Hi, Im Miranda and I am new to BackYardChickens

Date sort Score sort
Miranda G

Miranda G

Hatching
Jun 1, 2015
9
0
7
My family and I are raising seven beautiful hens (hopefully). Their names are Little Red, Amber, Scarlet, Clove, Ruffles, Nugget, and Sunny!! My top favorite out of all of them is Ruffles because she lets me hold her and pet her, and when I walk to the Chicken coop she is the first to spot me and runs in my direction!! One of my other favorites is Amber, she is very docile and sweet but doesnt like to be held. I love every single one of them.

This is Scarlet ( Plymouth Rock) ( Is it a Cockerel?)


This is Ruffles (Do any of you happen to know her breed?)

This is Clove ( Easter Egger??)

This is Nugget ( what breed??)

This is Sunny (Buck Eye)

This is Amber ( Maran)

This is Little Red (is she a actually a Cockerel?)


So I have one question, Little Red and Scarlet (pictures up above) they are fighting. Litlle Red will chase away Scarlet. Is it because of the pecking order? Little Red pecks and pulls Scarlet's comb and holds on. Why is she doing this? If you have any beginners tips please share!

Thannks for all your help!

-Miranda
 
Hello there Miranda and welcome to BYC!
frow.gif


Yes, I think you do have a few cockerels in there! But they are all so adorable!
love.gif


They are definitely establishing the pecking order and I believe both of these are males so yes, they may be fighting already. Did you get these as a straight run? There is more chances of roos being in straight runs than if you got these from a pullet bin.

Enjoy your babies, they sure are cute!!

Welcome to our flock!
 
Im so excited that you anwsered me so quickly!! No, we didn't purchase our chickens from a straight run, we bought them from a farmers market.
 
Miranda G said:
Im so excited that you anwsered me so quickly!! No, we didn't purchase our chickens from a straight run, we bought them from a farmers market.
Click to expand...

"Straight run" is simply the term used to refer to a group of chicks who have not been sexed as either male (cockerel) or female (pullet). Did the seller from the farmers' market state that these birds were sexed?
 
No,sadly the man who sold us the chickens was guessing on whether or not the were male or female. I undertand now with all the reading I have done, you can't just guess on the sex of the chicken at such a young age. The worry that I have is I might have too many rosters.
 
Miranda G said:
Thank you!! If we do have roos do you think the would crow at nine weeks?
Click to expand...

I have a little roo that started crowing at around 5-6 weeks. It was rather pitiful! I already knew he was a roo, however. I can't have roosters where I live, so I sadly rehomed him with 5 other roos I received in a straight run. I also have a few that tried to crow - it'll be pretty obvious! No sound will come out. There is one more that I'm watching from that same SR that may be a "he". Time will tell. As for age, I believe it varies. I've also heard that some hens will try to crow in a flock with no rooster.

Even if you purchase pullets, there is always a chance. I purchased 8 pullets a few weeks back and 4 (possibly 5) of them are looking like Roosters. One is already trying to crow. They were wing sexed. Vent sexing is more accurate.

I do believe you have 3 roos (Scarlet, Ruffles, and Little Red), but I'm not an expert. There are much more experienced members on here that can confirm or deny that.

Roo or pullet, you still have an adorable little flock there : )
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom