New here and have a few questions about my new flock :)

Pics
Date sort Score sort
WaldosFlock

WaldosFlock

In the Brooder
Apr 24, 2017
9
3
19
Hi! I just joined and have had my chickens for a few weeks now. I bought 19 chicks from Tractor supply that were 4 different breeds . (They were on the discount because they had gotten too old and the worker couldn't tell me for sure what breed they were because they were all thrown in one bin together.) I now am left with 18 and have determined I have 5 White Leghorns, 4 Barred Plymouth Rocks, 3 Black Australorps, and 6 Rhode Islands (I unfortunately lost an Australorp to a snake but their run has been secured now). I have 3 definite roosters; 2 barred rocks (they were easy to pick out once they feathered out) and 1 RIR. I think one of the Australorps is also a rooster.
I am not sure exactly how old they are as Tractor Supply did not know how old they were when I bought them. Most of them are nearly completely feathered out besides a few stragglers, like the RIR rooster AKA Hitler. :p
I have certainly fell head over heels for these little guys. I am having a lot of trouble telling the Leghorns and RIRs apart so any advice on that would be wonderful. I am there is obviously personality differences that I am learning as I am spending more time with them but it only has helped me distinguish two. One of my Leghorn pullets runs up to me expecting food every time while the others are more shy. And one of my RIR pullets has stolen my heart with her adorable cuddling and perching on me that no one else does yet.
One question I have not been able to find an answer to is why does one of my RIR pullets has NO tail! She is the cutest little thing running around but she has me curious about why she is all feathered out but has absolutely no tail, its still just a nub XD I haven't found a suitable name for her yet but whatever it is going to be it has to have something to do with her adorable little tail nub. :p
I haven't been able to name all of them yet as I am still finding out their personalities, and I am having a very hard time telling the Leghorns and RIRs apart but here is some I have so far:
  • Cluck Norris (big Barred Rock rooster- he is just an overall BA so this name seemed appropriate, he is sweet, brave, and kind to his pullets; a real lady's man already)
  • Pecky Chan (smaller Barred Rock rooster- little guy with an attitude, not even afraid to stare down our mastiff :p)
  • Hitler (RIR rooster- he is kind of a little jerk who likes to think he's important but is at the bottom of the pecking order when it comes down to it)
  • LiLu (Black Australorp pullet- she was the runt of the batch and pulled through a hard time as a younger chick when I was concerned I was going to lose her, she sure has a tough spirit)
I have lots of other possible names that I just haven't been able to assign to anyone yet such as:
  • Ellen Deheneres
  • Amelia Egghart
  • Hilda
  • Chikira
  • Ru
  • Prim
  • Katness
  • Hennifer Lawrence (I like the Hunger Games okay :p)
  • Hen Solo
  • Princess Lay-a
  • Mulan
  • Meesha
  • Arnold Schwarz N' Egger
  • Hazel, Ginger, Peaches, Etc.
Sorry for the long book! But anyway, what do you guys think? Did I get the breeds right? And what are your opinions on little no tail?
Thank you!

20170509_190238.jpg 20170509_191018.jpg 20170514_092853.jpg 20170514_093015.jpg 20170514_093110.jpg 20170514_093424.jpg
 
I noticed at the tractor supply store the other day when I was looking at fencing (whew, they sure are proud of theirs!) I wandered over to the poultry goodies and noticed colored leg band thingies, which I am thinking I may get some later to tell apart my birds I'm concerned about from the others in case they start doing better so if there are issues later, I know they've had a problem before. You could get some and as soon as you're sure of the breed, put a specific color band on one of their legs till you get em all. Love Cluck Norris!!!! Was thinking of calling one of mine Duck Norris - yours is wittier I think :) I'm struggling to name all my ducks too, but after 9 days I've decided one of them is gonna be either Dennis the Menace or Denise the Menice (sounds french or something right?) haha. Seriously though, she or he is the lil escape artist of the bunch and my husband swears that one thinks he is a giant steak cause she always bites him and only him hehe
 
Thank you! And oh yes, if you are referring to the chick in the second photo I know he is going to be a rooster, he isn't all feathered out yet so he doesn't have much of a tail. The pullet I am talking about is in the second to last picture, her comb is no where near as pronounced. She is all feathered out but has no tail....
 
Magepalm said:
I noticed at the tractor supply store the other day when I was looking at fencing (whew, they sure are proud of theirs!) I wandered over to the poultry goodies and noticed colored leg band thingies, which I am thinking I may get some later to tell apart my birds I'm concerned about from the others in case they start doing better so if there are issues later, I know they've had a problem before. You could get some and as soon as you're sure of the breed, put a specific color band on one of their legs till you get em all. Love Cluck Norris!!!! Was thinking of calling one of mine Duck Norris - yours is wittier I think :) I'm struggling to name all my ducks too, but after 9 days I've decided one of them is gonna be either Dennis the Menace or Denise the Menice (sounds french or something right?) haha. Seriously though, she or he is the lil escape artist of the bunch and my husband swears that one thinks he is a giant steak cause she always bites him and only him hehe
Click to expand...

That is a good idea! Duck Norris sounds great too :D Your duck sounds like a real character, that's funny! :p
 
WaldosFlock said:
That is a good idea! Duck Norris sounds great too :D Your duck sounds like a real character, that's funny! :p
Click to expand...

Oh my god don't get me started. Lol I woke up yesterday to NO ONE being in the kiddie pool brooder nest thingy I have set up, and that one subsequently has been always the first and only one to find his or her way out off and on all day since. Well I woke up to all of 'em being under the computer desk, the food i took out last night being scattered all over, and duck poops all the way on the other side of the house so they definitely explored. Lmao I had to make a big circular chicken wire thingy to put around them and a ramp to their bedtime box nest thingy to avoid this problem again XD I had no idea Ducks could be so mischievous!
 
Magepalm said:
Oh my god don't get me started. Lol I woke up yesterday to NO ONE being in the kiddie pool brooder nest thingy I have set up, and that one subsequently has been always the first and only one to find his or her way out off and on all day since. Well I woke up to all of 'em being under the computer desk, the food i took out last night being scattered all over, and duck poops all the way on the other side of the house so they definitely explored. Lmao I had to make a big circular chicken wire thingy to put around them and a ramp to their bedtime box nest thingy to avoid this problem again XD I had no idea Ducks could be so mischievous!
Click to expand...

Oh my goodness! XD They sound like a handful! Not even 19 chicks in my house gave me that much trouble lol I sure was happy to get them outside though. They all have such adorable little personalities, but sometimes are quite the trouble makers. haha I am obsessed already :D My mother wants to get ducks eventually too, they sound like they would be a lot of fun!
 
Me too! I definitely recommend them. I better not go into why they are so amazing cause this would be too long of a reply but, if for no other reason..... they wag their friggin cute little tails. Seriously your heart will melt into pieces.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom