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JubileeFarmer said:
Now I only have five adult hens. I went out at noon to check on my chicks and found Buttercup, one of my Buff Orpingtons, dead in the run. No idea why.😢
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This happened to one of my Jersey Giants today too. Seasonal stress can be hard on our heavy layers. Be sure to add ventilation in the coop if it gets over 60 during the day.
 
JubileeFarmer said:
Hi, my name is Julie and I live in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. My husband and I moved from town to a place in the country about two and a half years ago and after two years finally replaced the dilapidated old chicken coop and run-down fencing so that we could get some chickens.

Last August we got six five-week old pullets; two Blue Laced Red Wyandottes (Henrietta and Penelope), two Buff Orpingtons (Marigold and Buttercup), and two Rhode Island Reds (Ruby and Scarlett).

Four weeks ago I hatched out nine chicks under Henrietta. The eggs came from a mixed flock with a lot of different breeds so the chicks are all crosses and all different. I don't have a rooster so when both Wyandottes went broody at the same time I spent $4.00 on a dozen fertile eggs and put six under each hen. The next morning Penelope left the coop with the other chickens and didn't look back so I put her six eggs under Henrietta who successfully hatched out 9 of them.

Initially I was concerned that my elderly miniature poodle might have negative interactions with the chickens. He is a sweet and gentle little dog (also toothless) so I was primarily concerned about him rather than the chickens but he basically ignores them and they keep a wary eye out when he is around but have never attacked. I also have an indoor-outdoor tabby cat who is a very good hunter. She has never been a problem with the full grown chickens but I was concerned about her getting the chicks; however, Henrietta has been a very good protector so the cat learned quickly to look-but-not-touch.

I enjoy the fresh eggs but I really enjoy just going out and watching the chicks run around, snuggle with mama, or just grow up. During COVID I'm working from home so it's great to have a reason to get away from my desk and go outside during my breaks.

I have been reading BYC posts for a few weeks now but have decided to set up an account because I expect to need help figuring out the gender of the chicks. I plan to keep two pullets and possibly one cockerel and re-home the rest but I'm not sure at what age I will be able to tell the difference. I won't post pics now because at four weeks old I know they are too young to tell but I'm not sure how long I should wait to post. Because they are all different, and all crosses, I won't be able to compare one with another or with pictures of pure breeds to make a determination, and at least two of them are Silkie crosses which I know are hard to determine gender when young.
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I have a breeding pair of Ayam Cemanos, and an Olive Egger Isbar Cockerel at 9.5 weeks, if you are interested. In NoPo so the boys can't stay.
 
PDXJULES said:
This happened to one of my Jersey Giants today too. Seasonal stress can be hard on our heavy layers. Be sure to add ventilation in the coop if it gets over 60 during the day.
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The coop does have ventilation but they spend all day outside and only go in the coop to use the nesting boxes.
 
janiedoe said:
Hi Julie, welcome to BYC!
Post pictures in the gender forum when they are around 8 weeks. For best results, post pictures of each chick seperately and from different angles. Try and get a shot of the comb, tail feathers, hackles, and general body shape. Good luck!
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JubileeFarmer said:
Hi, my name is Julie and I live in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. My husband and I moved from town to a place in the country about two and a half years ago and after two years finally replaced the dilapidated old chicken coop and run-down fencing so that we could get some chickens.

Last August we got six five-week old pullets; two Blue Laced Red Wyandottes (Henrietta and Penelope), two Buff Orpingtons (Marigold and Buttercup), and two Rhode Island Reds (Ruby and Scarlett).

Four weeks ago I hatched out nine chicks under Henrietta. The eggs came from a mixed flock with a lot of different breeds so the chicks are all crosses and all different. I don't have a rooster so when both Wyandottes went broody at the same time I spent $4.00 on a dozen fertile eggs and put six under each hen. The next morning Penelope left the coop with the other chickens and didn't look back so I put her six eggs under Henrietta who successfully hatched out 9 of them.

Initially I was concerned that my elderly miniature poodle might have negative interactions with the chickens. He is a sweet and gentle little dog (also toothless) so I was primarily concerned about him rather than the chickens but he basically ignores them and they keep a wary eye out when he is around but have never attacked. I also have an indoor-outdoor tabby cat who is a very good hunter. She has never been a problem with the full grown chickens but I was concerned about her getting the chicks; however, Henrietta has been a very good protector so the cat learned quickly to look-but-not-touch.

I enjoy the fresh eggs but I really enjoy just going out and watching the chicks run around, snuggle with mama, or just grow up. During COVID I'm working from home so it's great to have a reason to get away from my desk and go outside during my breaks.

I have been reading BYC posts for a few weeks now but have decided to set up an account because I expect to need help figuring out the gender of the chicks. I plan to keep two pullets and possibly one cockerel and re-home the rest but I'm not sure at what age I will be able to tell the difference. I won't post pics now because at four weeks old I know they are too young to tell but I'm not sure how long I should wait to post. Because they are all different, and all crosses, I won't be able to compare one with another or with pictures of pure breeds to make a determination, and at least two of them are Silkie crosses which I know are hard to determine gender when young.
Click to expand...
i live on a farm near corvallis
 

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