ktpaco
Chirping
- Nov 25, 2015
- 81
- 9
- 71
Hi all -
I began my adventure with owning chickens in June of this year. I started out thinking I would have no more than 3 chickens- an Olive Easter Egger, an Americauna, and a brown layer (any would do). Then my fiancé said we needed a rooster (just for fun), so I got Maran cockerel.
Well I am up to 20 chickens. I got more when I began thinking my cockerel wasn't truly a boy, and then I got a few that were known layers, because my pullets were taking too long. Needless to say, I have at least 7 roosters, 6 hens, (4) 4 week old chicks, and (3) eight month old chickens that have yet to lay or crow.
I'm getting nervous about the winter - I'm in southwest Virginia, so we will have some snow - but we never get below zero. I have (5) silkies, a Wyandotte, Marans, Americaunas, OEE, Brahma, and Buff Orringtons. My chickens have a good size coop and run, but I am planning on getting another coop to house the little ones when they are old enough, and split up some of the flock. They don't free range until I get home from work, as there are hungry coyotes, foxes, and hawks that love chicken for dinner.
At some point I might post pics of the OEE and the Americauna that are (7) months old (4/28/2015) and are not laying or crowing. I also have a Brahma that is around the same age - with the same thing going on. The Brahma is my biggest bird - pushy, first to establish that she/he is somewhere at the top of the peeking order, but likes me a lot. I would like to know what's the deal with them, just more curious than anything else.
Except for one silky rooster who is fixated on another silky rooster, I don't seem to have any issues with so having so many roosters. I'm hoping that when I split up the flock, I can stop this from happening. My girls do see a little too much action at times, but they all have their feathers and seem ok for now.
Even though there are 20 of them - they all have names. That's why I figure I must be slightly crazy - plus my phone is filled with chicken pics!
I began my adventure with owning chickens in June of this year. I started out thinking I would have no more than 3 chickens- an Olive Easter Egger, an Americauna, and a brown layer (any would do). Then my fiancé said we needed a rooster (just for fun), so I got Maran cockerel.
Well I am up to 20 chickens. I got more when I began thinking my cockerel wasn't truly a boy, and then I got a few that were known layers, because my pullets were taking too long. Needless to say, I have at least 7 roosters, 6 hens, (4) 4 week old chicks, and (3) eight month old chickens that have yet to lay or crow.
I'm getting nervous about the winter - I'm in southwest Virginia, so we will have some snow - but we never get below zero. I have (5) silkies, a Wyandotte, Marans, Americaunas, OEE, Brahma, and Buff Orringtons. My chickens have a good size coop and run, but I am planning on getting another coop to house the little ones when they are old enough, and split up some of the flock. They don't free range until I get home from work, as there are hungry coyotes, foxes, and hawks that love chicken for dinner.
At some point I might post pics of the OEE and the Americauna that are (7) months old (4/28/2015) and are not laying or crowing. I also have a Brahma that is around the same age - with the same thing going on. The Brahma is my biggest bird - pushy, first to establish that she/he is somewhere at the top of the peeking order, but likes me a lot. I would like to know what's the deal with them, just more curious than anything else.
Except for one silky rooster who is fixated on another silky rooster, I don't seem to have any issues with so having so many roosters. I'm hoping that when I split up the flock, I can stop this from happening. My girls do see a little too much action at times, but they all have their feathers and seem ok for now.
Even though there are 20 of them - they all have names. That's why I figure I must be slightly crazy - plus my phone is filled with chicken pics!
