Colorado

[21hens-incharge]

I think it is a bit early to rule out keeping the Welsummers. I know my one remaining leghorn is quite bossy. I keep the bossy chickens in their own section of the coop so the less dominant breeds I have do not get harassed. That is just me and my neurotic desire to keep total harmony in the coop.

I do know they can live with other breeds as that lone leghorn is in with Wyandottes, Black Australorp, EE, Delaware and a Blue Andalusian.

COChix described a great way to reintroduce them to the flock. It is funny how chickens work. A week apart and they have totally forgotten who the others are even if they were in the brooder together. Time and slowly taking down physical barriers works well.

I have a group (the group without the leghorn) that is mixed ages by several years. The tiny cochin is the boss even over the very docile Brahma hens. The cochin is nearing 5 or 6 years old while the Brahma are just now a year. Slowly introducing them kept the peace in the coop. The leghorn I have is quite a nice bird with humans. She just is not so fond of anyone attempting to push her off the throne.

 

[rf12345]

yep, all of the above... grass, some greens, they are too little for scraps, so i give them just greens, they have ignored apples you know, i tried several times, even made apple chicken peniata - nope, they just go for grass.., large coop like 8x5x7... roosting place, lots sand to do their things... basically folk say 'chicken hilton', it is insulated too, it has enclosed yard protected from preditors, large one too, i did not have them there for obvious reasons of snow and such... what got into those legorns i do not know. they rule everyone even americanas... that is just strangely unexpected... I was told they would be low ranked birds and americanas on the top... well I've got me a remedy for that growing in the tub... i have in there 3 new welsumers and orloffs I've got from Jax. Those are tough like nails, very hardy, lay through winter, boss around everyone, they sem to protect my 3 welsumers baby chicks and so far very tight knit one age group, they are less than a week so.., orloffs were bread for cock fighting, roos have to be handled and tamed otherwise... you know , i hope i have one rooster... chick has large thick feet... these roos are large and tall, perfect to protect from predictors... but you know how it is, one hopes to get rooster, ends up with all girls and those folk who do not want a rooster end up with one .
I'm also planning to keep one age flock only to cut down on potential illness and such... will do npip at some point if that makes any sense.

 

[rf12345]

I mean I did see one of the locals orloff rooster. That one is as tall as 3y old child, no joke, tall, stout and powerful bird, not to mess around with. So I was quite impressed and got me some of that breed. If anyone ends up with orloff rooster from Jax and I do not have my own, would you keep me in mind pls... Otherwise maybe I'll get me black giant roo.

 

[Percheron chick]

My RO hens have been inquisitive, helpful non confrontational low ranking birds. My one rooster was below them. Mine came from Privett and vary in body shape. If you are really into them, I would find some hatching eggs and start with much better quality.

 

[COChix]

that should not matter with 1-2 weeks difference, right? i have  legorns  5 weeks old who are messing about...

I would let you answer that question yourself, obviously it did matter. If the birds were separated for a bit they have gotten use to their new flock, when you just throw other birds in the mix, they of course act territorial. They think those other birds don't belong, even though they were in the brooder together. Chickens are flock animals and they think new birds are a threat and will treat them as such. If they see each other through fencing or a barrier first, they will try to fight here and there but they adjust, like oh yea that bird is suppose to be here. After awhile they stop trying to fight and then they just co-exist. Once that happens, usually a couple weeks at most, then you can start to allow them to mingle. Expect some squabbles at first as they establish the pecking order.

 

[rf12345]

I was trying to avoid privet to be honest after deal with mg+. One would not be able to tell mg+ birds that are well managed from mg-. Mine had no other signs what so ever, became true asymptomatic carriers. I started over. Do not really want to do it again, do not like cull deal.
Hatching wise, there was a try... one survivor out of so many eggs, and that one does not look like orloff, owner tells those show line birds carry black gene to explain black-white chick with white-black legs (orloff supposed to have yellow). Never heard that before in that breed. Looks like austalorp or americana, not orloff. I'm looking for hatching eggs, and spotted another flock I'll try to get eggs from. So wish me luck hatching

 

[Percheron chick]

I was making more of a comment about the quality and adherence to SOP of Privett's ROs. I'm sure Welp's aren't any better.
Sounds like your neighbor's birds have some Shamo in their background. RO should have a calm temperament.

 

[21hens-incharge]

The thing with feed store birds is they order from many hatcheries. Usually from wherever they can get the breeds the customers are looking for the cheapest.

Not saying that is a good or bad thing just that for them it is good business. Some people have super luck and some do not. I have not had the best of luck with the feed store chicks.

One thing I think is driving some of the issues with some of the chicks from feed stores is that so many people can now legally keep chickens in back yards. I obviously keep chickens in my back yard. The demand is super high for certain breeds which means it is good business to hatch those breeds out in higher quantity. Quantity does not equal quality in most cases.
Even if one orders from a certified disease free hatchery there is the chance in route that they are sitting right next to a box of chicks that is not from a certified disease free facility.
Even if one does get disease free healthy happy chicks the wild birds can bring in all kinds of weird stuff.
Bottom line..... It is always kind of a crap shoot.

 

[rf12345]

Orloff from what I know reading original documents were bread for cock fighting in Russia. Roosters do fight and that's in the breed. However they can quite keep second rooster alive and happy if they have enough hens. Hens can be top or secondary in my experience. My tops were orloff. I think in new babies flock the case may be same, may be different, so far legorns rule the roost. Will see how that will happen. When it comes to hatcheries - all good points. It is what it is. I did lengthy talks regarding ms/mg and the true state of local npip farms that claim they are free of it and free range. The bottom line turned out that no npip in CO has successful mg/ms program according to the person in charge of npip except of 2 large closed commercial facilities that do not sell to public. People vaccinate. Vaccinated bird tests mg+ for life. They do not become mg-. So it is what it is. I did go through it, i'd rather do not repeat. Guarantee - no such a thing, wild bird can do it, I can get asymptomatic cattier. Not actively shedding bird with mg can test negative with that $25 test from csu. All those possibilities are true.
I need me birds for eggs, not for show. So I got hatchery stock for now. I with time.. will be looking for breeder with better stock to bring me birds. And for what I know I may re-stock next year with new chicks if I decide that bird I have not worth keeping for breeding me birds in closed flock. I will not be able to tell who is good who is not with orloff till they mature over 1y old. And sexlinks I'll re-stock because these do not breed true. I've got me delavare and legorns that can be a good base for egg and dual purpose crosses. If hens will turn out all right, if not - soup. I may decide for black giant as dual purpose base mix instead of orloff. Will see how the year goes and go from there

 

[coop410silkies]

I would let you answer that question yourself, obviously it did matter. If the birds were separated for a bit they have gotten use to their new flock, when you just throw other birds in the mix, they of course act territorial. They think those other birds don't belong, even though they were in the brooder together. Chickens are flock animals and they think new birds are a threat and will treat them as such. If they see each other through fencing or a barrier first, they will try to fight here and there but they adjust, like oh yea that bird is suppose to be here. After awhile they stop trying to fight and then they just co-exist. Once that happens, usually a couple weeks at most, then you can start to allow them to mingle. Expect some squabbles at first as they establish the pecking order.

@ ef: I have read that 1-2 weeks difference MIGHT not make a difference at that age, but you have to remember that they are still growing and maturing at a very fast rate, where a couple of weeks could make a big difference. Numbers make a difference, too. I agree with COCHix, that it is best to keep them separate until they've got it figured out. Different groups have behaved in totally different ways for me, but in the end, things have worked out fine. You can do this and have your cake, too.