Illinois...

[Faraday40]

Any signs of the minks? Hope they don't come to visit any of your coops. I also saw this posted on FB this week. They were spotted near Lake Carroll
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I have moved the juvies into the big coop, I still have to put them in every nite. First time I have chickens that don't want to go in on their own. Stubborn teeanagers!

Then I put the 3 chicks from Junibutt into the dog house coop. It has been plenty warm enough for them, and they have a little run area, safe from the big guys, but they all come and visit them. They seem to be enjoying it. I was worried about Cocci, since they are at that age, but so far so good.

Woah! I'd be scared to see a family of those in my backyard! Our handyman saw a huge cat eating a rabbit in his alley one morning. At 1st he thought is was a really really really big cat, but when he got his glasses, he said it was a bobcat. (I didn't believe him until others had similar sightings in Westmont & Downers Grove.)

 

[Junibutt]

To help get our minds off the death of Hen Solo, I worked with DD on some photography.
Jewel: Before & After the magic of cropping
(She's entering the last pic of Jewel.)



and also some fun photo editing. We tried using the other roos, but Brick has always been the best model. Which style do you think is better? DD's going to enter the one on right.


Other pics that she took & we liked, but she can only enter 1 8x10 and then 1 photo edit. If anyone has any words of wisdom or advice on picking a photo, please share.
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Here's one of our Mini Moose. See what I mean about how there's no comparison to Brick?
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IMO, Oopsie's blue daughter is the best. I am a little biased of course

 

[Faraday40]

I have moved the juvies into the big coop, I still have to put them in every nite. First time I have chickens that don't want to go in on their own. Stubborn teeanagers!

The good news is that they should learn in 2-5 days. I go through this often. The kids & I have a routine of grabbing brooms or snow shovels & walking behind the group of Teens. We use to wonder what the neighbors thought, but just don't worry any more. I'm guessing my backyard provides entertainment for all.

My bigger problem is keeping the chicks & teens from sleeping in the nest boxes. I really dislike poop in there. I've been blocking it off every evening & opening it each morning. Often one of my big orps wants to lay an egg before 8am, so she plows through or knocks down my blockade.

Are you able to sex any of the chicks from @Junibutt ? Any recent pics?

Right now only one silver laced orp looks like a possible male.

 

[Junibutt]

@Faraday40 I only have 1 obvious boy (Jubilee) out of the ten I kept. Even the one black I kept that was theoretically supposed to be a split to choc and mottled boy is looking like a pullet. I am not sure who that would happen but so far a pullet with full feathering and a full tail. I was able to tell the Jubilee boy at 2 weeks. They are 4 weeks today.

 

[Junibutt]

Here are the pics of the Jubilees. One Boy, the dark one is a girl and the 3rd I am inclined to be a girl but I will keep it undetermined for now. Pics are a week old.

I am selling the Jubilees in case someone is interested. It would possibly be a nice trio!
I can't tell so far but the boy may be a blue Jubilee.

I took a closer look today since they have feathered some more and the definite boy is looking more like a blue jubilee. The not so definite chick is now looking like a boy to me.

 

[Junibutt]

I am selling two of my Chocolate English Orps. If interested please send me a PM and I will take fresh pictures for you.

1- Just turned 1 year old Brownie lays 3-4 eggs a week
2- Her 2 and 1/4 year old mother Godiva AKA "The Lazy One" who likes to sit all the time has long nails like witches. Although when its time for treats or laying eggs, she can jump 3 feet up into the garage.

 

[Faraday40]

@Faraday40 I only have 1 obvious boy (Jubilee) out of the ten I kept. Even the one black I kept that was theoretically supposed to be a split to choc and mottled boy is looking like a pullet. I am not sure who that would happen but so far a pullet with full feathering and a full tail. I was able to tell the Jubilee boy at 2 weeks. They are 4 weeks today.

That's so strange because I too seem to have a brooder filled with pullets. The one that might be male has only a slight hue of pink when it's hot. It's also a lighter feathered bird. Often those have more contrast with their light feathers so the females may look pink while a male will look red. I'm guessing I'll have more than one male & that this line is just slower to mature. I'm used to being able to choose the best roo from several males, but instead, I will have to get rid of females. (Not looking forward to those decisions!)

I'm going to want your opinion on the blue laced orps. Both are so different. One looks like it could be a laced but I just can't tell the color. The other looks sort of like a Jubilee to me.

 

[Faraday40]

Just ran out & took some pics.

I'd love to hear opinions & gender predictions:

Black Lavender splits
#1 had an injury/cut. It healed up well but I believe it's a little slower growing because of it. OR It could be a male. Both have the same size comb & wattles. #1 is more feisty due to daily disinfectant.

#2 has more feather growth. Pretty sure it's female.

Blue Laced:
This darker one always looked gray brown to me. Now it's getting spangling?
Slowest on feather growth & no real tail yet. No comb or wattles yet, but I wonder if it's male only because of the lack of feathers.

The lighter blue laced chick

BLue Buff Columbian:
Still a puzzler, but I like the color. It's the biggest chick from @Junibutt 's eggs

Gold Laced:
Sadly Grumpy (1st chick hatched & DD's fav) died at about 5-7 days old. The other GLO was born with a closed eye. Still looks strange but she's the 2nd biggest & very friendly. HUGE tail

Silver laced:
#1 is the one I said was male when only 2 weeks old. The comb looks pink too.
Niether SLs have tails.

#2 looks more feminine, but I could be wrong.

 

[daffy4ducks]

Any fellow featherheads from the central area in here?

 

[ChicagoClucker]

@Faraday40
I will have to get some current pics tomorrow. But I knew I had a cockerel with the blue cuckoo because of the dot on his head. Both of the chocolate silver laced had dots on their heads but the 1 developed a large yellow comb right away. The other had a almost nothing black comb. So assumed I had perhaps 1 female. We shall see. I want to say the Blue Laced chick that you said looks gray brown, looks just like my choc silver laced chicks. I don't think it is a blue laced. I will post pics tomorrow.

@Junibutt your Jubilees are cuties!