MissE
Crowing
I bought six Hyline Brown POL on 4/10/21. Very nice looking birds, however one does have a cross beak. Her bottom beak is fine, but the top one bends in the middle at a 90 degree angle. It doesn't seem to affect her eating or drinking and she's the same size as the others.
They spent quarantine in a tractor. It would have been nicer if Mother Nature wasn't such a cranky old battle axe, but some chilly weather and a full week of rain with daytime highs in the 40s didn't bother them a bit.
Yesterday we moved the tractor into the pasture for some look but don't touch time. I did, briefly and under constant supervision, let them interact with the other chickens today, and every one behaved as well as could be expected. Otherwise, they have a fenced off section to roam and do chicken stuff without the others bothering them.
These birds were raised for a commercial farm that sells pasture raised eggs. Well, as much as you can pasture chickens in northern MN. Last year and this year due to COVID, they offered to order 500 pullets for the public when they placed their spring order.
I can't believe how friendly they are. My ISAs purchased at about the same age were friendly too, but not like this. They literally race up to me and are constantly under my feet. They love to peck my pants and boots. One even flew up and tried to grab my sweatshirt string. Um, no, that's not food, and jumping on me is not allowed.
The several batches of chicks I've raised have never been this friendly. Trying to catch them is like trying to herd cats, but these girls have no problem being picked up and carried. I don't get it. I can't imagine they had much for human interaction.
I don't turn my birds into pets, but if was ever going to, they would be it.
They are squatting already, so hopefully introduction goes well. My new coop won't be here for a couple weeks yet, and I don't want them laying in the tractor. I might block the pop door and confine them to the run to get them used to roosting in there and add a couple nest boxes. The other birds can use the man door to access the pasture. The run is tarped and open on one end. Should be plenty sheltered for now. Certainly no worse than the tractor.
They spent quarantine in a tractor. It would have been nicer if Mother Nature wasn't such a cranky old battle axe, but some chilly weather and a full week of rain with daytime highs in the 40s didn't bother them a bit.
Yesterday we moved the tractor into the pasture for some look but don't touch time. I did, briefly and under constant supervision, let them interact with the other chickens today, and every one behaved as well as could be expected. Otherwise, they have a fenced off section to roam and do chicken stuff without the others bothering them.
These birds were raised for a commercial farm that sells pasture raised eggs. Well, as much as you can pasture chickens in northern MN. Last year and this year due to COVID, they offered to order 500 pullets for the public when they placed their spring order.
I can't believe how friendly they are. My ISAs purchased at about the same age were friendly too, but not like this. They literally race up to me and are constantly under my feet. They love to peck my pants and boots. One even flew up and tried to grab my sweatshirt string. Um, no, that's not food, and jumping on me is not allowed.
The several batches of chicks I've raised have never been this friendly. Trying to catch them is like trying to herd cats, but these girls have no problem being picked up and carried. I don't get it. I can't imagine they had much for human interaction.
I don't turn my birds into pets, but if was ever going to, they would be it.
They are squatting already, so hopefully introduction goes well. My new coop won't be here for a couple weeks yet, and I don't want them laying in the tractor. I might block the pop door and confine them to the run to get them used to roosting in there and add a couple nest boxes. The other birds can use the man door to access the pasture. The run is tarped and open on one end. Should be plenty sheltered for now. Certainly no worse than the tractor.
