Hello from Michigan

[Grandmas Coop]

Thank you! Your avatar picture is GORGEOUS!

fall is my favorite color

 

[Sammster]

fall is my favorite color

Same!!!

 

[cmom]

Belated How are your chicks doing? Has any turned out to be male? From the picture you posted, they all appeared to be females. I am a breeder. The females usually start to get their tail buds before the males do. I raise both Rose Comb and Single Comb Rhode Island Reds. I love my Reds. Good luck with your birds and have fun...

 

[Sammster]

Belated How are your chicks doing? Has any turned out to be male? From the picture you posted, they all appeared to be females. I am a breeder. The females usually start to get their tail buds before the males do. I raise both Rose Comb and Single Comb Rhode Island Reds. I love my Reds. Good luck with your birds and have fun...

Of the 3 chicks that I was concerned about ~ one ended up being male. One of the other 2 that concerned me definitely has a larger comb than the rest of my girls, but it never reached the size comb that the male's did. And she really is quite sweet.

So, now I am down to 5 chicks, and their tails all look the same, to me. Funny that you mentioned tail buds, though. The chick that ended up being Male DID get his tail later than the rest. But, when I mentioned it, way back then, no one thought much of it.

They will be 12 weeks old, tomorrow. I'll try to get updated photos, this weekend. Today, DH helped me winterize their coop/run with tarps. They will be dry and protected from winds.

My chicks will be 6 months old, just after Christmas. Do you think it's possible that they could lay eggs in the winter? Or more likely, not until spring?

 

[DobieLover]

Do you think it's possible that they could lay eggs in the winter? Or more likely, not until spring?

Anything is possible but they will likely hold out until spring due to the shorter days.

 

[Sally PB]

Funny that you mentioned tail buds, though. The chick that ended up being Male DID get his tail later than the rest. But, when I mentioned it, way back then, no one thought much of it.

That's because it is very unreliable. It's another hint about gender, but it can be totally wrong.

It works only in certain crosses between fast feathering and slow feathering chickens. That's all I know; it's a genetic thing, and I'm in the Kindergarten class at genetics school.