health problems, particularly with laying issues, so I don't know how much longer she will be around, but she is a great chicken and I'm very happy to have her in the flock.

I had a peacemaker White Leghorn for 3 yrs that no one could depose as alpha leader but then she went bonkers on all her flockmates when flock dynamics changed with the addition of new birds -- she wouldn't calm down, too much aggression, so she was re-homed into a friend's established flock where she had no problem fitting in. I prefer non-combative hens that don't start trouble yet have no problem defending themselves if the occasion arises. That kinda sounds like a Pita and a Breda both. Also, health issues -- Breda have some health issues that breeders are working on. Both Pita and Breda sound like breeds worthwhile to improve because of their fabulous temperaments. Would it be too much to ask you the weight of your Pita hen?

 

[caychris]

I had a peacemaker White Leghorn for 3 yrs that no one could depose as alpha leader but then she went bonkers on all her flockmates when flock dynamics changed with the addition of new birds -- she wouldn't calm down, too much aggression, so she was re-homed into a friend's established flock where she had no problem fitting in. I prefer non-combative hens that don't start trouble yet have no problem defending themselves if the occasion arises. That kinda sounds like a Pita and a Breda both. Also, health issues -- Breda have some health issues that breeders are working on. Both Pita and Breda sound like breeds worthwhile to improve because of their fabulous temperaments. Would it be too much to ask you the weight of your Pita hen?

Ill weigh a few of mine in the next day or so and let you know cant now with the wet weather.

 

[slantrhymes]

Anyone in the Humboldt area interested in two 3wk-old Mille Fleur D'Uccle chicks? I have a couple extra. They were sexed female at birth, but one is looking a little roo-y. Happy and healthy! Just too many.

 

[Jazzlily]

LOL - You got that right. But I want to add one more area: LoonyVille (Sacramento) where I hail from.