Nature vs Nurture?

[sawilliams]

Ok so I have 6 hens and currently 8 pullets. 6 of the 8 pullets were purchased at the same time and are about 15 weeks old (the other 2 are 5 weeks younger). But to make a long story short I raised 2 of the 6 pullets(and the younger 2) for a friend at about 6 weeks moved them to her house and recently during to a series of bad timeing events moved the 4 back to our house. Given I'm not really set up for 14 chickens they have a smallish coop but plenty of run space.

Anyways on to my question. My 4 of 6 pullets are developing large dark pink combs (2 of then are even becoming floppy) I'm talking like close to laying type combs. But her 2 of 6 still have no comb to speak of. Given us these are feed store specials we have 2 bards, 2 reds and 2 ameraucana(EE) she had taken 1 ameraucana and 1 bard.

Only main difference between my coop and hers, is the fact that I had 6 laying hens... so I'm wondering is it possible (though each pullet matures differently) that simply being raised with other laying hens might incourage pullets to mature quicker then pullets of the same age raised independent of laying hens?

The 2 reds in the group were supposed to be dinner experiments but I'm already worried if hubby can't do it soon I might be rehoming them soon as new layers. I never planned on 14, we are supposed to have no more then 6 I was going to push the bar and keep 8 (my 6 hens and 2of the pullets). Hopefully my friend can take hers back soon or I'll have to re home them too.

But is there possiblly a Nature vs Nurture effect going on.

 

[realsis]

I am not sure exactly what your asking. Are you asking if the younger chickens will mature quicker being around the older laying hens? I can only speak from my own experience. I have 7 Barred Rock females, 1 female laced Wyandotte, 1 female Buff orpington, 1 female Silver penciled Rock all hatched on April 11. I had 2, 5 year old Silkie hens (just lost one yesterday) raised with them. Could be they didnt mature faster because the older hens were smaller in number and bantmans but they all seem to be maturing about the same rate. The penciled rock a bit slower to feather fully but in size shes huge. I quess it would all depend on the circumstances of the pullets. Also other factors such as nutrition, space, housing,ect. On how quickly they mature. If you took 10 pullets and raised half in cramped spaces and did not feed them properly that group would be slower to mature than the group that had proper nutrition, plenty of space and proper housing. Nutrition plays a big and important part in growth. It could be that yours got better nutrition when they were younger than hers. Unless they ate the same exact things.that would be my guess as to why yours has matured more quickly. Also genetics can play a part as well. Were the birds from the same breeding stock? So many factors can effect the growth rate it would be hard to pin it down to just one.

 

[sawilliams]

No 6 that are the same age my 4 are maturing much faster then her 2 of the same 6. She had 2 others younger and of her 4 total you almost can't tell that there is 5 weeks age between them. All 4 of hers still have chick combs, where the 4 of mine have almost full hen combs.

I would have expected more variety in the maturity of the 6 not 2 specific that seem so far behind.