Gold Laced Wyandotte - pullet confirmation & question about age?

[MrsPapaBear]

I'm really interested in the answer to your question about free-range hens growing more slowly! My 20-week old girls seem so small compared to others of the same age and they aren't in a pen except to coop up at night.

Any expert thoughts on this?

 

[chkncrazy]

I'm really interested in the answer to your question about free-range hens growing more slowly! My 20-week old girls seem so small compared to others of the same age and they aren't in a pen except to coop up at night.

Any expert thoughts on this?

Maybe the cree rangers get more exercise etc.....

 

[loohoo]

I'm really interested in the answer to your question about free-range hens growing more slowly! My 20-week old girls seem so small compared to others of the same age and they aren't in a pen except to coop up at night.

Any expert thoughts on this?

I'm so interested in this! The size difference is very noticeable! All looked very healthy and happy, just much smaller. Ours that live in a run look like full grown, fat chickens! The only other chickens I can compare to, are a friends and hers have similar living conditions - not free range. Her youngsters are big like mine are.
It has to have something to do with the free range aspect- more excercise, and filling up on other things than just chicken feed.

 

[chkncrazy]

But then again somebody else can arguably notice a difference in the opposite direction being that the chickens have access to the feed and outdoor stuff as well so they might be getting bigger who knows maybe it all comes down to the specific breed

 

[The Happster]

Could she be a bantam?
She could just be a runt.
Have a supposed Jersey Giant hen. JGs get huge. Mine is tiny. I think she's just a runt too.
Wyandottes are typically a heavy bodied breed.

 

[loohoo]

Could she be a bantam?
She could just be a runt.
Have a supposed Jersey Giant hen. JGs get huge. Mine is tiny. I think she's just a runt too.
Wyandottes are typically a heavy bodied breed.

Her being a bantam has crossed my mind, as has her just being a runt!
I'm wondering this morning as others have said, if she's just a month younger than what they thought she was - they have a lot of babies hatching regularly, itd be easy to get mixed up. Her eyes are still a gray-ish color, rather than amber colored, like they are when they're younger. The only chirp I've heard her make has been stressed of course, new surroundings, nothings familiar, but it has that "cheep" sound to it while my 3 monthers sound more on their way to having grown up voices.
If she is more like 8 weeks old, rather than 3 months, do we still think pullet? I went back through pictures of mine (while different breeds of course) around that age and all, even the roo who flew under my radar for weeks as a girl, had more comb and wattles than this one has.

 

[chkncrazy]

Her being a bantam has crossed my mind, as has her just being a runt!
I'm wondering this morning as others have said, if she's just a month younger than what they thought she was - they have a lot of babies hatching regularly, itd be easy to get mixed up. Her eyes are still a gray-ish color, rather than amber colored, like they are when they're younger. The only chirp I've heard her make has been stressed of course, new surroundings, nothings familiar, but it has that "cheep" sound to it while my 3 monthers sound more on their way to having grown up voices.
If she is more like 8 weeks old, rather than 3 months, do we still think pullet? I went back through pictures of mine (while different breeds of course) around that age and all, even the roo who flew under my radar for weeks as a girl, had more comb and wattles than this one has.

Goodness ive have some chicks chirp jomto 3 months or better.... Its annoying lol

 

[The Happster]

Yes, it's a girl. Even at 8 weeks.
Her face has a distinct pullet look about it.
See how she grows and get back to us!
Hopefully she'll fill out a bit.

 

[loohoo]

Goodness ive have some chicks chirp jomto 3 months or better.... Its annoying lol

Lol! Yes, I prefer the big girl sounds over the cheeps! Lol one of our BO girls is soooooo loud and talkative, all "awwwwk awwwk awwwk" and shes brushed off on the Barred Rock who now does the same. It sounds like they're complaining all the time! But I'd rather listen to that than the high pitched peeping sound. (Cute as day old chicks and then it loses its cute lol)

 

[Backyard Hencam]

We were told this is a pullet, who is 3 months old. We just picked her up today. She is soooooo much smaller than the rest of our flock which is the same age. Her feet are smaller, everything is smaller!
We rehomed two cockerels to this location a while back and they are also smaller than the one cockerel we still have, who is the same age (& who will be leaving, as we can't have them here.). They were free ranging when we got there so I wondered, and this may be a silly question...does a chicken who free ranges grow differently than ones who are kept in a run and who's main source of food is chicken feed? Ours look like full grown chickens compared to this one, and they're supposed to be the same age. Or do we think this one is actually younger than 3 months?
Also, do we agree pullet? (I'm crossing all my fingers and toes on this, because we just have finally found homes for all our cockerels and this is the replacement. We can have 5 hens, per zoning.)
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