Hatching with 2 broodies

[halfbakedtulip]

@tommysgirl How did you know Cosmo was a boy so young? I ask because way back when we got our first friend for Banty it was the same farm that Dot and our little chipmunk came from. Charlotte was 18 weeks old and the same mix. At about 20-22 weeks...somewhere around there all of a sudden I saw a tail feather starting to get longer and curve and shimmer. I posted photos and worried and then came the horrendous cat screeching the one morning. Charlotte was in deed Charlie. Until then I had no idea and neither did the farm. He looked like a girl, was definitely bullied around by Banty. So Anyho I am curious how you knew? I need to know so I can tell on chipmunk haha They are all so annoyed with me staring at them

 

[tommysgirl]

@tommysgirl How did you know Cosmo was a boy so young? I ask because way back when we got our first friend for Banty it was the same farm that Dot and our little chipmunk came from. Charlotte was 18 weeks old and the same mix. At about 20-22 weeks...somewhere around there all of a sudden I saw a tail feather starting to get longer and curve and shimmer. I posted photos and worried and then came the horrendous cat screeching the one morning. Charlotte was in deed Charlie. Until then I had no idea and neither did the farm. He looked like a girl, was definitely bullied around by Banty. So Anyho I am curious how you knew? I need to know so I can tell on chipmunk haha They are all so annoyed with me staring at them

To be perfectly honest I don't but I was told before they hatched that the Silkie dad would pass on his silver color and black skin only to his female offspring and that the MF D'Uccle hen would pass her coloring on to the boys. It is untested since these guys are just 12-13 weeks old but he carries himself like a roo and acts like one too. I did sell two silvers to a local gal and one of them looked to be developing more of a comb so we will see. Is it possible that the people you got your eggs from might have had a sneaky roo get to their hen or do they only have silkies?

 

[ItalyChickie]

the ones that are opposite are easter egger, BO mix. BO dad X EE mom. I can tell the boys now because of their comb and the boys are fully feathered and the girls are lagging behind...which I've not encountered before. But I see it happening now. Their markings are the same between the genders of that particular cross...no like glaring red on wings or anything. Same patterns colors and markings, but the boys are feathered and have obvious combs while the girls have girly combs and far fewer feathers. The feathering difference isn't as pronounced with them as it is with the others. Just the tails really. Females still have a lot of fuzz while the males have actual tails.

Thanks! Just trying to figure out the rule and exception, and it doesn't seem to be as easy as I had thought. Pictures would help, of course, I understand that they take time, but just in case you had any extra time on your hands...

I don't know what to think except that this is a cutie!

Are pics of two of my three littlest littles. Do the wings look they are getting barred to you? If you answer yes then I am fairly certain that these two are both little cockerels. I am not mathematician but I just figured out that of the 33 chicks to hatched by broodies on this property in the last 11 mos (not counting the unsexed one that didn't make it

) the male to female ratio is 24/9



Cosmo is super cute too. The Del babies are 3 weeks younger but they are now bigger. He spars with them and he and Stella both roost with them and Jamie Lee. He doesn't know he is a bantam. I am trying to devise a plan where I can keep him forever while also adding my new NH rooster and keeping one of the Konzas that are being hatched for me. Good thing it takes so long for them to mature...I'll have time to plan and hatch my multi rooster plan.

Wow! Stella is a stunner!!!

Hope that multi rooster plan works out, as Cosmo is also adorable, as I'm sure I mentioned.

Sorry, I can't tell what the pattern on those baby wings is... I'll keep hoping that it isn't barred!

Yikes on that rooster ratio!!

Keeping this short as I'm about to flood the thread with Cochin wing shots, we'll see if others see something I fail to see there... In my news, Pallina is definitely broody... remind me to post a picture of her all puffed up, she is too funny! aaand I am getting some Aracauna eggs AND some mille fleur Sabelpoot eggs for her.

Hubby was too easy to convince, I almost felt disappointed as I was all ready to argue, but he caved in at mille fleur mention. He's worse than I am, he just hides it better!!!!

 

[ItalyChickie]

To be perfectly honest I don't but I was told before they hatched that the Silkie dad would pass on his silver color and black skin only to his female offspring and that the MF D'Uccle hen would pass her coloring on to the boys. It is untested since these guys are just 12-13 weeks old but he carries himself like a roo and acts like one too. I did sell two silvers to a local gal and one of them looked to be developing more of a comb so we will see. Is it possible that the people you got your eggs from might have had a sneaky roo get to their hen or do they only have silkies?

You know, it didn't work for me, though I suspect my roo isn't pure Silkie, so not sure it would apply...

 

[halfbakedtulip]

Hmm that is interesting! Well they only have 1 silkie and that is the white rooster. The other roosters are straight milles fleurs except for "Charlotte" and the hens are milles fleur with 1 a milles fleur/silkie mix. Here are pics although they arent a fair comparison...and looking at Charlotte in this pic it was obvious she was a he lol The hen is Lucy who is Charlottes sister but while Charlotte was only 22 weeks Lucy is about 9 months in this photo.


Charlotte


The interesting thing to note is that Lucy has black skin and charlotte has silvery skin. Also Charlotte has the mustache but Lucy doesn't. Dot however has a mustache but she isn't a mix. Neither charlotte or Lucy had the 5 toes but chipmunk does. Sigh...

 

[halfbakedtulip]

I wish I had a photo of Charlotte now. He is beyond gorgeous and sooooo tiny!

 

[ItalyChickie]

Okay, after stalking poor Bonnie for days, I have decent pictures of all the Cochins' wings... let's see if anybody sees the differences... I, quite frankly, am not seeing much except for the first two.

Here's my girl candidate number 1. Her comb is dark, whereas everyone else's has some yellow by now, and her wings are the most feathered out of all Cochins - but I mostly notice this by the shoulder feathers, not so much by wing feather length (front facing in first pic, close up second, then wings):






Boy candidate number 1 is code-named Blackie, as he has no white or grey fuzz on top, all the others do. His comb is defined and a rather bright orange (others are a much lighter shade of yellow), and the stance and behavior also say roo:






Then we have White Tip, whose comb is yellowish but very very flat - the second picture shows that fairly well, I almost thought he had a pea comb or something, can barely see the ridges. His wings, however are on the shorter side, although some shoulder feathers have sprouted over the past couple of days. I am thinking/hoping/praying girl:




The other three are somewhere in-between as far as feathering and combs, so I really don't know...

This one assumes the roo stance more often than others, I caught him at it in this pic:






This one looks girlish from comb and behavior, but wings aren't really much longer (it kinda looks like it in this pic, but I think it's because of the laying down position instead of standing tall):



This one I'm completely on the fence about, not seeing any gender signs either way, somewhere in the middle for both comb and wings:




An update pic of two buff and a lavender Orps for comparison - very very obvious wing differences, every day more so (so I'm still saying top one is girl, the other two boys):




And a group pic just for fun! (I promise everyone is there, even if you can't see them!)

So, if anyone has thoughts/observations, they are welcome! If not, I guess we'll keep this as reference and revisit in a month or so... hopefully I can remember which chick was which - not easy with those Cochins!

 

[halfbakedtulip]

Oh and I wanted to add that they have never hatched one who looks like your Stella...I asked LOL Silkie genetics I tell ya! She is so lovely

 

[halfbakedtulip]

I have no idea @ItalyChickie but they are adorable

 

[ItalyChickie]

I have no idea @ItalyChickie but they are adorable

Thanks! Can't argue with you there!

Sooner or later we'll figure them out, and it might be helpful for others later... at least with the Cochins and Orps.