Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[bgmathteach]

One of the butterbirds is much larger and darker orange than the other two, does that mean anything at 10 weeks? I see no red comb or wattles to scream "boy"
View attachment 3948749
I don't think there are saddle feathers here?
View attachment 3948750
Slightly bigger comb, no wattles
View attachment 3948751
Absolutely peanut butter in color
View attachment 3948752
Here are the two paler sisters
View attachment 3948753
A bit of a comb
View attachment 3948754
Middle is the orange BOrp with a paler sister to the right.

I kind of hope that at least two BOrps are distinct looking so I have an excuse to keep two for eggies. My rule is I need to be able to tell each chicken apart from a bit of distance in case I need to medicate one.

View attachment 3948768
All three are in the background here, you can see the one in back is darker.

Hatchery BOs are smaller than their heritage counter-parts. Every once in a while you get one that has a bit of 'throw-back' genes and is bigger/heavier set. She still looks like a 'she' to me! I had one from a set of BOs that I swore was a male. Definitely bigger, started in with the comb and wattles earlier, I was so sure she was a 'he' because of the growth rate and size that I ignored the other 'tells'. Even though she had waddles sooner than the others - they did NOT pinken up early - no flag tail feathers - no pointydrapey saddle nor hackle feathers. She truly was a 'she'. She is still with me, and is the size (weight wise) of a rooster - not quite as leggy/height of a rooster that size, but definitely taller than most of her BO hen peers and most certainly heavier.

So - my point in this is to not worry. Right now she screams 'pullet' to me. By 10 wks, even the slower growing BO roos should start to show a bit of red in the combs - and I see none. Given you have other cockerels in the same group of youngsters - I would wait another 4 weeks to be certain, but...I am going with pullet - and would have to see significant changes in the next few weeks to change my mind.

 

[Ponypoor]

It isn't penciled. It's more like those of a brown leghorn which is golden duckwing (I think), but muddied.

Correction: brown leghorns are BBR (Black-Breasted Red) which means they have have male specific feather COLORS (black breast feathers) while the females have brown, tan, or salmon tones.

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKChickensA-C.html

Has colors labeled.

Penciled is only in silver based birds (like dark brahmas. Partridge feather pattern is the SAME as penciled, but on a RED ground color (Pear, Grandma are partridge Plymouth rocks)

She has the "muddy" marks of a mixed breed (like most Bitsas), but as base descriptor, she's BBR.

Gotcha!

She’s a chicken then.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Hatchery BOs are smaller than their heritage counter-parts. Every once in a while you get one that has a bit of 'throw-back' genes and is bigger/heavier set. She still looks like a 'she' to me! I had one from a set of BOs that I swore was a male. Definitely bigger, started in with the comb and wattles earlier, I was so sure she was a 'he' because of the growth rate and size that I ignored the other 'tells'. Even though she had waddles sooner than the others - they did NOT pinken up early - no flag tail feathers - no pointydrapey saddle nor hackle feathers. She truly was a 'she'. She is still with me, and is the size (weight wise) of a rooster - not quite as leggy/height of a rooster that size, but definitely taller than most of her BO hen peers and most certainly heavier.

So - my point in this is to not worry. Right now she screams 'pullet' to me. By 10 wks, even the slower growing BO roos should start to show a bit of red in the combs - and I see none. Given you have other cockerels in teh same group of youngsters - I would wait another 4 weeks to be certain, but...I am going with pullet - and would have to see significant changes in the next few weeks to change my mind.

Oh I hope she's just a big dark orange girl! I looooove the color of her.

 

[Ponypoor]

Ahhh ~ Nature! So idyllic. Just not sure I could trust it to keep chickens in or predators out?

Both hahahaha.

Which is why I sit on my lawn chair and babysit my crew.

It’s a nice day today, about 79F (26c), and mix of sun and cloud.

I chase down Butterscotch, Tippy and Eli-too ever now and again and bring them back into the yard.

Mr P has been chasing down Mr LC - which I am glad to see, and having his way with the ladies.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Friends I am stepping away from BYC for a few days.

I am so careful with my chickens. I watch where I step as they are always underfoot especially the silkies.

I went with dad to the store last night and was late getting home. Mom already fed the horses their grain and filled up the water. She did not give hay because a bale needed pulled down from the top. I went out to do it. I did not turn on the barn light and only took a head lamp with me.

I was not watching where I was going and I really was not looking. I stepped on Bunny. She was in front of the hay pile. I assume broody, but she had shown no signs of going broody. She did not growl or shriek at me when I got close like she normally would. She was also partially covered with loose hay. Bunny's leg is irreparably broken at the joint. I am sick over this. I've killed my hen. I cannot fix this. No amount of cage rest or splinting will allow it to heal is a somewhat useable fashion.

Bunny just turned 4 last month. She was one of the first chicks Holly hatched. Holly let me interact with them from the moment she hatched. Bunny was the house chicken. She was the one who grandma allowed to lay on the couch and she was the one who hatched on the couch. Bunny had many years left and because of me. Because of my moment of carelessness those have been taken away. I have no one to blame but myself.

I am so sorry Bunny. You deserved better.

 

[Ponypoor]

One of the butterbirds is much larger and darker orange than the other two, does that mean anything at 10 weeks? I see no red comb or wattles to scream "boy"
View attachment 3948749
I don't think there are saddle feathers here?
View attachment 3948750
Slightly bigger comb, no wattles
View attachment 3948751
Absolutely peanut butter in color
View attachment 3948752
Here are the two paler sisters
View attachment 3948753
A bit of a comb
View attachment 3948754
Middle is the orange BOrp with a paler sister to the right.

I kind of hope that at least two BOrps are distinct looking so I have an excuse to keep two for eggies. My rule is I need to be able to tell each chicken apart from a bit of distance in case I need to medicate one.

View attachment 3948768
All three are in the background here, you can see the one in back is darker.

I have one who is darker more golden, I call her Goldie (I named her for Greg’s hen Goldie ).

I can tell my three apart by personalities.

 

[Ponypoor]

Friends I am stepping away from BYC for a few days.

I am so careful with my chickens. I watch where I step as they are always underfoot especially the silkies.

I went with dad to the store last night and was late getting home. Mom already fed the horses their grain and filled up the water. She did not give hay because a bale needed pulled down from the top. I went out to do it. I did not turn on the barn light and only took a head lamp with me.

I was not watching where I was going and I really was not looking. I stepped on Bunny. She was in front of the hay pile. I assume broody, but she had shown no signs of going broody. She did not growl or shriek at me when I got close like she normally would. She was also partially covered with loose hay. Bunny's leg is irreparably broken at the joint. I am sick over this. I've killed my hen. I cannot fix this. No amount of cage rest or splinting will allow it to heal is a somewhat useable fashion.

Bunny just turned 4 last month. She was one of the first chicks Holly hatched. Holly let me interact with them from the moment she hatched. Bunny was the house chicken. She was the one who grandma allowed to lay on the couch and she was the one who hatched on the couch. Bunny had many years left and because of me. Because of my moment of carelessness those have been taken away. I have no one to blame but myself.

I am so sorry Bunny. You deserved better.
View attachment 3948823

It was an accident, you are a very cautious chicken Hooman and take the best care of them. How could you have known? This was not your fault.

You did the right thing by Bunny - that is what we do with our pets. We give them a good life and make sure they don’t suffer.

 

[notabitail]

Friends I am stepping away from BYC for a few days.

I am so careful with my chickens. I watch where I step as they are always underfoot especially the silkies.

I went with dad to the store last night and was late getting home. Mom already fed the horses their grain and filled up the water. She did not give hay because a bale needed pulled down from the top. I went out to do it. I did not turn on the barn light and only took a head lamp with me.

I was not watching where I was going and I really was not looking. I stepped on Bunny. She was in front of the hay pile. I assume broody, but she had shown no signs of going broody. She did not growl or shriek at me when I got close like she normally would. She was also partially covered with loose hay. Bunny's leg is irreparably broken at the joint. I am sick over this. I've killed my hen. I cannot fix this. No amount of cage rest or splinting will allow it to heal is a somewhat useable fashion.

Bunny just turned 4 last month. She was one of the first chicks Holly hatched. Holly let me interact with them from the moment she hatched. Bunny was the house chicken. She was the one who grandma allowed to lay on the couch and she was the one who hatched on the couch. Bunny had many years left and because of me. Because of my moment of carelessness those have been taken away. I have no one to blame but myself.

I am so sorry Bunny. You deserved better.
View attachment 3948823

 

[featherhead007]

I’m having the worst day of my life today. I can’t seem to do anything right. I’m glad I have chooks that don’t judge me. They are the only sanity that I have today.

 

[featherhead007]

Gotcha!

She’s a chicken then.