How reliable a gender indicator is redness of peacomb in Easter Eggers?

[bruceha2000]

My two remaining hens (if you recall a hawk killed one of the three last year), if all goes well will turn 10 years old in April.

That is amazing! My oldest 3 will be 8 in June.

 

[bayareapilot]

UPDATED UPDATE:

So far all is well with the two cockerels in their separate area. The two pullets are also doing just fine. Today they chicks (cockerels and pullets) turned 16 weeks old. In another two weeks from today I will begin the switch from the medicated feed to layer feed for the pullets and flock raiser feed for the cockerels (higher in protein and muck lower in calcium than the layer feed).

Other than an occasional very brief challenge between the two cockerels, the two seem to be best of buddies (living in their separate area from the pullets). At six months, if they are still getting along reasonably well, it should be clear sailing after that (I hope).

They crow a time or two in the morning (around 7:30 or so) but not with any regularity yet - still an infrequent occurence.

That's about it.... Just wanted to let y'all know that they are all doing fine so far!

 

[chrissynemetz]

Thanks for the update! Any new pictures maybe?

 

[bruceha2000]

I've not had roosters but I would GUESS that the boys will get along fine if there aren't girls to fight over. One will be dominate over the other but no reason to bully him.

 

[bayareapilot]

That's what I'm hoping is the case since they are physically and visually (privacy screen over fencing) separated from the hens/pullets in a different area of the garden. Additionally they have a LARGE (compared to the hens and pullets) area to range over filled with some fruit trees, etc. So I figure the additional distance and trees and rosemary shrubs as barriers offer additional potential to reduce any tendancy to hurt one another. Very recently I heard the first 'adult' (almost in two more months) crow,,,,, bejjezus that was loud. I had made the mistake of thinking that the earlier crowing I had heard weeks earlier was it (MUCH lower in volume at that time). I must say though, that so far they crow very infrequently and thankfully (at least not yet anyway) not in the middle of the night or too early in the morning. They seem to crow when I peek over the fence at them (maybe look like a 'threat' from above, so-to-speak,,,, or maybe (?) they are just saying howdy? I don't know,,, never had roosters before and was counting on just having hens,,,, these two were a surprise....

 

[bayareapilot]

UPdate to updates....

I'll take some pictures today of the pullets and the cockerels. BTW, I *REALLY* hope it works out for the cockerels in terms of them getting along AND not disturbing the neighbors too much, because they really are very different from the hens/pullets that I've been used to. They are certainly more outgoing and were the first ones to approach me when the pullets were kind of standoffish (at least initially).

An unexpected benefit of where the cockerels are now (in a 'small collection' of dwarf fruit trees) is that they are superior 'weeders'. One of my least favorite thing do do on that side of the garden was all the weeding chores between the fruit trees, etc.. The cockerels do a VERY good job of keeping the ground surface weed-free. I have been cutting out a 'rogue' blackberry vine here and there, myself. Mainly wasn't sure if the cockerels could hurt themselves on the blackberry vine thorns? So, I err on the side of caution.

This is all an experiment since I've never had roosters before (certainly hadn't intended to either). The next thing I'm looking towards is when they hit six months old (sexually mature) and seeing how the (then) roosters will get along with each other. As I told my girlfriend, should they start hurting each other, they are getting rehomed. So, hopefully they get along with each other AND (!) the neighbors. Hopefully they won't overdo the crowing - time will tell........

 

[bruceha2000]

I doubt they would get hurt by the blackberry vines. They seem to know which things to stay away from.

 

[bayareapilot]

Took these today. I meant to get a pic of the pullets but forgot.

Sandy to my left and Norman (formerly was Nancy ) in the foreground.
When I took this picture I was sitting on a very short garden stool to see how close they would get. Sandy has always been the boldest one and in this picture she's actually just slightly left of my left leg. Norman will approach me but with more caution. Sandy I would guess he'll end up being the dominant rooster when he matures from a Cockerel into a .

 

[chrissynemetz]

Wow they're gorgeous!!

 

[bruceha2000]

and in this picture she's actually just slightly left of my left leg.

I guess that would be "picture HE'S actually"??

Lovely birds. Looks like they have a decent amount of space too.