- Jun 3, 2011
- 17
- 31
- 109
Hi all!
My name is Marilyn and I was a member here a few years back when I had chickens. We had to move and give to a friend, and I have been aching to have chickens again. Now, we do, and I am back.
I am a high school biology teacher in Ct. We hatched these three eggs and I kept the babies. They are 18 weeks old now. I was told they are red crosses and a leghorn. One of the reds is a rooster named Chico. The red cross hen is named Panther. (My children named them LOL. Chico was initially Carolina-Chick but Chico suits him better. My 2 year old daughter came up with his original name. Our last name is Carolina.) The maybe-leghorn is Blueberry. My 7 year old son said her eyes remind him of Blueberries.
We also have a 7 year old rescued Pit/possibly hound mix named Juno. She is sweet but nutty.
Yesterday. my husband found our first egg. A tiny brown egg. Today, there are two more. One is bigger than the other two. They are all brown, but one is a bit lighter than the rest. So this is my issue. Can she be a leghorn? Maybe she is a red-leghorn cross? She is not stark white, but more of a light beige/yellowish color. Maybe Buff Orpington? Also, she is much smaller than the red cross hen. Not as beefy/kind of skinny. But she is the sweetest chicken. The most curious and friendly. So that also makes me question the Leghorn. I'll try and get some pics of them and the eggs up. But any input is appreciated.
Also. This rooster. We are not really supposed to have them. We own about an acre and its woodsy/spread out here. He is crowing. Not super early though. We moved here recently and don't really know the neighbors. I don't want to irritate them. They for sure hear him, but the chickens are in a large dog crate for now in our 3 season porch room. (Getting trees cut this week and the yard leveled out. Then we'll move them into a coop.) SO the neighbors might be annoyed but don't know where its coming from. ALSO, he is getting a bit aggressive. He bit me pretty good the other day when I was reaching in to feed him. He also went for my husband. I have been researching how to tame aggressive roosters and it seems this is the phase when they start acting out like testosterone crazed teens. In any case, I am torn about him. I don't trust him around my kids until we get him calmed down. Especially the toddler. But ... We hatched him; I'm kind of attached and nobody wants a rooster. Except to eat.
I also think he could be good to help protect the girls b/c we DO have predators around here. And I'd love to have fertile eggs to hatch at school. Thoughts? Advice?
I guess that's it for now. Looking forward to learning and sharing here.
Marilyn
My name is Marilyn and I was a member here a few years back when I had chickens. We had to move and give to a friend, and I have been aching to have chickens again. Now, we do, and I am back.
I am a high school biology teacher in Ct. We hatched these three eggs and I kept the babies. They are 18 weeks old now. I was told they are red crosses and a leghorn. One of the reds is a rooster named Chico. The red cross hen is named Panther. (My children named them LOL. Chico was initially Carolina-Chick but Chico suits him better. My 2 year old daughter came up with his original name. Our last name is Carolina.) The maybe-leghorn is Blueberry. My 7 year old son said her eyes remind him of Blueberries.
We also have a 7 year old rescued Pit/possibly hound mix named Juno. She is sweet but nutty.
Yesterday. my husband found our first egg. A tiny brown egg. Today, there are two more. One is bigger than the other two. They are all brown, but one is a bit lighter than the rest. So this is my issue. Can she be a leghorn? Maybe she is a red-leghorn cross? She is not stark white, but more of a light beige/yellowish color. Maybe Buff Orpington? Also, she is much smaller than the red cross hen. Not as beefy/kind of skinny. But she is the sweetest chicken. The most curious and friendly. So that also makes me question the Leghorn. I'll try and get some pics of them and the eggs up. But any input is appreciated.
Also. This rooster. We are not really supposed to have them. We own about an acre and its woodsy/spread out here. He is crowing. Not super early though. We moved here recently and don't really know the neighbors. I don't want to irritate them. They for sure hear him, but the chickens are in a large dog crate for now in our 3 season porch room. (Getting trees cut this week and the yard leveled out. Then we'll move them into a coop.) SO the neighbors might be annoyed but don't know where its coming from. ALSO, he is getting a bit aggressive. He bit me pretty good the other day when I was reaching in to feed him. He also went for my husband. I have been researching how to tame aggressive roosters and it seems this is the phase when they start acting out like testosterone crazed teens. In any case, I am torn about him. I don't trust him around my kids until we get him calmed down. Especially the toddler. But ... We hatched him; I'm kind of attached and nobody wants a rooster. Except to eat.
I also think he could be good to help protect the girls b/c we DO have predators around here. And I'd love to have fertile eggs to hatch at school. Thoughts? Advice?I guess that's it for now. Looking forward to learning and sharing here.
Marilyn
