Introducing the Ideal Dozen

[3KillerBs]

I wasn't getting notifications, so I was about 5 pages behind. The chicks are looking great!

Miss one notification once and you stop getting them until you catch up completely.

I make a habit of going through my "watched threads" once a week or so to catch what I've missed.

 

[3KillerBs]

Funny behavior!

2 of the suspected cockerels, En Croute (Langshan Green), and Dominique Green, are much bolder than the rest of the mini-flock, getting closer to the older ones than any of the others.

The Ladies just drive them back a bit, satisfied when they yield ground and turn over the weed or veggie scrap.

The Splits, especially Lickety (Split Red), do more chasing. I just watched Dominique Blue leave the mini-flock behind, go well into the Splits' territory near their coop, then get chased not just back to chick territory but clear around the brooder-coop until (s)he ducked into one of the hiding spots (a bit of plywood leaned up against the wall that's too small for the Splits to fit into).

(S)He squirted out the other end, leaving Lickety wondering where the little one had gone.

I'm not sure how serious this chasing behavior is. It seems to happen only in response to provocation -- En Croute or Dominique Blue encroaching into the Splits' space. After the initial hour or so the Splits stopped deliberately following the chicks around. No one is guarding feed or water.

I'd have given them another week of see-don't-touch but they're already big enough that the smallest Split can squeeze through the openings into the "playpen" through the smallest gate I can make in the current setup. I *might* be able to make those openings smaller tomorrow if more experienced people think I need to.

@aart, can you advise me?

 

[aart]

After the initial hour or so the Splits stopped deliberately following the chicks around. No one is guarding feed or water.

Sounds good to me.

 

[3KillerBs]

Sounds good to me.

Thanks for the reassurance.

I'm finding it interesting that the other suspected cockerel Langshan Purple, is spending most of his time hiding, often by (her)himself rather than boldly exploring -- (s)he has always been the last to try anything new in the brooder. Proof, perhaps, that sexing by behavior is unreliable?

The definite(?) girls are going around in one or two tight packs.

 

[3KillerBs]

And now I've just seen them using the adults as a "pick" -- running from the Splits, some of them will pass close by one of the Ladies. They take a quick peck in passing, but the Splits don't continue pursuit past the adults because they'll get peck for their presumption.

 

[Chick-Mahal]

I got a noisy box this morning!

12 handfuls of of concentrated cuteness.

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The whole "nothing but water for an hour" thing is no good when they start eating the bugs that died under the lamp last night as soon as they moved from the water toward the heat.

They've been out of the box for half an hour and they're zipping all around the brooder.

Mine are now 8 weeks old but new chicks are sooo cute. I am so enjoying watching them grow. It is so amazing. I have 13, bakers dozen! They are Australorps so I call them the Australorp gang!! They live in Chick-Mahal.

 

[3KillerBs]

7 weeks tomorrow. I did the catch and inspect today since I'm working tomorrow and the weather is going to deteriorate later this week.

I gave them all fresh, larger bands.

Photos follow, breed by breed.

 

[3KillerBs]

The Langshans. I think I have to be pretty certain at this point that En Croute (Green), and Purple are boys. I'm being told that a tendency to pasty butt is not hereditary, which is good news since I think I like him better at this point than Purple. Purple tends to hide in the coop instead of explore with the rest of the flock and is still short on feathers. He also panics over being handled whereas En Croute doesn't like it but calms once caught lightly restrained.

I'm astonished by the shine on their feathers at this point. The Splits only developed their green sheen around 12 weeks.

En Croute

Purple

Blue, who is slightly smaller and has a daintier, finer build.

 

[3KillerBs]

The Dominiques.

The feel of them is compact and solid. They're calmer being held than the Langshans and, when I'm done with them, instead of running away they keep jumping up to see what's going on while I handle the others. None of them stand out in any particular way yet, except for the suspected male, Blue, who is noticeably paler than the other Dominiques and the French Cuckoo Marans.

Green

Purple

Blue

 

[3KillerBs]

The Cochins

DS#3, whose birds they are, has been able to lure them with premium weeds to pet them and even to pick one of them up without protests.

The don't feel as solid as the Dominiques, though they are more compact than the Langhans.

Green

Purple

Blue