Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[Melabella]

Ok friends, help me out here. I could be just paranoid because the Delaware turned out to be a roo but I think I am seeing signs of maleness in a few others.. What do you think?
columbian wyandotte (not the blue is bluekote, this one got bullied a bit. she has a tendency to want to hide under others when they want nothing to do with her.)



light brahma

I so hope I am wrong about these.

I certainly hate to be a Debbie Downer here, being the recipient of a mis sexed Columbian Wyandotte from Meyer 2 years ago.... BUT.. this is a cockrel.. I am almost positive. How old is this bird? He clearly has hackle feathers that are clearly pointed, and his saddle feathers are all ready starting to form in the clear marked pointy fashion. Last but not least.. his comb is FAR too developed and red. Sorry.....


Here is my Columbian Wyandotte from Meyer ...



First two pictures were the ones I sent to Meyer to show that he was a roo... in the second one you can see his breed partner that had absolutely no comb at that time what so ever. Just a little FYI... I decided to keep this roo,as I had intended to free range the flock and heard how important it was to have one He taught me an awful lot, and also how it is wonderful to have an attentive roo to watch over the girls and sound the alarm, BUT.. at 8/9 months of age, he turned into the meanest rooster that I hope I never have to come across again. He flew up at my daughter and flogged her, and that was the last day he was ever here again. My handyman took him for me. One NASTY roo, and I gave him many chances. He just was very human aggressive. If you intend to keep him, watch him carefully.

Sorry, But I think that the Brahma is a male as well. Again, what is the age? Clear saddle feathers forming. and a lot of red comb there!

I hope I am wrong.. but thinking I am not.

MB

 

[The Howards]

I was trying so hard to deny it. It looks like 4 out of 10 wrong! I simply can not have 7 roosters in the yard, they will have to go.... Will send Meyer an email tomorrow with pics, boohoo.

 

[daniellea2912]

I know the chick food is crumbles, I don't know about the layer because I haven't gotten it yet. I threw away my last bag (not the food, but the actual bag) so I will have to take a picture of the bag next time I'm at the store. 

Ok thanks! No rush, not like I'm tryna change super soon or anything

I swear, every bird call I heard today I thought was a hawk!  I have to go to youtube and listen to hawk calls so I know what to be listening for. Maybe you can put a few things in the pasture for them to hide under when the leaves start coming down? Like a small ladder with branches in it?  Just thinking here... 

I actually did a little research about building something for protection from hawks. Most seem to be a shelter that's just high enough for the chickens to fit under (sorta like a super short table) which I am planning to do soon! Seems like it would be pretty simple and cheap to make

So Pepper my CCL laid her first egg today! 22 weeks old yesterday. She was investigating the different nestboxes about 9 this morning and when I went to check on them at noon she was laying it. It's a pretty robins egg blue

Such a sweetie she is. Let me snap pics and basically have my face right in front of the nestbox the whole time lol

 

[Melabella]

@NotableNancy , I only ordered the 4 EE's this time. I have gotten a little out of control, trying to accumulate different color egg layers to put in my soon to be breeding pen with my new Swedish Flower Hen roosters. I am hoping to have 20 girls in with the two of them, and since they lay a brown egg, I am only putting in blue/green/and white egg layers to pick up the slack, until I can hatch more pullets. This way I know every single brown egg that is laid in that coop is from the Swede girls. I am excited to get them!


@pipdzipdnreadytogo I LOVE the dorking pictures! I have 3 three week olds growing out in the brooder. What color eggs do your girls lay, I am hoping mine are more white than cream/brown. Such beautiful birds,, and love the docile aspect. How do they hold their own in the coop with the other breeds, and have they ever gone broody on you? So excited to watch them grow.

MB

 

[Melabella]

I was trying so hard to deny it. It looks like 4 out of 10 wrong! I simply can not have 7 roosters in the yard, they will have to go.... Will send Meyer an email tomorrow with pics, boohoo.

That is scary.. far worse than the 90% they claim. I guess it's a very hard thing to do, vent sex.. but... those are horrible odds there. SO SORRY. I freaked out about the 1 roo...

uggg.. hugs to you!

MB

 

[The Howards]

That is scary.. far worse than the 90% they claim. I guess it's a very hard thing to do, vent sex.. but... those are horrible odds there. SO SORRY. I freaked out about the 1 roo...

uggg.. hugs to you!

MB

Thanks. Sad to say I am disappointed and hubby not too happy at this point either. I know there is a chance of it happening. It was only 10% last time when Jezebel turned out to be a Jazz but this is astounding.
It is very hard to rehome roos. They are beautiful birds though. I will probably keep lunkhead. He is too sweet. The others are very standoffish and don't want to socialize with me too much

 

[Melabella]

Emma, my Specked Sussex is 19 weeks and feathers are such a lovely pattern. No eggs yet.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

@NotableNancy
,  I only ordered the 4 EE's this time.  I have gotten a little out of control, trying to accumulate different color egg layers to put in my soon to be breeding pen with my new Swedish Flower Hen roosters.  I am hoping to have 20 girls in with the two of them, and since they lay a brown egg, I am only putting in blue/green/and white egg layers to pick up the slack, until I can hatch more pullets. This way I know every single brown egg that is laid in that coop is from the Swede girls.  I am excited to get them!


@pipdzipdnreadytogo
  I LOVE the dorking pictures!  I have 3 three week olds growing out in the brooder.  What color eggs do your girls lay, I am hoping mine are more white than cream/brown.  Such beautiful birds,, and love the docile aspect.  How do they hold their own in the coop with the other breeds, and have they ever gone broody on you?  So excited to watch them grow.

MB

They are only 17 weeks old, so no brooding or eggs yet. They've been in the flock since around 12 weeks if I remember right and haven't been picked on any more than the other babies their age. It's my poor Bielefelder that gets picked on the most, unfortunately. :/ Poor baby. But generally, they all get along fine, the big girls just give them a peck if they step out of line.

(Brilliant idea about the SFH egg colors, by the way! I was thinking of something similar for selling Easter-egger hatching eggs, just collecting the blue-shelled ones. EEs are pretty much mixed breeds anyway, so the boy in the mix wouldn't really matter, am I right?)

Thanks. Sad to say I am disappointed and hubby not too happy at this point either. I know there is a chance of it happening. It was only 10% last time when Jezebel turned out to be a Jazz but this is astounding. 

It is very hard to rehome roos. They are beautiful birds though. I will probably keep lunkhead. He is too sweet. The others are very standoffish and don't want to socialize with me too much

That always stinks! I know it's tough rehoming boys, so best of luck to you! I've ended up just keeping individual pens for roosters at one point because I had about 6 that I didn't want in the flock and that didn't get along with one another. I'm down to one at the moment and hoping to keep it that way!

Emma, my Specked Sussex is 19 weeks and feathers are such a lovely pattern. No eggs yet.

Beauty! I think my Meyer Speckled Sussex started laying at around 24 weeks old, but I can look it up for you. I know Biddy started laying first, which was remarkable because she had been the weakling runt of the brood.

 

[Melabella]

They are only 17 weeks old, so no brooding or eggs yet.

They've been in the flock since around 12 weeks if I remember right and haven't been picked on any more than the other babies their age. It's my poor Bielefelder that gets picked on the most, unfortunately.

Poor baby. But generally, they all get along fine, the big girls just give them a peck if they step out of line.

(Brilliant idea about the SFH egg colors, by the way! I was thinking of something similar for selling Easter-egger hatching eggs, just collecting the blue-shelled ones. EEs are pretty much mixed breeds anyway, so the boy in the mix wouldn't really matter, am I right?)

I had someone far more experienced than I tell me that an Easter Egger is a mixed breed from one purebred chicken that carries the blue egg gene, and another chicken that does not.. From what I understand, even if two purebred Ameraucanas are bred, and do not meet breed standards in some way, ie: color of legs or plumage, it's an EE. I am no expert, but that is what I was told. I have always toyed with getting some Bielefelders... do you like them so far? Beautiful birds! Right now I have three separate grow out pens going on... craziness! Hubby going a bit worried, but I assured him as soon as the second coop is ready, and the run is built... things will seem a bit more controlled. The chicken poo is driving us both a bit batty at the moment! Next Spring I am setting up a chicken fence so they stay behind the barn! Only problem is it doesn't look very pretty looking out towards the horse paddocks.

Have a great day all!

MB

 

[holm25]

Is this a partridge cochin? I have one as well and am trying to figure out if it is a female or if there is another sexing error..

Nope it is a Welsummer roo.

Ok friends, help me out here. I could be just paranoid because the Delaware turned out to be a roo but I think I am seeing signs of maleness in a few others.. What do you think?
columbian wyandotte (not the blue is bluekote, this one got bullied a bit. she has a tendency to want to hide under others when they want nothing to do with her.)

partridge cochin

light brahma

I so hope I am wrong about these.

All the birds in those pics look to be roos.

Nice photos!! Nice looking birds!

Thx!!!