How old are they?

[wildcelticrose]

Hello,

On Sept 3rd, I purchased two pullets (on a whim).

I was told that they were "two or three months old" (reasonable answer from someone with that many chickens

I am hoping that they will be ready to lay in December (I have started using a light on a timer in the coop in the mornings so that I have more consistent eggs from my other two girls during holiday baking and nog season)

They are a Gold Laced Wyandotte Brahama F1 cross.

Lucy (the smaller of the two) is developing wattles.

Ethel (the larger of the two) is not. Ethel is almost as large as my 2 1/2 year old Rhode Island Red

I am not particularly familiar with either breed (other than they are winter hardy which is nice up here in the cold North) so I'm not certain what normal development for these breeds are.

Here's Lucy with her tiny wattles



poultry 014 by wildcelticrose, on Flickr

and here is the much larger (almost as large as my 2 1/2 year old Rhode Island Red
), yet wattleless Ethel


poultry 015 by wildcelticrose, on Flickr

 

[chickened]

Sounds about right, the Brahma may make them lay a little later than straight GLW's. Nice birds.

 

[wildcelticrose]

They are SO beautiful.

I wanted to get two hens that I knew would lay this winter (was purchasing a coop expansion as I've got Columbian Wyandotte chicks that were almost ready to go outside)

but these girls, although a bit younger than I was after were so pretty I could not resist them

I so hope they start laying in December; a girl's got to have her nog

Last year, my older girls (MaryAnn a Black Australorp and Ginger the Rhode Island Red) both laid eggs ON winter soltice (WAY up North) with no artificial lights...

how badass are my chickens/

Of course, what did I get his year on Summer Solstice (insanely long days up here?)

Not squat...

I live on a Funny Farm

~L

 

[chickened]

They may begin laying in December with lights, the Brahmas can take the cold very well. Do you make a mean eggnog?

 

[wildcelticrose]

Yes, fresh eggnog, lightly spiced, whipped to a froth.

uncooked as it should be with a splash of Canadian Whiskey

 

[wildcelticrose]

Last year, we had several days in the teens (many down to 13) both the Australop and even the Rhodie did well (I was out there constantly checking for frostbite and changing water) without any extra heat.

If it gets that cold again this year, I will probably put a heat lamp near the water.

 

[chickened]

I had a cold snap down to -6 and that one shut down all the laying except my buff orpingtons it also about killed my Penedesenca roo it got about half its comb. That nog sounds good.

 

[wildcelticrose]

Wow, that's a crazy cold snap

 

[drowningcreek]

No clue on the age, but thought it was funny that I have my 2 BLR Wyandottes hens named Ethel and Lucy, too.

 

[wildcelticrose]

That's hilarious!

I also have two hens Mary Ann (black australorp) and Ginger (rhode island red)

and two Columbian Wyandotte chicks (Laverne and Shirley) who turn six weeks old tomorrow and have recently been moved outside (so glad to no longer have chickens in the dining room)

~L