My Sapphire Gem and Rhode Island Red Adventure

[MiniRaptorHouse]

The boys (if there are any) won't get pointy hackle and saddle feathers for a few weeks. Do you have any better pictures of their faces/combs?

We were not happy about this impromptu photo shoot

 

[MiniRaptorHouse]

Who knows exactly how they'll all end up looking but at this stage I think the dark one is the prettiest of the lot. JMO

It definitely adds a lil extra flare, and unique coloring. I find myself forgetting to count it when free ranging, because I count gray then red. Meanwhile she's right in my face

 

[Jener8or]

We were not happy about this impromptu photo shoot View attachment 4193338
View attachment 4193336View attachment 4193337

Eh, there's more wattles there than you'd probably want to see in a pullet, if I'm being honest. I'm hoping for a precocious female, but if those combs and wattles grow or get any redder, I think your suspicions might be right. Let's see what the others think. Thanks for getting a better picture!

Actually, in the first picture, it looks like he might have male-specific hackle feathers coming in.

 

[MiniRaptorHouse]

It definitely adds a lil extra flare, and unique coloring. I find myself forgetting to count it when free ranging, because I count gray then red. Meanwhile she's right in my face

She was always so much darker, even as a chick

 

[MiniRaptorHouse]

Eh, there's more wattles there than you'd probably want to see in a pullet, if I'm being honest. I'm hoping for a precocious female, but if those combs and wattles grow or get any redder, I think your suspicions might be right. Let's see what the others think. Thanks for getting a better picture!

Actually, in the first picture, it looks like he might have male-specific hackle feathers coming in.

I keep holding hope that maybe we just mature slower lol, but even when everyone had their first set of feathers almost in, we looked a little rough

 

[Jener8or]

I keep holding hope that maybe we just mature slower lol, but even when everyone had their first set of feathers almost in, we looked a little rough View attachment 4193345

Can you keep any boys? I still have the genetics in my flock from my first RIR roo. Hopefully you can and he turns in to a good one for you.

My RIR/SG produced some beautiful blues with red hackles (pretty much looked like Production Blues.)

 

[MiniRaptorHouse]

Can you keep any boys? I still have the genetics in my flock from my first RIR roo. Hopefully you can and he turns in to a good one for you.

My RIR/SG produced some beautiful blues with red hackles (pretty much looked like Production Blues.)

Thankfully yes I can. I'm off in the sticks on 4 acres so I wouldn't mind having a roo to watch over the girls when they roam, which will be more often than not. I'm gonna give my lil suspect some extra attention so, just in case, I don't become something to guard against

 

[Jener8or]

Thankfully yes I can. I'm off in the sticks on 4 acres so I wouldn't mind having a roo to watch over the girls when they roam, which will be more often than not. I'm gonna give my lil suspect some extra attention so, just in case, I don't become something to guard against

I think everyone has their own philosophies on raising males, but I might try to do the opposite; if they don't have a little fear of you, they might be more bold and come after you, if that makes any sense. I think a lot of it is up to the individual bird; it seems like you could raise 2 exactly the same and they could both turn out different. I've had really good luck with my males so far and no one has come after me or any humans on the farm and I've raised a lot of boys.

 

[MiniRaptorHouse]

I think everyone has their own philosophies on raising males, but I might try to do the opposite; if they don't have a little fear of you, they might be more bold and come after you, if that makes any sense. I think a lot of it is up to the individual bird; it seems like you could raise 2 exactly the same and they could both turn out different. I've had really good luck with my males so far and no one has come after me or any humans on the farm and I've raised a lot of boys.

Currently I'm their treat vending machine so as long as they're content coming to the vending machine when I've got to put them up, I'm ok with them doing their own things. I'm not really one that needs to cuddle with my chickens

 

[MiniRaptorHouse]

Up close and personal with the roo suspect