Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[stonykill]

I always like at least one backup male, with your ratio I would get rid of one male. You will be able to tell if the female is getting beat up to a dangerous degree.

Walt

agreed. I do the same with roosters. Always need a back up. One final Runner question as they are new to me this year. Is this just the young boys being little horn dogs or do the females mature faster as well? As in I wasn't expecting an egg for another 2.5 to 3 months. Do Runners lay at a younger age than say, my Pekins did?

 

[armorfirelady]

This question is for Walt.

I was at our local county fair yesterday looking at the chickens that were on display. I wanted to familiarlize myself with the different breeds and maybe see if I could find a couple pullets for sale

(I can have 2 more hens according to our local laws)

Well since I am still a newbie I just looked, But while looking at birds I saw ones that were marked as hens yet they had an obvious spur on their leg (small one) I unfortunately dont remember the breed but I thought only roos had spurs?

Also can you give some pointers as to what to look for in a pullet to see if its healthy & looking to purchase some. I would assume that if they are at the fair they should be healthy birds since they were entered for show. I would like to purchase a few chicks or pullets and some general ideas of what to look for would be helpful.

I also didnt see any of the Partridge Rock breed that I have on display. Are they not that common? Or are they not good for showing at fairs?

Thank you

 

[loanwizard]

Well, my garage birds were put in solitary in the barn for 4 days in a cage. I let them out last night, the roo got in a squabble with another roo that used to be his subordinate, then made the trek back to the garage with his harem.

I may give them 1 more chance... or... it may be time to cull.... girls lay nice eggs though.

 

[fowlman01]

agreed. I do the same with roosters. Always need a back up. One final Runner question as they are new to me this year. Is this just the young boys being little horn dogs or do the females mature faster as well? As in I wasn't expecting an egg for another 2.5 to 3 months. Do Runners lay at a younger age than say, my Pekins did?

I have some the same age and my females are not laying ye.I tnhink they have a couple months more before they are mature. They will go after each other if there are no females, so I think they are just horn dogs.

Walt

 

[stonykill]

I have some the same age and my females are not laying ye.I tnhink they have a couple months more before they are mature. They will go after each other if there are no females, so I think they are just horn dogs.

Walt

thanks that is what I figured.

 

[fowlman01]

This question is for Walt.

I was at our local county fair yesterday looking at the chickens that were on display. I wanted to familiarlize myself with the different breeds and maybe see if I could find a couple pullets for sale

(I can have 2 more hens according to our local laws)

Well since I am still a newbie I just looked, But while looking at birds I saw ones that were marked as hens yet they had an obvious spur on their leg (small one) I unfortunately dont remember the breed but I thought only roos had spurs?

Also can you give some pointers as to what to look for in a pullet to see if its healthy & looking to purchase some. I would assume that if they are at the fair they should be healthy birds since they were entered for show. I would like to purchase a few chicks or pullets and some general ideas of what to look for would be helpful.

I also didnt see any of the Partridge Rock breed that I have on display. Are they not that common? Or are they not good for showing at fairs?

Thank you

Any female chicken can develop a spur...most don't though. It is hard for me to describe what a healthy bird looks like other than they are active with clear eyes and an alert look. In Cali all the birds have to be health checked before admitted to a show, I don't know how they do it where you are. Partridge Rocks are not all that common. Bob Blosi that posts here but mostly in the Heritage chicken thread would know where to find them.

Walt

 

[armorfirelady]

Thank you for your quick response. I was not looking for a long detailed "how to know the chicken is healthy" just some very basics and those were perfect! I figured ones that look raggedy or just laying around were not the ones to take.

And thank you for the answers about the spurs. I didnt know hens could get spurs. Sure had my Mom & I puzzled as we looked at the hens with spurs lol We thought maybe they had switched the tags on them lol

And I will look at the heritage chicken thread. I didnt think Partridge Rocks were all that uncommon

 

[JulieNKC]

This question is for Walt.

I was at our local county fair yesterday looking at the chickens that were on display. I wanted to familiarlize myself with the different breeds and maybe see if I could find a couple pullets for sale

(I can have 2 more hens according to our local laws)

Well since I am still a newbie I just looked, But while looking at birds I saw ones that were marked as hens yet they had an obvious spur on their leg (small one) I unfortunately dont remember the breed but I thought only roos had spurs?

Also can you give some pointers as to what to look for in a pullet to see if its healthy & looking to purchase some. I would assume that if they are at the fair they should be healthy birds since they were entered for show. I would like to purchase a few chicks or pullets and some general ideas of what to look for would be helpful.

I also didnt see any of the Partridge Rock breed that I have on display. Are they not that common? Or are they not good for showing at fairs?

Not an oldtimer, or Walt. I've only had chickens 3 years, plus off and on growing up. I do have a leghorn hen with some pretty impressive spurs though.

 

[armorfirelady]

Thanks for the pic. I was standing at the fair scratching my head over the hens with spurs. I think I am going to do a little research on it. Cuz if my girls got spurs I would automatically think they were boys

 

[fowlman01]

You should probably dull the points of those spurs or take them off as it is really easy to get stuck in the palm of the hand with spurs that look that sharp. If you never handle the bird it won't be a problem.

Walt