How Should I Grow My Flock?

[Welshies]

You and me both friend, I'm in a normally warmer climate but I'm nursing frostbite something I've never seen or thought i had to worry about. I was wrong, got so cold even a rose comb got bit. No deaths but i accredited that to most of them being cold resistant breeds. I was worried about them overheating in the summer lol! I'm over that.

I never realized a rose comb could get entirely frozen till my roo last year lost his. I felt so badly.

 

[lomine]

Hmmm... these chicks are not much larger than a quail... at 10 weeks old. Not much meat on them.
I was considering buying Ameraucanas or EEs this spring to produce that colorful egg gene.

Hmm, that's small. Well just keep an eye on the boys. I felt very guilty that my hen was hurt because of my mismanagement. Hope you don't have too much trouble before they are old enough to butcher.

I thought you said you didn't want to get rid of your current flock. You can certainly add some hens with the blue egg gene to get more EEs from them but if your rooster doesn't have the gene, anything hatched from your Marans would just be mixed breeds.

 

[Welshies]

Hmm, that's small. Well just keep an eye on the boys. I felt very guilty that my hen was hurt because of my mismanagement. Hope you don't have too much trouble before they are old enough to butcher.

I thought you said you didn't want to get rid of your current flock. You can certainly add some hens with the blue egg gene to get more EEs from them but if your rooster doesn't have the gene, anything hatched from your Marans would just be mixed breeds.

We honestly may just eat them at 14 weeks... not huge birds, but still meat.
I don't want to get rid of my flock. Adding EE hens would create a colorful egg basket... my rooster is an Easter Egger. EEs crossed with Marans produces an olive egger chick. I have been told by multiple, reputable BYC members that my hens were Marans, and my rooster was an unmuffed unbeared EE.
I could also get rid of my roo and get an easter egger roo and a couple EE hens... My roo did scalp a chick once. So, either way...

 

[Chickassan]

Neither did I, the rosie was the one i wasn't too worried about. You know they say don't worry about small combed birds, totally not true. I'm running power to my coop before next winter, i feel terrible that they got so cold. I'm not a coddler, but i can't let that happen again it's ridiculous.

I never realized a rose comb could get entirely frozen till my roo last year lost his. I felt so badly.

 

[Welshies]

Neither did I, the rosie was the one i wasn't too worried about. You know they say don't worry about small combed birds, totally not true. I'm running power to my coop before next winter, i feel terrible that they got so cold. I'm not a coddler, but i can't let that happen again it's ridiculous.

I am lucky enough to have power at my coop this winter. I love my birds, and I know how hardy they can be... but would I rather leave them to survive and lose one or two, or have them thrive?

 

[lomine]

We honestly may just eat them at 14 weeks... not huge birds, but still meat.
I don't want to get rid of my flock. Adding EE hens would create a colorful egg basket... my rooster is an Easter Egger. EEs crossed with Marans produces an olive egger chick. I have been told by multiple, reputable BYC members that my hens were Marans, and my rooster was an unmuffed unbeared EE.
I could also get rid of my roo and get an easter egger roo and a couple EE hens... My roo did scalp a chick once. So, either way...

I’m not saying he’s not an EE. But just because he is an EE doesn’t mean he carries the blue egg gene. You know how some EE hens can lay a brown egg? Well it means they don’t have a blue egg gene. The same goes for an EE rooster. The only way to find out is to see what color eggs his daughters lay.

 

[Welshies]

I’m not saying he’s not an EE. But just because he is an EE doesn’t mean he carries the blue egg gene. You know how some EE hens can lay a brown egg? Well it means they don’t have a blue egg gene. The same goes for an EE rooster. The only way to find out is to see what color eggs his daughters lay.

Hmmm.... Interesting!
For now I'll keep him. Maybe one or two daughters (I only have two). In the spring I might order 15 or so EE chicks or hatching eggs. They are in demand here and I've heard great things about them. I could get rid of my rooster after he scalped my favorite chick, but not my hens- I love my current hens.

 

[Chickassan]

I thought about that. I know they're chickens but in extreme circumstances I've come to the personal decision that it isn't the time to see who's strongest. I think they're all pretty tough to not just keel over i certainly would lol! If seeing who's going to thrive means freezing everyone I'm just not doing it. I'm getting soft in my old age.

I am lucky enough to have power at my coop this winter. I love my birds, and I know how hardy they can be... but would I rather leave them to survive and lose one or two, or have them thrive?

 

[keesmom]

Then you do what you think is the best thing. Horrible bright side, you know now how awful winters are and what you're going to have to do to manage it. I'm having to learn some of those lessons too.

Managing a breeder chicken flock isn't always easy. From culling chicks due to failure to thrive, birth defects, etc, to culling excess cockerels and pullets, to managing older layers and birds that don't fit in, and the list goes on. Everyone has different challenges to face.

 

[lomine]

Hmmm.... Interesting!
For now I'll keep him. Maybe one or two daughters (I only have two). In the spring I might order 15 or so EE chicks or hatching eggs. They are in demand here and I've heard great things about them. I could get rid of my rooster after he scalped my favorite chick, but not my hens- I love my current hens.

If you do look for another rooster and want to guarantee the offspring from your Marans carry the blue egg gene you'll want to use a rooster that is pure for the blue egg gene, such as an Ameraucana or Legbar. I personally wouldn't keep one that I knew hurt a chick. Though if he is young it may be he was over zealous or maybe just curious and could be something he'll grow out of.

I know how you feel about hatching so few pullets. I hatched 15 chicks last year and only got 3 pullets. At least they are all pretty. Mine are also EE and I really want green eggs.