I purchased 3 chickens from a breeder ( Victoria, Australia ) ... a Barnevelder, RIR, and Welsummer ... and added 2 more chickens 4 weeks younger than the first 3 from another breeder - a Silkie and an Araucana ( Australian bred ). The first 3 are 23 weeks old and second 2 are 19 weeks old. I am fairly new to chicken raising, and want only 5 lovely feathered pets, who lay eggs. One of my chickens is now laying. They have all recently been in a heavy moult due I think to our hot summer. I think the Barnevelder is laying, as they are not big eggs by any means - about 500 - 600 grams. None of the others have begun - yet. The Barnevelder has a fully grown comb, and the RIR is growing hers nicely. She has just the 1 pink to red upright comb. The Welsummer who is a huge chicken - has barely begun to grow her comb. I will try and post a good photograph of my RIR, but from what I have gathered from 100's of photo's I have seen of rumpless birds, she is indeed rumpless. Her rear feathers hang down over her end, and she has that 'rounded' look. All the others ( except the silkie who has a large powder puff tail ) have fine upstanding tail feathers. Just wondering if there IS such a thing as a rumpless RIR ? When she first came home she picked incessantly at her rear and pulled feathers out, and on one occasion caused bleeding. That all stopped, and she grew what she now has - a rounded backside. Will be interested to hear from anyone who can help. Thanks in anticipation, Cheers, Anniebee.
Does she actually have a tail bone? Feel your other birds to see what the tail feels like, then feel her. She could have just damaged her feathers, I've seen that on here where the bird looks rumpless but it's just abnormal feather growth. Or, she could be a genetic variation and really be rumpless. It's not normal in a Red, as you know, but freaky things can happen from time to time.
Hi Rachel .... Thank you so much for your reply. I am sending this from my neighbour's computer as mine up and popped it's clogs on me last Thursday - never to be used again ... let alone being able to open the thing in any way to find out what was wrong. So I am out and about this week looking for a new one. It was almost 7 years old and had done very well. I have checked the tail bone on Molly the RIR, and it is very very small compared to the other 3 larger chickens. So I think - all that picking at it when she was younger, might have stunted its growth or something ... but there is a distinct difference between her and the other two. She, by the way, is the only one laying - 11 eggs now out of 12 days, smallish for an RIR - but she's only young. The Barnevelder has laid 1 egg ... and I think decided it was all too difficult !! LOL. Anyway, thanks so much again for your interest in replying to my long winded query. I will not be able to answer anything else at this stage - until I get myself a new computer - sooner than later I hope. Cheers, Anniebee.
Have my new computer, and am back on line. Thought I would give you a little update about my RIR "Molly" - who is still laying one egg per day, and her Barnevelder mate "Milly" is now matching her, egg for egg. The Welsummer "Mandy" still is not laying but is making a lot of noise each day, so I think she will lay soon - when she has eventually finished her moult which seems to be going on forever. Both my layers make fearful shrieks and cackles BEFORE laying - they make tweety little purring sounds as they lay - and then fall silent after the event. ! Someone told me that was very odd behaviour. But then I figure "why not" - I have 5 very odd chickens. My Araucana "Mindy" has done absolutely nothing. No eggs, but squats in laying position each morning with little success. She is however, not egg bound from what I can tell. And my dear wee Silkie, "Moppitt" has laid 1 tiny little egg. I might be lucky to get another one from her in a few weeks time. They are not exactly prolific at laying, are they !! Molly (RIR) is a real character - and one would think she'd never been fed. Attacks the plate or tray and me ( not nastily at all ) when I take treats out to them. They are all quite tame, especially Molly who flaps around and grabs at my jeans or skirt - sticks her beak into absolutely everything. Can't move in the chook pen without her 'help'. They are all priceless and I love them dearly. They are such a lot of fun. Cheers, Anniebee.
