New to Chickens - Question(s)

[21hens-incharge]

Can't be comets. The tails are black. Comets should have white tail feathers.

@TexasSam do they look young and kinda underweight to you?

 

[Enchanted1s]

So... talked to the neighbor. He just bought 6 of these yesterday at the flea market. These two decided they liked our place better. He asked if we wanted to keep them and I agreed to see how everyone would get along. Now I have more questions Maybe I should start a new thread??

Neighbor thinks they are both hens. I think we have another pair?? One is much bigger than the other, and he is acting male - if that makes since? He? is terrified of Roo (our rooster) Tonight, I figured I would lock the two big ones in their nest (like I have been doing every night) and let the little ones just stay in the coop. Little ones were too scared to go in the coop with the big ones, even though they were really hungry and made a couple of attempts at the food - one look at the big rooster and they ran away every time. I did finally get everyone put to bed for tonight, but how should I be approaching this? Do the hens usually sleep together with the roosters?

We decided to give it a few days and see how everyone gets along. ALSO - I am so proud of our hen! She laid another egg today - IN HER RED LAYING BOX, nested right with the ping pong balls!

 

[21hens-incharge]

You can start new threads as needed of course.

Many more people will see new threads of course.
If you start a new one but want to make sure some of us from this one see it you can call us to it by typing @ followed by the persons screen name.

I would actually be really mad if my neighbor was doing that to me.

I will link you to a few really helpful threads and the main article page so you can read up on how to integrate them into your group a well as tons of other things.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/category/maintaining-a-healthy-flock.24/

The first one takes you to the main area and the second to several articles on how to integrate and how to maintain a healthy flock.

When you are able to get some more pics of them a great place to get help figuring out what breed and what gender is of course the breed and gender forum.
Here is as link to that in case you need it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/what-breed-or-gender-is-this.15/

I think it is great she is laying through her molt. Most stop completely until a few weeks to months after molting.

To keep the new ones fed you should put out another feed dish and water dish. I lean plywood up in my run so they can get behind it and out of sight of any they fear.

Keeping them safe from your existing rooster and fed will be important. Poor things have to be scared out of their little minds.

 

[Enchanted1s]

Thank you 21hens-incharge. I appreciate the links. We have been reading up & looks like we aren't screwing up too bad. Tonight was our first night with the new ones - I noticed that I would need to figure out a way to make sure the babies are getting more food - they seem hungry. I have to make a trip to Lowes to get a bucket, watering system set up - (just have to figure out how to come out of the bucket to the PVC). I also noticed the babies are small enough to get under the pallet (inside the coop). I figured in the morning I would keep the big ones locked in their nest a few extra minutes to let the babies eat before I let everyone out.

Today - the babies stayed together and our pair stayed together - in separate areas. I allowed all to free range until about 5pm when I put everyone in the pen. The babies just wanted out - to get away from Roo. The bigger baby is scared to death of the big rooster, the little baby follows his lead.

Thanks Again

 

[TexasSam]

Can't be comets. The tails are black. Comets should have white tail feathers.

@TexasSam do they look young and kinda underweight to you?

Young yes but they don't start filling out until they start laying

 

[TexasSam]

Thank you 21hens-incharge. I appreciate the links. We have been reading up & looks like we aren't screwing up too bad. Tonight was our first night with the new ones - I noticed that I would need to figure out a way to make sure the babies are getting more food - they seem hungry. I have to make a trip to Lowes to get a bucket, watering system set up - (just have to figure out how to come out of the bucket to the PVC). I also noticed the babies are small enough to get under the pallet (inside the coop). I figured in the morning I would keep the big ones locked in their nest a few extra minutes to let the babies eat before I let everyone out.

Today - the babies stayed together and our pair stayed together - in separate areas. I allowed all to free range until about 5pm when I put everyone in the pen. The babies just wanted out - to get away from Roo. The bigger baby is scared to death of the big rooster, the little baby follows his lead.

Thanks Again

They will be scared at first they always are. They won't be completely comfortable for about a month and then just one day all is fine just like that chickens are funny like that. Let them sleep in different places for a few weeks and then just put them together at night after they start sleeping and in the morning they should be great

 

[Enchanted1s]

BTW - I compared yesterdays egg to the one from the day before - that I thought was almost white - it's not white, just a lighter shade of brown.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I still think it is pretty great of you to want them to have a good life.

I think your new ones may be some type of game chicken. I looked at your other thread and they are very leggy (kind of like game birds would be) and both look like girls to me. I think males would vary greatly from the females in feather pattern.

 

[TexasSam]

I still think it is pretty great of you to want them to have a good life.

I think your new ones may be some type of game chicken. I looked at your other thread and they are very leggy (kind of like game birds would be) and both look like girls to me. I think males would vary greatly from the females in feather pattern.

Could they be a leghorn with those colors my leghorns are leggy like that.or sex link

 

[21hens-incharge]

Could be a mix. I am thrown by the blue legs and lack of comb. Interesting birds for sure.
Leghorn have very yellow legs..... Hamburgs have the blue but are built way different with distinct colors ........

They are kind of wheat color. Pretty but hard to figure out.