We are new to this chicken thing. We have thought about it for a few years and this year we decided to go for it. We bought 7 straight runs 1 barred rock, 3 silver laced wyandottes, and 3 americaunas. After one americauna died and we had a very horrible accident with a wyandotte, we went back and bought 1 rhode island red and 2 golden sex-links. Then on Tuesday I went in because they were getting more Americaunas and we bought two more. So, in a town where we can have three backyard chickens, we have nine. I know that we are going to have to get rid of some, but I know for sure that 1 is a rooster and am suspicious of two of the other ones. Plus I have more than one friend that wants hens, but does not want to brood chicks, so I will brood them and sell a few of the extra girls. My goal is to have a final flock of six. We put up a privacy fence to keep out nosy neighbors.
So this Rhode Island Red that we bought is super healthy. She is two weeks old now, almost three. She has lots of feathers, is active and eating and drinking normally. She is 1/2 the size of the two sex-links that we bought the same day and she is barely bigger than the americaunas we bought on Tuesday. Could she be a bantam that got mixed in with the regular pullets? Does this bred develop more slowly? Based on pictures that I have found online, she does look like a Rhode-Island and she is definitely reddish. I just don't know. If she is a bantam, what are the chances that she is actually a pullet? This is the chick that my son picked out after the traumatic accident with his favorite one.
BTW, chicks are totally addictive. I am so excited!! I have been going back every Tuesday when they get their shipment to see what they have... I can only have hens and I only want breeds that are considered well-tempered and reasonably cold-hardy.
Oh, and how old should they be before I can take them outside for short periods of time to "play"? They look bored to me.
So this Rhode Island Red that we bought is super healthy. She is two weeks old now, almost three. She has lots of feathers, is active and eating and drinking normally. She is 1/2 the size of the two sex-links that we bought the same day and she is barely bigger than the americaunas we bought on Tuesday. Could she be a bantam that got mixed in with the regular pullets? Does this bred develop more slowly? Based on pictures that I have found online, she does look like a Rhode-Island and she is definitely reddish. I just don't know. If she is a bantam, what are the chances that she is actually a pullet? This is the chick that my son picked out after the traumatic accident with his favorite one.
BTW, chicks are totally addictive. I am so excited!! I have been going back every Tuesday when they get their shipment to see what they have... I can only have hens and I only want breeds that are considered well-tempered and reasonably cold-hardy.
Oh, and how old should they be before I can take them outside for short periods of time to "play"? They look bored to me.
