New Hampshire Red thread!!!!!!!!!

[shrparatch]

@Bogtown Chick , Your rooster is really gorgeous!

 

[shrparatch]

Just have to share this with other NHR fans. One evening last week my daughter flopped down on our deck railing after finishing her chores. Rusty, one of our New Hampshire Reds, flew right up and joined her

We have found this breed to be extremely friendly and fun to have around. Plus their eggs are huge!

How cool! I am new to chicken, decided on the NH as a dual purpose bird and also because I liked their looks. I am glad to read about their good temperment too!

 

[shrparatch]

Help Please!!

I have a question and am hoping that some with more experience can help me. My DH and I just recently began with chicks. We have just recieved our first set of 5 NH pullets. We have decided that we want to add a few more. I have read that the NH is not aggressive if kept with their same breed. I am wondering what everyones experience with this has been? Would it make a difference if they are only a couple weeks apart in age, maybe reduce the possibility for agression, or should we plan on sticking with just the NH?

 

[Bogtown Chick]

My rooster is in a mixed flock and is good to all his hens. Some were brooder mates, some are new additions.

Thanks for the compliments on Roger.

 

[shrparatch]

Thanks for the info Bogtown chick.

 

[TeaChick]

Help Please!!

I have a question and am hoping that some with more experience can help me. My DH and I just recently began with chicks. We have just recieved our first set of 5 NH pullets. We have decided that we want to add a few more. I have read that the NH is not aggressive if kept with their same breed. I am wondering what everyones experience with this has been? Would it make a difference if they are only a couple weeks apart in age, maybe reduce the possibility for agression, or should we plan on sticking with just the NH?

My personal experience is as follows:
~ We already had RSL hens (Golden Comets) and WL hens and a mutt roo and three offspring from the mutt roo and the WL hens and a LF Cochin roo and a few Cochin Bantams...when we got our NH chicks.
~ I had received bad information and fed my chicks unmedicated feed based on it (never again) and ended up losing about half of them, so we ordered more.
The second set of chicks arrived when the first set were 4 weeks old.
1. We put the second set in the brooder for about a week.
2. We put moved the second set of chicks into the big coop with the older chicks, but we set up some window and sliding door screens such that the big chicks and little chicks could see each other, but they couldn't get to each other.
3. When the little chicks were almost as big as the big chicks (by then we had about twice as many little chicks as big chicks), we removed the ends of the barrier, but left the long sliding door screen (the screen from a sliding door, I mean), so that the little chicks could still go under there and feel safe.
The big chicks didn't mess with the little chicks and, as far as I know, the big chicks didn't even go under the screen even when they could have.
4. I guess the younger chicks were about a month old, give or take, when we removed the screen.
They're all five and six months old now and they act like one flock; that didn't happen until they were at least four months old.

I proceed cautiously when blending flocks, no matter the age. I try to make sure that the volume of smaller/younger chicks/chickens is approximately equal to (preferably greater than) the volume of older/larger chicks/chickens.


On the topic of integrating other breeds:
I am expecting to receive 11 rare breed assortment pullets tomorrow. I expect all the chicks and chickens to get along w/o any bloodshed. I will proceed with caution when integrating the flocks.
As a side note:
I free range; that can make a big difference when trying to integrate flocks of different ages. I always try to give the group that may be perceived as being weaker or invading the advantage by letting them out first. Integration in pens, I don't know anything about that. My chickens do live in coops after they're old enough to be out of the brooder. I have a pallet coop (for my "fun flock") and a rather large coop (8' x 12'; for my NH from last summer) and we're going to build another coop for the NH chicks we're receiving tomorrow (the rare breed pullets will go in with the "fun flock" when they're old enough.)

I'm sorry that's so long. I hope it helps. =)

 

[shrparatch]

Thank you for the information. I really appreciate it.

 

[shrparatch]

I am wondering if anyone can tell me what this is, and if it is a problem. I have noticed a spot on each chicks head where it looks like they might be pecking at each other. I don't see any blood but am not sure if I should be concerned. If you look at the picture the area of concern is by the ring finger of the person holding the chick, just behind and slightly below the eye.

 

[TeaChick]

I can't see it well, but it looks like an earlobe to me. I could be wrong, so I recommend getting a more experienced opinion. I hope it's nothing.
Also, if you could post a better picture of it, that would be helpful to those who might know what it is.


ETA: If it's not the earlobe, and if it's only on one side, then I've never had anything like it in my New Hampshires.

 

[shrparatch]

I can't see it well, but it looks like an earlobe to me. I could be wrong, so I recommend getting a more experienced opinion. I hope it's nothing.
Also, if you could post a better picture of it, that would be helpful to those who might know what it is.


ETA: If it's not the earlobe, and if it's only on one side, then I've never had anything like it in my New Hampshires.

I think you might be right, it is on both sides of the head and they all have it in about the same area. Here is a little better picture of it.