Chukar photos... need to figure out males/females... help?

[Mrs MIA]

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Good deal. We do that with the rabbits already... what's one more dish, eh?

Thank you again...

 

[CUDA]

Well, I can tell you that the feathers won't get better until you give them space, so I would put them out before the weather gets real nasty. But you know your situation best. BTW, you can put them with your chickens, they will do just fine, I keep my extra roos in a large pen with my chickens all the time. The chickens, and chuckars pretty much ignore each other. Also, make sure you feed them high protein. Mine get 24% all the time.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Yay!! I will shut the gate between them to let them get to know each other then let them mingle until Spring. I have work to do tomorrow, I guess!

I think it will be a lot easier to add another run onto the chicken run in the Spring to accomodate more than to build a hutch for them. I'm excited now...

I will wait until tomorrow afternoon (our high was at 3pm) to put them out. That should give me plenty of time to fortify the shelter and get boxes made for them.

Now, that brings up another question...

(I hope you don't mind!) Do the Chukars lay eggs in the nests with the chickens, or do they prefer their own nest boxes? Or do they just lay on the ground? (gawd, I sound pitifully uninformed, don't I?

)

 

[CUDA]

I can tell you that you can just throw them in with your chickens, they won't fight or anything, and they are way to fast for chickens to get anyway...lol. They will lay mostly on the ground, but if you put a covered box on the ground, with bedding they will use it. Don't be surprised if they make their own nests in dark corners too on the ground though...

 

[Mrs MIA]

Well, I might just try it! I've got a lot of chickens though!

If it's raining, will they pick a dry spot to lay eggs? Our pens were MUD this summer due to all the rain we got. I don't want wet eggs! But I can build nest boxes on the ground, too...

You've been a big help. Thank you so much!

 

[CUDA]

I wouldn't count on them laying in a good spot. They will and won't. Mine will mostly lay in my ground box though. No problem with the help, glad to do it.

 

[Mrs MIA]

LOL! figures they'll pick the worst spot. We'll see about that in the Spring!

I'm excited now... can't wait for tomorrow to be here so I can get started on the transfer!

 

[austinhart123]

im not sure what sex they are

 

[Mrs MIA]

I'm still not sure what sex they are, but out of 15 birds there should be a couple of hens in there!

I took Cuda's advice and put them out with the chickens... these babies have handled -35F WITHOUT EXTRA HEAT! They have a thick wooden box full of hay in the far corner of the shelter to huddle in, but most days I see them out and about. They're maturing quite nicely.

CUDA... I want eggs in the Spring!

 

[redhen]

are they like a quail..meat birds?