Okay, we've decided, did we choose well?

[SunAngel]

Might want to consider that even if you try for 'all pullets' the hatchery isn't always 100% right on sexing.

We ordered an ornamental layer collection (25 chickens) and one was dead on arrival and 4 others died within the next 2 days. I got 2 roos in my order also, that I didn't order.

So you might want to order a couple extras just in case something goes wrong and you can sell any that you don't want later?

 

[Heather J]

Oh, Squidy is gorgeous! I want one, lol wait, no more coop room. Rats! There's always next year.

It would be all too easy to end up with a roo in there with your girls, so it wouldn't hurt to add another silkie, lol. On the other hand, you only wanted 5 to start with, so if you get any roos, you could always post them on Craigslist if you can't have them at your new place. i forgot to notice where you live, depending on how big your coop is going to be, you may need a bit of extra body heat through the winter anyway.

 

[mom2jedi]

Quote:
Grrr, I'd hate to order all females and end up with a roo somehow. Especially since you pay extra for the girls! I'd be ordering day olds so I have as much time with them so they get used to us.

Yeah, I could post them on Craigslist but I'd hate to have to give up any we'd grown attached to. I'm in San Diego so cold winters aren't a problem for me. It's the hot summers I'm worried about. We are looking to buy our first house but haven't found it yet, hence all the planning but no purchasing yet! I just hope where we do end up we're still able to have chickens after all this research!

 

[wranglerFB]

I have a pen with total of 22 hens in it 12 of them are going on 3 years old the rest are about 14 months old ...........(5 are Black Australorp) the rest are Black sex-link........ out of these 22 I get on average 17-19 eggs a day an have done so all summer long even in the hottest days..........I have really come to enjoy the laying an calmness of these breeds

7 month old Black Australorp rooster.....sorry have no pictures of the hens at this time

 

[Wood's Farm]

Here is some photos of mine

RIR

BR

A blurry picture of my two EE

 

[chilisweet]

Thanks about Squidy! She really is beautiful and has an attitude to match! Well she's actually very friendly and vocal, talks to us all the time!

Here is a picture of the last 4 eggs she has laid for us. She took a month and half break from laying when we started intoducing new birds to the flock, and it kinda stressed her out.

Eggs, 1st on the far left, latest one on the far right. The latest one is soo big it doesn't fit into the egg carton hole, just is resting on top of it! haha

Also, her eggs are a lovely light brown, not the funky orange-ish coloring they are in the picture. She lays about 5 eggs a week, which is pretty good!

~Caran

 

[chilisweet]

Wood's Farm~ WE LOVE YOUR BRAHMA!!!! We so don't have room for another hen, but I think we might make room for one of those!!! Is yours a standard or a banty? Has she started laying yet?


~CAran

 

[Wood's Farm]

Thanks! I have two and they are both standard size. They are pretty big chickens, larger than my BR and RIR. One of mine is really sweet and the other is more curious than anything. They just started laying two weeks ago and the eggs are medium, but I heard they will be for the first year then they will be jumbo. Here is the sweet one!

 

[Linda in San Diego]

As you can see from my siggy line, we have at least two of each breed. What we have found is that "birds of a feather flock together".

We truly do find birds of the same type seem to keep closer track of their breed siblings. Our three EEE are "odd ones out" they don't seem to have the same cohesion, of course, all three are radically different in coloration.