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

[Beekissed]

Ok this is for the Ot's........My hens are 27 weeks old Partridge Rocks. I am curious if they will get longer tail feathers than in the pic shown? They have def gotten more feathers in the *pant leg* area. My 2 largest hens have nice feather pants for the cold

I have been trying to find a good pic of a Partridge Rock via google but so many pics......I thought maybe one of you had one that could show me what they would look like as an adult?





Also one more thing....I feed the FF to the hens in the am before I leave work. About 1 1/4 cup. They forage for rest. But I swear these hens have a tv in the run because they are always in the there when I check on them. (we ll not always but it seems like that) but if I go out to the run & *talk* to them they answer & come running out. Very vocal towards my calls. And then they will happily forage in their area.....as long as I stay there with them. Could they possibly think I am there *rooster* and they hang in the coop when I am gone for protection? I havent seen the hawk in over a month and there is bird netting over more than half of their area. And as you can see they have pumpkins & fresh leaf & grass cuttings to dig through (ate every blad of grass in that 3 ft pile I swear!!! Leaves were flying lol) & nice dirt with lots of bugs under those leaves. So they def have enough to forage for.
Should I change the feeding to the pm so that they forage before they eat & quit watching the tv in the run? They look like a coffee clutch on their perches in there talking away

You can during the months there is easy, available forage but long about now the bugs have all dug in deep and real good foraging days are few. I'd keep feeding in the mornings...mine do this sometimes also. No worries. They might feel safer while you are there, being as they are young and have no rooster or lead hen established right now. They'll get their own rhythm as they age and get used to the big, bad world.

Different birds develop quicker than others within a breed. They will eventually all look the same when they fill out and become sexually mature...you'll see! The ones that are fuller in feathering and build will likely be your first to become sexually mature and start laying.

Here's a few pics of adult PRs...first a stock pic and then one of my own:

 

[armorfirelady]

Thanks Bee. So they will get longer tail feathers !! I thought so. They def have the big fuzzy butts down tho lol

It amazes me how out of 4 hens they are all different sizes yet they supposedly all hatched on the same day or close. I am beginning to think there is a bigger age difference because of the difference in their combs/ wattles size & color and the feathering. The smaller 2 havent gotten their *pants* on yet.

The big Momma of the group is the bossiest & tends to chase the smallest hen. Its quite amusing. That little hen has learned to scoot pretty quick when Big Momma wants to be where she is. She is also the lowest on the roosting order. But sometimes one of the other hens will sit with her. Of course Big Momma is also the one who wears her FF very well on her chin & first to come out for fruit goodies

 

[Beekissed]

She just may be your new flock leader....and that's a good thing! The differences you are seeing could also be because they are from different parentage...at the hatchery they have several roosters in among their breeding flock, so who knows the variations that arise from that? Like Fred says, it's really a Russian roulette game when buying from a hatchery...sometimes you get lucky but usually you get the run of the mill average hatchery stock.

I've gotten lucky some but more often did not. But... I feel like the times I got lucky made up for all the culls that I bought for $1.42 a chick.

 

[just me]

Boers maybe...they seem to act and flock much like sheep. If not Boers, try the hair sheep, Katahdins. You will never regret it...they are the single most easy, cheapest and sweetest sheep I've ever known for keeping on small acreage. Fatten up on grass like others do on grain, gentle, good mothers and naturally parasite resistant and hardy.

I'm a little afraid of sheep. The only person I know who's ever had sheep said that his couldn't get enough nutrients from grass, they were malnourished no matter how much they ate. They kept dieing, so he sent one to State College to see what the problem was...could have been the breed (or whatever you call it)?

 

[armorfirelady]

She just may be your new flock leader....and that's a good thing! The differences you are seeing could also be because they are from different parentage...at the hatchery they have several roosters in among their breeding flock, so who knows the variations that arise from that? Like Fred says, it's really a Russian roulette game when buying from a hatchery...sometimes you get lucky but usually you get the run of the mill average hatchery stock.

I've gotten lucky some but more often did not. But... I feel like the times I got lucky made up for all the culls that I bought for $1.42 a chick.

The pullets came from a lady who hatched them from hens she had. Of course I dont know where she got her hens originally so they probably are hatchery hens somewhere down the line.

And yes I think she will be the flock leader. First one out of the coop when I call them and so very very vocal. And it seems once she comes out & starts talking 2 others come out at a run. My 4th is the smallest and always the last out and she waits awhile before coming out. I need to see what they have hidden in their hay that makes them stay in there. I think they have a stash lol

 

[Beekissed]

Yep...breed and inexperience. Katahdins are made for the inexperienced fumblers! They are pretty much fool proof and are very adept at deriving their nutrients from a grass diet...something that has been pretty much bred out of the woolly breeds due to commercial ag intervention in their bloodlines.

They don't need shearing, mine didn't require deworming....just the same methods I use with my chickens, barely need hoof trimming and need no intervention with lambing...can do it right out in the fields just fine. I urge you to read up on them.....far, far less problem to raise than are any breed of goat out there.

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/katahdin/

Mine...and if I can raise them with success, any idiot can! This is son and mother, respectively, in this pic. Sweetest animals ever...easy to handle, flock well, don't try to get out of fencing, etc. Love browse and grass equally...much like goats but graze better and have less health issues.



In their spring wear of hair...they shed their wool instead of needing sheared.


In their winter wear of wool.

 

[just me]

Yep...breed and inexperience. Katahdins are made for the inexperienced fumblers! They are pretty much fool proof and are very adept at deriving their nutrients from a grass diet...something that has been pretty much bred out of the woolly breeds due to commercial ag intervention in their bloodlines.

They don't need shearing, mine didn't require deworming....just the same methods I use with my chickens, barely need hoof trimming and need no intervention with lambing...can do it right out in the fields just fine. I urge you to read up on them.....far, far less problem to raise than are any breed of goat out there.

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/katahdin/

Mine...and if I can raise them with success, any idiot can! This is son and mother, respectively, in this pic. Sweetest animals ever...easy to handle, flock well, don't try to get out of fencing, etc. Love browse and grass equally...much like goats but graze better and have less health issues.



In their spring wear of hair...they shed their wool instead of needing sheared.


In their winter wear of wool.

Beautiful pics, I will read up on them!!

 

[Maven]

Howdy y'all!!

I've been in Illinois the last few weeks - my daughter fell and broke her leg and has a VERY active 2 year old son. I went up and stayed with them to help with the toddler and so her hubster wouldn't have to miss work. BOY was that a lot of reading to catch up on Holy Moley!!!!

I was just so sad to hear about Al's loss! What an overwhelming thing to have happen! Al, you and your wife are in my thoughts and prayers.

And congrats on the eggs, galefrances! WOOT - what a happy feeling.

Otherwise, I'm not going to comment on everything else I just read - y'all would be a couple of days reading THAT post!

It's good to be back and 'see' everyone here.

 

[galefrances]

Howdy y'all!!

I've been in Illinois the last few weeks - my daughter fell and broke her leg and has a VERY active 2 year old son. I went up and stayed with them to help with the toddler and so her hubster wouldn't have to miss work. BOY was that a lot of reading to catch up on Holy Moley!!!!

I was just so sad to hear about Al's loss! What an overwhelming thing to have happen! Al, you and your wife are in my thoughts and prayers.

And congrats on the eggs, galefrances! WOOT - what a happy feeling.

Otherwise, I'm not going to comment on everything else I just read - y'all would be a couple of days reading THAT post!

It's good to be back and 'see' everyone here.

Glad to see you're back!

 

[jockeyeba]

Painted Desert sheep would be a good choice too
https://www.backyardchickens.com/g/i/5178546/sort/display_order/
I would put some better sheep pictures but BYC has changed something & I can no longer post pictures without 1st puttting them on Photobucket then copying them here