First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[Sherloki]

Can you put a chick with a pullat that has not had any eggs yet but probably pretty close? Will she have any kind of mother's instincts and take over.

I don't think so, but I'm no expert. From my limited experience pullets close to laying are aggressive to any newcomers.

 

[spazy67]

I didn't even think of that
Thank you

 

[athomas718]

Hey I haven't been on in a while. All 12 of the chickens are doing great. One BO is definitely a rooster. He crows pretty consistently three times during the day. We got him a no crow collar but I haven't taken the time to wrangle him up and put it on him. He tries to mount some of the hens but so far they've all rebuffed his courting lol. Three of the chickens are, I THINK, nearly ready to lay. Here are some pictures of the hens I think are going to lay soon. They are all 18 weeks this weekend. Tell me what you think. What are some signs other than comb and wattles that I should look for?


This is Black Betty. She might be one of the first to lay.



This is Lola. I think she's the one that's also been randomly squatting but I honestly can't tell from a distance if it's Lola or Black Betty.



Lucy. She's pretty vocal. She goes around squawking and making a big fuss a lot.

What are your thoughts?

 

[AmandaMBG]

All three are getting close. One of my cuckoos is at the exact same stage. But she has been like that for about a month so I think they might take longer for their eggs to come once their hormones kick in. So about the no crow collar. We had one on our main rooster and I spaced checking how tight it was for a few weeks because he wasn't acting like it was bothering him. It was a mistake. It chocked him out and we lost him in a matter of minutes. I heard the noises and thought it was them just making a fuss about roosting for the night but knew it was an odd noise. Right after we finished dinner I went to tuck them in and he was dead on the floor. Do not forget to check it if they are not fully grown!! Becoming complacent is so easy to do because you know we all have a million and one things to do. But it's worth taking the time ever other day to check it. I took it off my bantam because honestly his crow isn't extremely loud and won't be putting it on my other rooster for as long as possible.

Hey I haven't been on in a while. All 12 of the chickens are doing great. One BO is definitely a rooster. He crows pretty consistently three times during the day. We got him a no crow collar but I haven't taken the time to wrangle him up and put it on him. He tries to mount some of the hens but so far they've all rebuffed his courting lol. Three of the chickens are, I THINK, nearly ready to lay. Here are some pictures of the hens I think are going to lay soon. They are all 18 weeks this weekend. Tell me what you think. What are some signs other than comb and wattles that I should look for? This is Black Betty. She might be one of the first to lay. This is Lola. I think she's the one that's also been randomly squatting but I honestly can't tell from a distance if it's Lola or Black Betty. Lucy. She's pretty vocal. She goes around squawking and making a big fuss a lot. What are your thoughts?

 

[canehdianchick]

19.5 weeks old and almost all the ladies are laying... we are getting something crazy like 18 eggs a day-- so naturally I posted this to our friends/family/neighbours:


"$3.00 /dz for eggs from some pretty ridiculously spoiled chickens.
Thought we'd put the feelers out there....
We are just about to start having too many eggs available.. and will be starting to sell them. Wondering who on the friends list may be interested?
Here are the details on our hens:
On top of their feed-- the chickens eat all our scraps and compost items, free range for about 6 hours a day, and get all the weeds/extras/cuttings from our garden. They also get seeds, nuts, scratch when they come in at night and every week or two we do a noodle day because watching chickens chase each other with spaghetti is far too amusing.
The chickens are happy, friendly, overly spoiled. They come when people are around, and are happy to just hang out in the yard with us when we are puttering about.
Their eggs are SOOOOO good. I was completely shocked with how much tastier these eggs are! So far many have been double or triple yolks!
**If any of our friends want to bring their kids by to pick their own eggs and see where they come from... On weekends I can totally line that up (the chickens are super friendly, and we can actually access the nesting boxes without going into the coop if the kids are afraid! We can also let all the girls and boys out to run around in the yard while there) They are so entertaining to watch!**"

Time for the ladies to earn their keep!

 

[mamatink7]

Hey I haven't been on in a while. All 12 of the chickens are doing great. One BO is definitely a rooster. He crows pretty consistently three times during the day. We got him a no crow collar but I haven't taken the time to wrangle him up and put it on him. He tries to mount some of the hens but so far they've all rebuffed his courting lol. Three of the chickens are, I THINK, nearly ready to lay. Here are some pictures of the hens I think are going to lay soon. They are all 18 weeks this weekend. Tell me what you think. What are some signs other than comb and wattles that I should look for? This is Black Betty. She might be one of the first to lay. This is Lola. I think she's the one that's also been randomly squatting but I honestly can't tell from a distance if it's Lola or Black Betty. Lucy. She's pretty vocal. She goes around squawking and making a big fuss a lot. What are your thoughts?

gorgeous chickens♡ I always like the squat test, you run your hand down their backs and they squat. Within 1-2wks after that, they'll lay (of course can be sooner). Also check vent for wet or dry. Tip of beaks could be whiter or paler. My chickens follow these to the T other than 1 black Austrolorp

 

[mamatink7]

19.5 weeks old and almost all the ladies are laying... we are getting something crazy like 18 eggs a day-- so naturally I posted this to our friends/family/neighbours:


"$3.00 /dz for eggs from some pretty ridiculously spoiled chickens.
Thought we'd put the feelers out there....
We are just about to start having too many eggs available.. and will be starting to sell them. Wondering who on the friends list may be interested?
Here are the details on our hens:
On top of their feed-- the chickens eat all our scraps and compost items, free range for about 6 hours a day, and get all the weeds/extras/cuttings from our garden. They also get seeds, nuts, scratch when they come in at night and every week or two we do a noodle day because watching chickens chase each other with spaghetti is far too amusing.
The chickens are happy, friendly, overly spoiled. They come when people are around, and are happy to just hang out in the yard with us when we are puttering about.
Their eggs are SOOOOO good. I was completely shocked with how much tastier these eggs are! So far many have been double or triple yolks!
**If any of our friends want to bring their kids by to pick their own eggs and see where they come from... On weekends I can totally line that up (the chickens are super friendly, and we can actually access the nesting boxes without going into the coop if the kids are afraid! We can also let all the girls and boys out to run around in the yard while there) They are so entertaining to watch!**"

Time for the ladies to earn their keep!

that looks like just what I'm getting ready to put up too I just haven't come up with location site yet. Looks great.

 

[canehdianchick]

gorgeous chickens♡ I always like the squat test, you run your hand down their backs and they squat. Within 1-2wks after that, they'll lay (of course can be sooner). Also check vent for wet or dry. Tip of beaks could be whiter or paler. My chickens follow these to the T other than 1 black Austrolorp

Ooh -- all things I wasn't fully aware of!! Thank you

I assumed we were going to get eggs (at less than 3.5 months mind you!!) just as combs started to waddlier and redder and larger. Also a couple of the girls kept sneaking away and nesting... we went from an egg every other day or so to something like 18 eggs a day in 2 weeks. What the heck----- One shoots off and they all become a firing squad!

 

[canehdianchick]

Hey I haven't been on in a while. All 12 of the chickens are doing great. One BO is definitely a rooster. He crows pretty consistently three times during the day. We got him a no crow collar but I haven't taken the time to wrangle him up and put it on him. He tries to mount some of the hens but so far they've all rebuffed his courting lol. Three of the chickens are, I THINK, nearly ready to lay. Here are some pictures of the hens I think are going to lay soon. They are all 18 weeks this weekend. Tell me what you think. What are some signs other than comb and wattles that I should look for?


This is Black Betty. She might be one of the first to lay.



This is Lola. I think she's the one that's also been randomly squatting but I honestly can't tell from a distance if it's Lola or Black Betty.



Lucy. She's pretty vocal. She goes around squawking and making a big fuss a lot.

What are your thoughts?

We were close to giving up on our roosters because of how mean they were being to the ladies --- but now that they are a couple weeks older they seem so much better. The boys do a dance and the girls either squat and accept or scoff at them-- and the boys are listening!! At the beginning they'd grab wings and backs and combs and were just all around horrific to the hens. I didn't want to give him but I was a day away from it happening when they stopped.

I think I screwed up as a helicopter chicken mom -- as our one rooster is a crower fanatic, but only when he hears me talking or sees me. He's also a bit of a jerk to everyone but me. If I'm out there he is crowing NON STOP. Maybe a collar for him!

I'm not a laying expert but your two BR look close!!

Our Columbian Rocks were all the first past the gate! Maybe it's the rock side of them

 

[mamatink7]

Ooh -- all things I wasn't fully aware of!! Thank you 


I assumed we were going to get eggs (at less than 3.5 months mind you!!) just as combs started to waddlier and redder and larger. Also a couple of the girls kept sneaking away and nesting... we went from an egg every other day or so to something like 18 eggs a day in 2 weeks. What the heck----- One shoots off and they all become a firing squad!

your welcome! Yeah, we got 2 dozen since the 30th and that was from 4!