"Mister" has come to town . . . guess what yaw'll?

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

I saw one of my roos mate a couple of hours ago. Well, well, well. He has earned the name "Mister" since he's walking all about the coop doing the do. Wonder when he began? I just went out to attempt a photo, but I'll get a better one when I step inside to feed them this evening.

I T H I N K he is a cochin. But wait, aren't they lil things? This bad boy stands head and shoulders above everyone else in the coop, strutting his stuff. He has the feathery leg thing going on. Hmmm,

For that matter everyone seems flighty today. Many are flying inside their hoop coop. There I am standing outside the coop looking in and some of them flew right at me (on the inside). I confess wondering had I been inside would that be them attacking me (oh nooooo).

I'll be glad when I order Premiere fencing next month so they may begin free ranging. I am reading up about chicken pastures too. But I suppose that won't come to fruition until the spring. But I am learning all I can now. Found out sweet potato vines are good for them so I purchased two sweet potatoes today at work and brought them home and set to rooting them for the chickies.

But, back to Mister; ain't he somethin'!? Pulling out my records to verify his age. Could it be that he is a Marans? He was hatched 8/3/22. That makes him round about 15 weeks old.

 

[3KillerBs]

I saw one of my roos mate a couple of hours ago. Well, well, well. He has earned the name "Mister" since he's walking all about the coop doing the do. Wonder when he began? I just went out to attempt a photo, but I'll get a better one when I step inside to feed them this evening.

I T H I N K he is a cochin. But wait, aren't they lil things? This bad boy stands head and shoulders above everyone else in the coop, strutting his stuff. He has the feathery leg thing going on. Hmmm,

For that matter everyone seems flighty today. Many are flying inside their hoop coop. There I am standing outside the coop looking in and some of them flew right at me (on the inside). I confess wondering had I been inside would that be them attacking me (oh nooooo).

I'll be glad when I order Premiere fencing next month so they may begin free ranging. I am reading up about chicken pastures too. But I suppose that won't come to fruition until the spring. But I am learning all I can now. Found out sweet potato vines are good for them so I purchased two sweet potatoes today at work and brought them home and set to rooting them for the chickies.

But, back to Mister; ain't he somethin'!? Pulling out my records to verify his age. Could it be that he is a Marans? He was hatched 8/3/22. That makes him round about 15 weeks old.

That's a lot of foot feathering for a Marans, but he could be.

Can you get clearer photos?

 

[Iluveggers]

Ditto! & remind us what breeds were in that group? You can hatch babies now! Will you get an incubator or rely on broodies only?

 

[FBMcrazy8]

I think it could be a Maran of some sort. But at the same time I could be soo wrong. From what I’m seeing it looks kinda like my French Black Marans feet. Do you remember what your order consisted of from this particular order?

My cockerel start trying to get at the girls since he was like 11weeks. It was about 3/4 weeks ago that the girls started coming around. Only a few though, so far my Brown Leghorns(2), Cuckoo Marans (2), French Black Maran, and my Sex Link. The other girls aren’t having it. But these girls are laying now…

I haven’t talked to you in a long while! I’m really curious how ALL those babies are doing?!? I have been really busy myself! I got 4 new Call Ducks. I spoke to the lady I got the original ones from and she had a weasel come in and get 4 out of her 20 breeding pairs. And those 4 where the most expensive, of course. But it kinda made me feel better. AND we breed our Rottweiler. She JUST had her babies on Wednesday!

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

That's a lot of foot feathering for a Marans, but he could be.

Can you get clearer photos?

OK later as today is my day off. Then again his brood mates were Dixie Rainbow and Welsummers (I think). My list is in the study room whereas I am under warm covers right now. Will double check later.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

Ditto! & remind us what breeds were in that group? You can hatch babies now! Will you get an incubator or rely on broodies only?

Broodies for my coop capacity has been reached as far as I am concerned. And I am thinking that whole process is not as simple as one may think. Not to mention all I have to do is eat any eggs and trust I will. Hubby thinks differently since they will be free ranging and only sleeping in coop. He is incorrect, of course.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

I think it could be a Maran of some sort. But at the same time I could be soo wrong. From what I’m seeing it looks kinda like my French Black Marans feet. Do you remember what your order consisted of from this particular order?

My cockerel start trying to get at the girls since he was like 11weeks. It was about 3/4 weeks ago that the girls started coming around. Only a few though, so far my Brown Leghorns(2), Cuckoo Marans (2), French Black Maran, and my Sex Link. The other girls aren’t having it. But these girls are laying now…

I haven’t talked to you in a long while! I’m really curious how ALL those babies are doing?!? I have been really busy myself! I got 4 new Call Ducks. I spoke to the lady I got the original ones from and she had a weasel come in and get 4 out of her 20 breeding pairs. And those 4 where the most expensive, of course. But it kinda made me feel better. AND we breed our Rottweiler. She JUST had her babies on Wednesday!

Yeah girl, you have been busy!

Me I am just trying to get coop bedding down pat! Seems my babies coop floor is always disgusting I can't keep up. Wanna quit my lil part time job so badly since getting chickens. But shoot that job has allowed me to get them in the first place. Not to mention I am still buying stuff for their upkeep not to mention feed. Feels like we go through 2 or more 50 lb bags a month (and now I am embarking on a feed change to lay plus shells while using grow for the others . Yet I digress.

Thankfully they have a hop coop.so no odor. 3/4 is covered with thick tarp but front is not. Rain makes floor wet. Wondering if I should tarp over the whole thing, hmm? I didn't want them living in a cave, wanted some sunlight to get to them but perhaps that will be a moot point once they begin free ranging next month.

Now I have straw, leaves, pine needles (that is wet) on the flooring. They have palet, old chair, roost, and tree stump, tree limb to get off floor if they choose. Honestly they do not seem phased about the flooring. It's me that thinks it disgusting.

 

[Callender Girl]

While there are Bantam Cochins, there are also full-sized Cochins -- I have some of each.
Granted, I am generally TERRIBLE at breed identification, but your boy looks a lot more like my Midnight Majesty Marans than any of my Cochins. But, clearly, he's handsome and virile!

Temps here had been frigid and there was snowfall. I am grateful for above-freezing weather, but the mud left behind is awful. I had been keeping everyone cooped and clean. Yesterday, I relented and opened the doors. My feathery mudballs seem much happier; me, not so much.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Yeah girl, you have been busy!

Me I am just trying to get coop bedding down pat! Seems my babies coop floor is always disgusting I can't keep up. Wanna quit my lil part time job so badly since getting chickens. But shoot that job has allowed me to get them in the first place. Not to mention I am still buying stuff for their upkeep not to mention feed. Feels like we go through 2 or more 50 lb bags a month (and now I am embarking on a feed change to lay plus shells while using grow for the others . Yet I digress.

Thankfully they have a hop coop.so no odor. 3/4 is covered with thick tarp but front is not. Rain makes floor wet. Wondering if I should tarp over the whole thing, hmm? I didn't want them living in a cave, wanted some sunlight to get to them but perhaps that will be a moot point once they begin free ranging next month.

Now I have straw, leaves, pine needles (that is wet) on the flooring. They have palet, old chair, roost, and tree stump, tree limb to get off floor if they choose. Honestly they do not seem phased about the flooring. It's me that thinks it disgusting.

You could do a tarp over the rest of the run when it rains and then flop it over your already existing when it isn’t raining. I have heard wood chips is really good for runs to keep them dry. I don’t have anything in my run except dirt. However, if it snows bad enough that I can’t shovel it out of the way for them to have a walking path then I will use straw for them to walk on. It snowed once already and I was able to shovel it out. Free ranging could help you out. I’m not saying either that mine is a perfect run but I do have a pretty big area for them. I also will let them out every once in a while to free range. It’s a little easier now that my dog is with her babies all the time and not following me. I don’t know that she would eat them but I’m not risking it. The puppies though I can work with early on not eating my ducks or chickens.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

That's a lot of foot feathering for a Marans, but he could be.

Can you get clearer photos?

Trying to get a clearer photos of Mister.