February/March Grow-a-long

[BobMcDuff]

My 10 Sussex bantams were SR. I figured I'd get at least 5&5. Or, maybe at least 3-4 pullets.

Nope.

They're six weeks old, and it appears that I have 8 cockerels and 2 pullets.


(check them out here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/speckled-sussex-bantams-sex.1571432/post-26719829)

I don't want to get another SR, I am leery of getting 8 more cockerels.

So I went online to see what sexed bantams might be available. I looked for docile breeds. I found Barred Rock, Easter Eggers, and Dominique but none were available until late summer, if at all. I added my email to the "notify me when these become available".

Struck out...oh well.

Then, within an hour I got an email... Dominiques were available on April 12th, this week! I ordered 5 females. ETA is Thursday through Saturday.


Now I will be cleaning out and setting up the brooder and MHP inside the coop.

I'm excited!

We hatched out some backyard mutts from a co-worker, at first I was thinking we ended up with 6 cockerels and 3 pullets, then 4 cockerels and 5 pullets, now I'm back to 6-3 again, just different birds.... Completely clueless, we will just have to wait and see who starts laying eggs.

 

[fuzzi]

We hatched out some backyard mutts from a co-worker, at first I was thinking we ended up with 6 cockerels and 3 pullets, then 4 cockerels and 5 pullets, now I'm back to 6-3 again, just different birds.... Completely clueless, we will just have to wait and see who starts laying eggs.

Or who starts crowing...

 

[Canadian Wind]

Or who starts crowing...

Not always 100%. Some hens crow. Badly. then again, so do some cockerels!

 

[BobMcDuff]

Or who starts crowing...

Already have at least 1 doing that but only when no one is looking so not sure which (and found out that my backyard camera audio is messed up so it isn't helpful)

 

[fuzzi]

Already have at least 1 doing that but only when no one is looking so not sure which (and found out that my backyard camera audio is messed up so it isn't helpful)

When we had Rosecomb bantams 30 years ago one "hen" eventually developed into a rooster.

 

[Backyard Divas]

Already have at least 1 doing that but only when no one is looking so not sure which (and found out that my backyard camera audio is messed up so it isn't helpful)

Look for their saddle feathers and wing feathers that are coming in. I've heard it called leakage on here.

 

[TheRusticRebel]

3 1/2 weeks old...or maybe 4? Ive lost count first time outside as tge last couple weekends have been . Dh is putting up a mini run inside the chicken yard so we can acclimate them to the big chickens and vice versa. Last time we did this we brought the laying boxes outside. Put the dog pen where the boxes were in the coop. The first few days wed let them big girls out. Shut the coop and let the littles run the coop. Then we start letting them out into their little run for a couple weeks. Then we let everyone hang out together. Although last time we did this our older hens were 1 1/2 year old. Now our youngest hens are 4 years old. So maybe more set in their ways. But in a couole more weeks the chicks should be big enough to hold their own.

My Roo ( Ru. Short for rupaul )
Is starting to get his wattles!

 

[lilwanderer]

Look for their saddle feathers and wing feathers that are coming in. I've heard it called leakage on here.View attachment 3463174View attachment 3463177

Leakage is like what my ee here has, see the red on his shoulders?

it's not always necessarily the hackles (neck feathers) and saddle feathers. The hackle and saddles will have a sharp point and will eventually be very long. My ee roo shows that in the photo as well.

 

[TheRusticRebel]

Leakage is like what my ee here has, see the red on his shoulders?
View attachment 3468843 it's not always necessarily the hackles (neck feathers) and saddle feathers. The hackle and saddles will have a sharp point and will eventually be very long. My ee roo shows that in the photo as well.

He's such a lovely gent.

 

[fuzzi]

He's such a lovely gent.

I agree. He looks like DA BOSS.