Hector's World: Adventures and Mayhem at Mountain View Poultry (or Sequel to The Evolution of Atlas

[speckledhen]

Maybe that is his line's defining trait. That and boundless energy

I'm already seeing that second trait, too. Just think, someone could have their very own Hector!

 

[1muttsfan]

I moved my mom and chicks into the small coop yesterday afternoon from their little pen. Late in the afternoon the rains set in, a monsoonal downpour (one bolt of lightening struck between myself and my neighbors, a great sizzling BAM that about jumped me off the couch). As evening came I though I had better check the littles. And there they were, all 9 of them huddled under their good mom out in the pen, who was half-standing over them with her wings spread out like an umbrella. Right next to the open coop door . So I tossed them into the coop, closed the doors, and there they will stay until tomorrow. She is not pleased. I would have taken a picture of them, it was so sweet, but it was still raining cats and dogs when I found them.

 

[speckledhen]

I moved my mom and chicks into the small coop yesterday afternoon from their little pen. Late in the afternoon the rains set in, a monsoonal downpour (one bolt of lightening struck between myself and my neighbors, a great sizzling BAM that about jumped me off the couch). As evening came I though I had better check the littles. And there they were, all 9 of them huddled under their good mom out in the pen, who was half-standing over them with her wings spread out like an umbrella. Right next to the open coop door . So I tossed them into the coop, closed the doors, and there they will stay until tomorrow. She is not pleased. I would have taken a picture of them, it was so sweet, but it was still raining cats and dogs when I found them.

Oh, no! At least she kept them dry, but good grief, mama, go inside!

 

[itspebbl]

 

[speckledhen]

New pics of Hector and Jill's two sons and one daughter, raised by Lizzie. They are 3 weeks old. I am considering putting Lizzie in with Hector when she's done being a mom. Seems a good time to do that.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Good meaty looking kids as always. She looks like a really good mom. Do you have guesses on their sexes yet? Do you find the head spots a reliable indicator? If you have answered somewhere else please excuse me for asking again.

 

[speckledhen]

Good meaty looking kids as always. She looks like a really good mom. Do you have guesses on their sexes yet? Do you find the head spots a reliable indicator? If you have answered somewhere else please excuse me for asking again.

Actually, I pegged these from hatch, the boys had such light, silvery down and the head spots matched that assessment, plus only one chick has a good deal of dark wash down the leg fronts and was black-black. So, yes, I am 100% positive on what these are, two boys and one girl. Sure wish it was the opposite split. That last pic are both the boys.

Adding that you can't go by head spot alone. They can have very subtle frosting around the head on the males that, at first, you don't see. Even the girl's head spot was questionable, until I saw how dark she was and her legs.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You seem to be having a rooster year, isn't it the year of the rooster? Thanks for informing me about which sex has the darker leg wash too, I didn't know that. I had heard people talk about it but I didn't understand what they were saying. I have always bought sexed hatchery barred rocks, so I wasn't familiar with the differences, beyond the head spot and barring differences.

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, it's a rooster year for me, at least with the BRs. The Brahmas seem to be more of an even split.

 

[1muttsfan]

Nice to have some that are easy to sex for a change