Chat room for non religious poultry keepers! :D

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

All this would stop me from getting any. Anything that can't hatch itself and is at a disadvantage because of the 'mutation' should not be pursued, imo. But I'm weird that way.

I just really love fuzzy feathers

To be fair, though, in chickens the feathering isn't a hindrance like it is with ducks. It's the other traits that are commonly bred along with the fuzzy feathering that causes any inherent issues, like big poofy crests in Silkie chickens, or the extreme tininess of Seramas. My Cochins are hardy, long-lived, predator-savvy birds just like any other chickens I've owned.

Call ducks, that's another story entirely. Mine weren't the super typey show quality kind, but definitely had shorter necks and smaller bills than other ducks. I successfully hatched two call ducklings in three years of trying. Another big factor in me not wanting to continue with them.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Did you get pics of this???

No, I didn't think to. Once she had more than one chick, she stopped moving the bowl under her. She tried for months to brood her 3rd clutch this year and she kept losing the eggs so I gave her the chicks my white phoenix hatched since the Phoenix can't hatch babies anymore

 

[fluffycrow]

I just really love fuzzy feathers

To be fair, though, in chickens the feathering isn't a hindrance like it is with ducks. It's the other traits that are commonly bred along with the fuzzy feathering that causes any inherent issues, like big poofy crests in Silkie chickens, or the extreme tininess of Seramas. My Cochins are hardy, long-lived, predator-savvy birds just like any other chickens I've owned.

Call ducks, that's another story entirely. Mine weren't the super typey show quality kind, but definitely had shorter necks and smaller bills than other ducks. I successfully hatched two call ducklings in three years of trying. Another big factor in me not wanting to continue with them.

The silkies. I guess I shouldn't judge since I have serama. To be fair, the Malaysian ones are the really problematic ones IMO. I have many opinions on the predator discussion, so I'll shut up now

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

The silkies. I guess I shouldn't judge since I have serama. To be fair, the Malaysian ones are the really problematic ones IMO.

I think it's the size more than the typiness, so any Serama bred to that extreme could have those issues. The ones that are the very smallest tend to just die randomly, usually when they're only a couple years old or younger. Those are the ones that also tend to be infertile, the males not able to father chicks despite breeding and the females laying eggs with underdeveloped yolks or sometimes without yolks at all. Any time you breed to such an extreme for size, in either direction, you're bound to have issues, though. Just look at how many problems Great Danes tend to have.

I have many opinions on the predator discussion, so I'll shut up now

I don't expect my birds to fight off predators or anything crazy like that, if that's what you were thinking here?

 

[fluffycrow]

I think it's the size more than the typiness, so any Serama bred to that extreme could have those issues. The ones that are the very smallest tend to just die randomly, usually when they're only a couple years old or younger. Those are the ones that also tend to be infertile, the males not able to father chicks despite breeding and the females laying eggs with underdeveloped yolks or sometimes without yolks at all. Any time you breed to such an extreme for size, in either direction, you're bound to have issues, though. Just look at how many problems Great Danes tend to have.




I don't expect my birds to fight off predators or anything crazy like that, if that's what you were thinking here?

Yes, the super teeny ones also have problems. It all comes down to proper breeding. If your breeding for size or looks without looking at health you're bound to have an unhealthy bird. And no, definitely not, I don't believe in that nonsense. Big Red did try to fight the guard dog once though, so I guess he does

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

It all comes down to proper breeding. If your breeding for size or looks without looking at health you're bound to have an unhealthy bird.

Definitely in agreement! That's something I have taken a lot of care to research for my Cochins so that I can do all I am able to prevent issues down the line.

And no, definitely not, I don't believe in that nonsense. Big Red did try to fight the guard dog once though, so I guess he does

Wow! Yeah, I have seen one of my roosters go spurs-first at a hawk that was swooping down at the flock, but I definitely don't have any expectations for them to do that. I just like for them to be aware of their surroundings and for their vision not to be impeded (such as by large crests or floppy combs) so that they hopefully spot predators in time to find a good hiding place before they can be grabbed or something. I rarely lose birds to predators despite that they free-range daily in a pretty densely wooded area, so something's working there I guess!

 

[fluffycrow]

Definitely in agreement! That's something I have taken a lot of care to research for my Cochins so that I can do all I am able to prevent issues down the line.




Wow! Yeah, I have seen one of my roosters go spurs-first at a hawk that was swooping down at the flock, but I definitely don't have any expectations for them to do that. I just like for them to be aware of their surroundings and for their vision not to be impeded (such as by large crests or floppy combs) so that they hopefully spot predators in time to find a good hiding place before they can be grabbed or something. I rarely lose birds to predators despite that they free-range daily in a pretty densely wooded area, so something's working there I guess!

Yeah, same here. I like them to be aware and able to escape/ hide. The more attentive the bird, the more the chances of survival. Big Red and the serama are definitely the most attentive. I'd really like to see how the latter does free range long term, but those birds can FLY, so it's a no for now

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

those birds can FLY

Sounds like my OEGBs! I once watched an OEGB pullet fly around 50 feet from where she launched herself and land about 20 feet up in a tree.

 

[fluffycrow]

Sounds like my OEGBs! I once watched an OEGB pullet fly around 50 feet from where she launched herself and land about 20 feet up in a tree.

I'm googling how much that is in meters and I'll be back

 

[fluffycrow]

I'm back. And yup, that sounds like a flight mine do. Them bantams are CRAZY