Illinois...

[Justso]

Chicago here. Anyone else from the Windy City? Would love to see pics of city coops and runs and get any tips for raising chickens in the city.
Thanks in advance.

I'd like to see that too!

 

[Faraday40]

I have to get my numbers down.... It's so HARD!

I sold 2 hens, GG and Glow, yesterday. I already miss them.

I also hope to sell the rest of my summer pullets and misc. chicks.....

The good news is that I sold Glow at a discount, so I may use her for breeding next spring. The woman will house her, feed her, and love her, but I can borrow her... or more likely try some artificial insemination with my Mr Wonderful. Glow is a beauty but I don't have the space to keep & breed all the colors of orps that exist. (Wouldn't that be fun to try, though!?!) This way I can still play around with breeding Glow's genetics and prevent overcrowding in my coop.

 

[Molpet]

I have to get my numbers down.... It's so HARD!

I sold 2 hens, GG and Glow, yesterday. I already miss them.

I also hope to sell the rest of my summer pullets and misc. chicks.....

The good news is that I sold Glow at a discount, so I may use her for breeding next spring. The woman will house her, feed her, and love her, but I can borrow her... or more likely try some artificial insemination with my Mr Wonderful. Glow is a beauty but I don't have the space to keep & breed all the colors of orps that exist. (Wouldn't that be fun to try, though!?!) This way I can still play around with breeding Glow's genetics and prevent overcrowding in my coop.

Glow is beautiful .. I can see why you want some chicks out of her

Dinner is starting to molt.. and has one sickle feather left..

HOW RUDE!

He hops the dividing fence and romances all the ladies. Gets chased by all the roos too.
But he always wants back to the one coop at night.
He still eats the treats and doesn't share with the ladies.... and he wonders why they are not impressed with his charm

 

[cavemanrich]

@Faraday40
That is a GREAT IDEA......... have your traveling roosters make congenial visits to all the hens you are not able to house.
Then get the eggs and offer all the cockerels back to host.

 

[Faraday40]

@Faraday40
That is a GREAT IDEA......... have your traveling roosters make congenial visits to all the hens you are not able to house.
Then get the eggs and offer all the cockerels back to host.

Great idea - except for pawning off all the cockerels. LOL No one would like me after that! (Unless I gave away the cockerels already processed.)

If my roo cooperates & easily gives his donation, "Mr Wonderful" doesn't even have to leave home!

The retired woman, who took the hens, only wants pretty, cuddly, spoiled pets to lay enough eggs for her & her hubby. I know my girls landed a good home. Poor Glow was hatched here but sold last summer when I decided I didn't have enough room to breed both silver & gold laced orps. As requested, the owner gave me some of Glow's eggs in March but they were not fertile. (I think his laced orp roo was still too inexperienced at that time.) Then the man decided to get out of chickens & since Glow was one of my prized orps, she came back here. I know she was pretty bonded with her roo at her 2nd home, so his absence was hard on her. She seemed to remember my place & immediately sought out the company of her former hatch-mates. Of course I wanted her with the laced breeding group. She showed me by going into a hard molt a few days after returning! Now she finally looks amazing again & should start laying soon..... so I sold her to another new home. Poor, poor Glow! She's living the life of an Army brat. At least GG (one of her orig hatch-mates) went with her this time. There were some tears when they left, but I know I'll still get to see them. It also helps to know that they went to some "empty nesters." Their biological children have grown up & left home. Let's quickly fill that space with chickens!!!!

 

[Faraday40]

@Molpet
Turkey Photo Time!!!

All 3 walking to their cage.

Male??? (It's been my guess for a while now.) Isn't that just the cutest pathetic look?!

...and what's his color? Calico or Royal Palm? Doesn't really matter. I'm just curious.

He's mostly Blk/Wht but there are a couple tan areas. (Or he could have been sleeping under a roost. Icky!)

The other 2 browns:

This one was briefly fluffed out when Cookie (my broody bantam with chicks) started yelling at it.

and here's my silly Tillie. (not a turkey but she's either near them or trying to chase them)

The turkeys were hatched with 2 black chicks. At 1 week old, I already KNEW one chick was an obvious male. By 5 weeks, both had large hanging wattles & I changed my mind to 2 males.

Now, I'm not so sure.
11 weeks old today:
Is this pic below a slow maturing male with a smallish pink comb..... or female with giant red wattles?
I can't find any saddle feathers. Head & body shape look feminine.

 

[Molpet]

@Molpet
Turkey Photo Time!!!

All 3 walking to their cage.
View attachment 1526992

Male??? (It's been my guess for a while now.) Isn't that just the cutest pathetic look?!
View attachment 1526971

...and what's his color? Calico or Royal Palm? Doesn't really matter. I'm just curious.

He's mostly Blk/Wht but there are a couple tan areas. (Or he could have been sleeping under a roost. Icky!)
View attachment 1526972


The other 2 browns:
View attachment 1526995
View attachment 1526993
This one was briefly fluffed out when Cookie (my broody bantam with chicks) started yelling at it.
View attachment 1526994





and here's my silly Tillie. (not a turkey but she's either near them or trying to chase them)
View attachment 1527006

The turkeys were hatched with 2 black chicks. At 1 week old, I already KNEW one chick was an obvious male. By 5 weeks, both had large hanging wattles & I changed my mind to 2 males.
View attachment 1527015

Now, I'm not so sure.
11 weeks old today:
Is this pic below a slow maturing male with a smallish pink comb..... or female with giant red wattles?
I can't find any saddle feathers. Head & body shape look feminine.
View attachment 1527009

Looks like a palm boy...see how his snood is pulled up, sorta like a rhino horn, only boys can do that.. some palms do have a little brown, but for showing it's a disqualification... he may get more color when he molts

 

[Faraday40]

Thanks @Molpet . DS thinks the brown turkeys are a pair, but I'm not sure yet.

Does anyone have a gender guess about this lav orp? 4.5 weeks old
Normally a male would have a larger comb by now. The comb is very short and colorless... but I'm seeing some pink wattles. I'll try to get some better pics, but these chicks are fast.

 

[BReeder!]

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?

 

[BReeder!]

@Faraday40 our blue silver laced and lavender orpingtons are doing very well. I will attempt to get some photos tomorrow.