Mis Pollitos

[mispollitos]

gracias! Yes, we have nearly 7 years living in Mexico, this area and know very well about pricing. But believe it or not, I actually bought a diamond here and for 6 months, until I could confirm it was a diamond in the US, thought I'd been taken. I was not. We've always had people look after us and we don't pay gringo prices. We pay Mexican. After going over the story with my husband, there just wasn't any reason for the seller to lie to us. He could have told m the fuzzy painted chicks were laying hens, if he was desperate to sell. Or told me the roosters were laying hens, or the pheasants were laying hens as well. We are both "fluent" enough to not be taken. We paid $18 pesos a chick....$1.43 at todays exchange rate. I'd heard some were buy chicks for $1.50 in the states so I don't feel taken there. Mi problema is that I'm already getting attached to them. They are so cute *said with a squeal* If 2 or 3 are hens, I'll be happy. 3 is all I really wanted but hubby thought it'd be wise to buy 5. I've softened to a rooster although, I don't think anyone else has. It'll break my heart to make soup out of them

Thank you for your help with the DE. We know the pool supply store has it but not clear where to find it in food grade. You know Mexico, it's not going to be where a "logical" American mind would put it.

 

[lacasitarojafarm]

You gotta believe in other people and at some point don't you? You also *do* become a local at some point. I have lived here in Washington for 11 years and I feel local now. I am jealous of you right now though. Our weather has been terrible.

Yes you do get attached to the little fuzzybutts. I love 'em.

Best to you!

 

[mispollitos]

You surprise me, you're English is excellent. I don't remember if Panama is like Puerto Rico and Guatemala...is a lot of English spoken there?

Every morning I'm in awe of this beautiful place I'm so blessed to live in.*tear* I love our life here.

I'm just wondering if anyone can tell if my birds have a dark wash on their legs from the pictures I posted. I only took pictures of two. All 4 look similar. It's the one with the crazy head that I thought may be a rooster when the seller threw him in

Live and learn.

As far as being a local. We pretty much had locals with us everyday for the 1st 4 1/2 years living in Guadalajara. Learned the language must faster that way. The world is getting smaller all of the time though. We can fool Mexicans when we talk, if we want to. But my vocabulary is not what my husband's is. He reads in Spanish. In fact, a Mexican lady asked him the other day if he was born here.

Usually they ask if he's from France or Germany. His accent is more European whilst mine is still gringo if I talk fast.

Hope we get back to the chickens. I wish there was one site with more photos of the chicks at each week while growing into chickens.

 

[sheila3935]

On barred rocks the males will be lighter in color than the females will get combs early and turn red early by 4 weeks I usually know if boy or girl. With a mix it may be different. On yours with the larger headspots and seems like lighter color they all look male. Also on the males the barring of white will be wider. My females look dark compared to the males. The black splash on the front of the legs are there to stay. Some say the males wont have the black splash but I have a roo that had black down his legs and he is all boy.

Hope I am wrong but with getting 7 roos this year I've gotten pretty good at spotting them

 

[carrlr]

I think they are black sex-linked, so the colorings will be off from a true barred rock. Male barred rocks have two white bands and one black. Females have two black bands and one white. So when they are adult the females will look darker. Here's is something you could try. Carefully hold your chicks upside down with there necks free to move. Some say if they curl their heads inwards towards their chest it's a girl and if they stretch their necks out and backwards it's a boy.

 

[mispollitos]

lacasitarojafarm, I'm going to take a trip into town and see if I can get the seller to give me an idea who the parents are. Let me know what your hubby thinks.

Thank you to everyone for trying to help me. I need to grow more patience in this area. If by looking at them you all know they are male, I sure would like to get some girls but my hubby says I'll have to wait.

 

[mispollitos]

Tried taking more pictures...still hoping for a hen in this bunch...now off to town to talk to the seller!

 

[Kenshan1]

If they have darker legs which it looks like they are from your more recent pics then they could be cuckoo marans. Mine started out looking like that. Even had several people on here say I had roos because of the combs but now at 10wks almost 11wks they all are the same, no changes in the combs. When one runs around alot I see it get a little redder but it always comes back to pale color. I think the one with the more colored face if different from the others.

Shannon

 

[gryeyes]

Pardon! Don't mind me, I'm just eaves-dropping and enjoying this thread a great deal. Tengo Espanol, un poco.

 

[mispollitos]

Quote:
haha glad we're having some fun!!!

Well, the seller was very nice and helpful. He said that they are called, "Rod Line." He wasn't sure how it was spelled but his pronunciation was Rhode Line aka Rhode Island. I told him about the foro/forum and he said perhaps it's different in Mexico than the US. He didn't know but they were too young to tell the sex and his distributor could not lie to him and sell him only pollo/machos/boys. I expressed my doubts about there being any girls in the bunch and he said on Monday, he'll get a whole new bunch of pollitos. There will be some red in the bunch and I can come and compare and exchange mine for new ones!!! So, I have the weekend to know how to spot the girls!!! From what everyone has been telling me, the darker the pollo & darker legs mean girls??? Here goes picture hunting again! Rhode Island. He said they are massively produced here in Mexico and very common.

He also mentioned that I wouldn't know for sure for 1-3 months and that the males have big combs & tail feathers and the girls don't. They have a round head and no long tail feathers.