Illinois...

[Molpet]

I haven't been on here much lately. Job and family (our chicken ladies includies) have been keeping me busy. I did finally begin to introduce our two younger hens (about 3 months old) to the flock (5 hens who are all nearly 6 months old). I have had success with them in the yard together (more space) and now in the run together. The two youngest hens still go to the covered dog kennel tip sleep at night. The are not willing to venture into the coop at all. They prefer to nest together in the kennel, which had been their home since they left the brooder. I am wanting them to all spend the night together in the coop. I am afraid that forcing the younger hens into the coop could result in stress and potentially pecking from the older hens in a confined space together. Any suggestions my fellow Illini aviarians?

How big is the coop? Needs to be at least 30 sq ft more is better.
I had a hatch that was brooded in a dog house in a large coop that stayed in the dog house for a couple months after they were laying. I finally kicked them out in spring for the next broody.
The younger will get picked on no matter what.

 

[Molpet]

@Faraday40 the cx mixed white have always had yellow legs. Some have gray this year. I wonder if they could be out of'dinner' ?

 

[Faraday40]

@Faraday40 the cx mixed white have always had yellow legs. Some have gray this year. I wonder if they could be out of'dinner' ?
View attachment 1530226

Yep. It looks to me like Dinner's been flying the fence to visit your CX hens. I always said he was a lover not a fighter. I find the light feathers with darker features a really nice look. The bird pictured even has a little gold highlights on the head just like Dinner. I hope they inherit his good looks but grow quickly like your CX.

 

[Molpet]

Yep. It looks to me like Dinner's been flying the fence to visit your CX hens. I always said he was a lover not a fighter. I find the light feathers with darker features a really nice look. The bird pictured even has a little gold highlights on the head just like Dinner. I hope they inherit his good looks but grow quickly like your CX.

There are 2 white pullets with gray legs, that I have noticed. They are growing the same as most of the white pullets with yellow legs. Which is heavier than the black pullets. One Black pullet has the frame of a jersey giant, I haven't picked her up but she looks nice.

The white cockerels haven't been as big as last years, but bigger than a full heritage. Well most are too young to tell though. I had 5 that for one reason or another are not going to be breeders... I think I have at least a dz under 4 wks running around. Hoping one will be worth keeping as a roo.. At 15 wks I processed 2 and they were just over 4 lbs, usually at 16 wks they were over 5 lbs. I don't think they would have gained a lb in a week. I needed the pen for some heritage mix cockerels that were trying to figure out what girls are for. They are due for the freezer camp bus at the end of the month I think.


eta I just went and looked at the cotton balls with toothpick legs some of them have gray legs too.. they look like pullets based on combs, but dinner has a small comb so I will see

 

[BReeder!]

How big is the coop? Needs to be at least 30 sq ft more is better.
I had a hatch that was brooded in a dog house in a large coop that stayed in the dog house for a couple months after they were laying. I finally kicked them out in spring for the next broody.
The younger will get picked on no matter what.

8'x4'x4'

 

[Molpet]

8'x4'x4'

Should be big enough

 

[Molpet]

I also have a brown pullet? from the pen dinner is supposed to be in...has a white CX mix roo and hens...mixed bjg hens, mixed barred and black CX hens, br hen... I never had a brown Bird before...any chocolate in dinners background

 

[Faraday40]

I also have a brown pullet? from the pen dinner is supposed to be in...has a white CX mix roo and hens...mixed bjg hens, mixed barred and black CX hens, br hen... I never had a brown Bird before...any chocolate in dinners background
View attachment 1531267

I have a handful of orps that can throw choc chicks. (My blues can sometimes be genetically "mauve" so they must carry the choc gene. It's the same orp line from Junibutt that carries the recessive white gene.) I do not think Dinner has any genetics from that line, but if you start getting more choc colored chicks, then I guess it's possible. Dinner was not what I was looking for in a breeder but he has the lav gene, the big size, a very pleasant appearance, and a great disposition. That's why I could not let him become his namesake. I knew he'd live a longer life at your place and I thank you for taking him. I also hope he outgrew his cockerel quirks by now and has become a gentleman with the hens.

Here's a scene from last night. I let the turkeys out of the tractor about 30-60 min before we close up the coop. I guess they wanted to sleep ON the coop instead of INSIDE the coop. They were comfy on top of the door & upset when I made them get down.

 

[Molpet]

I have a handful of orps that can throw choc chicks. (My blues can sometimes be genetically "mauve" so they must carry the choc gene. It's the same orp line from Junibutt that carries the recessive white gene.) I do not think Dinner has any genetics from that line, but if you start getting more choc colored chicks, then I guess it's possible. Dinner was not what I was looking for in a breeder but he has the lav gene, the big size, a very pleasant appearance, and a great disposition. That's why I could not let him become his namesake. I knew he'd live a longer life at your place and I thank you for taking him. I also hope he outgrew his cockerel quirks by now and has become a gentleman with the hens.

Here's a scene from last night. I let the turkeys out of the tractor about 30-60 min before we close up the coop. I guess they wanted to sleep ON the coop instead of INSIDE the coop. They were comfy on top of the door & upset when I made them get down.
View attachment 1531315
View attachment 1531319

Dinner is a great boy, he is smart enough now to stay in the poultry yards and just hops between the two yards with girls in them. At first he would hop over the electric net and wander up to the house. I was worried a coyote would come by. He gives alerts for hawks now... at first when an alert was given he would just stand there paying no attention.
Dinner doesn't have any hens that took a shine to him this year, so he still chases down the unwilling, and gets chased from yard to yard by the other roos. It is his fitness routine LOL.. the roos are mild mannered and if he runs they are happy.
I am hoping that some of this years pullets will take a shine to him next spring. Also hoping for a white cockerel cx mix from this year that will be his subordinate sidekick in that yard. There are at least 2 prospects in that yard. I will keep the brown pullet, so far she looks good.

Silly turkeys
Yep my turkeys love the top of the coop door.. however they have it sagging from their weight. I hang a different shirt on it and they stay off of the door, if it's the same shirt every day they get use to it.

I think I have 5 jennies, all 4 calico looks like girls and one brown one. Another brown one I am not sure on.

 

[cavemanrich]

This is what is flying by my house today. Comes down at sunset. Half Mast.