***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[mjgigax]

@Jeansrie thank you so much... I love my babies. They are so friendly and beautiful! Here are a few pictures of some of them.

This is probably my favorite. I think it's a pullet. She won't let me take a picture of anyone other than her when they're all together.



I'm pretty sure this one is a girl, and she's beautiful! The wind got her crest in the second pic lol




This is the light blue one... I think it's a girl & it's starting to get her blue ears




Almost positive these last 2 are cockerels

I just love mine too; Crazy sweet personalities.


I think this is a boy. I don't have much experience with them yet, but "he" is the group leader.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

I just love mine too; Crazy sweet personalities.


I think this is a boy. I don't have much experience with them yet, but "he" is the group leader.

Before I even read your comment my brain said, "BOY!"

 

[Adorkable]

Quote: Awww he's a cutie! I can already spot 3 definite boys out of my 11. I wonder if I should separate the boys once I can tell who they are the way I do with the LF birds till I can sort out breeders.

 

[Jeansrie]

@Jeansrie thank you so much... I love my babies. They are so friendly and beautiful! Here are a few pictures of some of them.

This is probably my favorite. I think it's a pullet. She won't let me take a picture of anyone other than her when they're all together.



I'm pretty sure this one is a girl, and she's beautiful! The wind got her crest in the second pic lol




This is the light blue one... I think it's a girl & it's starting to get her blue ears




Almost positive these last 2 are cockerels

So glad you are happy with them!! They are looking nice! I think you are right on the sexes, the boys from my little breeding group sure do seem to get combs early on. I love seeing the updates, thanks for sharing!

 

[mjgigax]

Before I even read your comment my brain said, "BOY!"

Cool, He will be my roo for my second breeding pen. He loves to be held.

 

[mjgigax]

2Jeansrie, Where are your bloodlines from? My two hens are from Betsy and my Blue partridge rooster is from an Arkansas line. He is beautiful but not especially friendly. I may replace him with one of the roos I got from you.

 

[Ironsights]

I have learned that young birds are like kids. I must have walked a mile this evening putting in chicks and poults. Get one in and the rest come out, running to the feed or water for a snack or drink. I wound up catching them one by one, not an easy thing for me.
I also observed that three of my farm store mutts must have been fathered by the chicken version of the milkman. Apologies to the dairy farmers. Very skinny body, long legs and can move faster than a greased pig. The chicks, not the milkman.

 

[SharkmanDan]

I have learned that young birds are like kids. I must have walked a mile this evening putting in chicks and poults. Get one in and the rest come out, running to the feed or water for a snack or drink. I wound up catching them one by one, not an easy thing for me.
I also observed that three of my farm store mutts must have been fathered by the chicken version of the milkman. Apologies to the dairy farmers. Very skinny body, long legs and can move faster than a greased pig. The chicks, not the milkman.

Man I understand the greased lightning reference. They're like trying to herd cats. But, as we all know, they eventually get fairly predictable.

I have a question, for the OTC (other than chickens) people.
What do domesticated geese and ducks eat? I was recently given a goose and a duck, and they don't seem to like the popcorn I put out, and they're mostly leaving the cracked corn, scratch and commercial pellets alone. I see the goose digging into the ground with it's beak, apparently for food. But, I don't know what they want, and have no clue if there is enough of it, naturally, on my property.

And, does anyone know how to determine the gender on waterfowl? I think I got a decent indication, the other day, when the goose either tried to drown the duck, or mount it. I'm thinking maybe I have a male goose and a female duck. But I don't know what to look for.
The duck is a crested white duck, and the goose is all white.

 

[NanaKat]

White goose...maybe a Chinese white.....geese breed in water....male has a corkscrew genitalia...turn him on his back and use two fingers to gently spread open the orafice...you should see the penile structure.

Don't know on ducks but I assume it is similar. Others may have suggestions for that.

Geese eat 95% of their diet as grass and greens. I offered whole corn as a treat. The noodling in the dirt and mud is for minerals. I would put greens in a kiddie pool and the goose and gander would bathe and nibble. Winter feed: shredded cabbage, turnip greens, carrot shavings, grass hay, layer pellets and corn.

 

[SharkmanDan]

White goose...maybe a Chinese white.....geese breed in water....male has a corkscrew genitalia...turn him on his back and use two fingers to gently spread open the orafice...you should see the penile structure.

Don't know on ducks but I assume it is similar. Others may have suggestions for that.

Geese eat 95% of their diet as grass and greens. I offered whole corn as a treat. The noodling in the dirt and mud is for minerals. I would put greens in a kiddie pool and the goose and gander would bathe and nibble. Winter feed: shredded cabbage, turnip greens, carrot shavings, grass hay, layer pellets and corn.

That helps. Thank you. They have a good sized kiddie pool (6'W x 1'D) right next to some tall brush, and I've noticed the goose really pecking at the brush.
I have some cabbage, that I used a tiny bit of, for a meal, and don't have plans for the rest. So, I'll shred that up, and put it out, with other veggies I have around here. Other private messages have mentioned using layer pellets for the duck. So, I'll keep that up, then.