***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[miohippus]

I know feater sexing is not always accurat and only can be used on certen breeds but i was not sure witch breeds it worked on the lady i bought them from feather sex them and said they were most likly all girls when i bought them but i wanted to see what you all thought since i read that you could tell by the combs.

 

[Ksane]

someone said they could sex EE by there combs how old do they have to be to do that got mine a POOPS they were a day or two old no. 1 Blue chick no.2 splash cick no3. brown chick

I'm going to say boy, girl (iffy), girl. I've got 26 Ameraucanas and 8 other pea combed chicks and that's what I was doing today-sexing and marking males.

 

[Sagetown]

Another newbie ? here.
I have three coops. Until today, my turkeys and guineas, as well as one duck, have been housed in one, the chickens in another, and the third was in need of repair, and setup. It is now set up, and a very good coop, for the turkeys, so they have been moved there. My minor dilemma, is this.
I have one duckling, beginning to feather, but not anywhere near being able to fly. He is the same age as the guineas, and turkeys, +/- a couple of days. I thought they were all older, but they were all hatched, about 7-10 days, before Memorial Day, making them about 6 weeks old.
The duck, is very social, and gets along well, with the guineas, AND the turkeys. Is there one, that would be more appropriate species, to house the duck with? Someone told me the chickens would be best. But, the chickens used to peck at him a bit, when they were all in one community coop, before the guineas and turkeys got feathered out enough to go to a coop. They never seemed to harm him, but he had an "Escape Hatch" or "Bat Cave" that he could hide in.
Suggestions?

When the guineas mature, the males get mean, even with each other. So, I wouldn't house the duck with them at all.

 

[SharkmanDan]

Thank you. The duck is pretty sweet.

I am beginning to think we have an issue here, though.

This morning, I found our little Polish pullet dead in the chicken coop. Was fairly certain that it was the heat/humidity index that got her. She'd not been normal, for a couple of days. Not acting sickly, just "different" from normal. She was more than 5 months old, less than 6 months old,and I expected that she was likely about to start laying, so I presumed her change in behavior, was due to that. But, after she died, I was only able to presume that she was overcome by the oppressive heat and humidity.
Then, after finishing the work, getting the coop ready for the turkeys, I went to get the turkeys out of the coop with the guineas and the duck. I found a turkey was on his last legs. Just lethargic, and obviously "giving up". I got him in a place with his own bowl of cool (cooler than the air temp) water, and plenty of food. Well, he had no interest, and when I checked back in on him, a few minutes later, he had gotten in the water bowl, and drowned (presumably).
So, I got the turkeys in their coop, and put a good layer of pine shavings down on the floor of the Guinea coop, to give them a nice, clean, floor. A few minutes ago, my grandson came in and announced that there was a dead guinea. I went out, and found one, in rigor, laying in a corner. No real signs of a problem, besides the rigor mortis. When I was working in the pen, earlier, all of the guineas, and all of the remaining turkeys, seemed to be thriving.
So, I don't know what I may have going on here, but if we get anymore death, in the next few days, I'm going to have to look for more of a cause, than the heat, I think. Any of y'all, in the South Tenkiller area, have any clues, or could confirm that the heat/humidity could be the cause? I am at a loss to guess.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Thank you. The duck is pretty sweet.

I am beginning to think we have an issue here, though.

This morning, I found our little Polish pullet dead in the chicken coop. Was fairly certain that it was the heat/humidity index that got her. She'd not been normal, for a couple of days. Not acting sickly, just "different" from normal. She was more than 5 months old, less than 6 months old,and I expected that she was likely about to start laying, so I presumed her change in behavior, was due to that. But, after she died, I was only able to presume that she was overcome by the oppressive heat and humidity.
Then, after finishing the work, getting the coop ready for the turkeys, I went to get the turkeys out of the coop with the guineas and the duck. I found a turkey was on his last legs. Just lethargic, and obviously "giving up". I got him in a place with his own bowl of cool (cooler than the air temp) water, and plenty of food. Well, he had no interest, and when I checked back in on him, a few minutes later, he had gotten in the water bowl, and drowned (presumably).
So, I got the turkeys in their coop, and put a good layer of pine shavings down on the floor of the Guinea coop, to give them a nice, clean, floor. A few minutes ago, my grandson came in and announced that there was a dead guinea. I went out, and found one, in rigor, laying in a corner. No real signs of a problem, besides the rigor mortis. When I was working in the pen, earlier, all of the guineas, and all of the remaining turkeys, seemed to be thriving.
So, I don't know what I may have going on here, but if we get anymore death, in the next few days, I'm going to have to look for more of a cause, than the heat, I think. Any of y'all, in the South Tenkiller area, have any clues, or could confirm that the heat/humidity could be the cause? I am at a loss to guess.

I wouldn't think it's the heat. I will ask my friend in the tenkiller area who has chickens how her birds have fared the last few days. On the dead birds- when you feel their neck did they have anything in their crop or was it empty? Trying to figure out if this is something sudden onset- like bad feed or poison- or something more long-term (an illness would lead to decreased appetite and an empty crop at death).

 

[Kassaundra]

I wouldn't think it's the heat. I will ask my friend in the tenkiller area who has chickens how her birds have fared the last few days. On the dead birds- when you feel their neck did they have anything in their crop or was it empty? Trying to figure out if this is something sudden onset- like bad feed or poison- or something more long-term (an illness would lead to decreased appetite and an empty crop at death).

I agree I don't think it is heat either. It just hasn't been that hot that long.

 

[subhanalah]

someone said they could sex EE by there combs how old do they have to be to do that got mine a POOPS they were a day or two old no. 1 Blue chick no.2 splash cick no3. brown chick

I know feater sexing is not always accurat and only can be used on certen breeds but i was not sure witch breeds it worked on the lady i bought them from feather sex them and said they were most likly all girls when i bought them but i wanted to see what you all thought since i read that you could tell by the combs.

it's still early, but your first splash is a cockerel, your second splash is a pullet, and I'm pretty sure your chipmunk will start getting little red patches on his chest/wings very soon! Also, this is why if someone trying to sell you birds says they feather sex a chicken that is not feather sexable, it's best to walk away from all those cockerels!

 

[ashtree]

I agree I don't think it is heat either.  It just hasn't been that hot that long.

X2 I really hope you figure out what's going on before you lose anymore. I wish I had helpful advice to offer.

 

[SharkmanDan]

I don't have enough experience, to know what you're talking about. And, unfortunately, the birds have been buried. And, the guineas and turkeys, are eating different food, from the chickens. The chickens, are getting 20% egg maker! while the guineas and turkeys, are getting 28% game bird feed. All, the feed is fresh, ADM feed.

 

[Kassaundra]

@miohippus here is a pic of a known female pea comb about the same age as yours for comparison


See how the area is signifanctly flatter then yours?


another known girl

I didn't have clear shots of Oreo's comb at this age, so no boy shots to compare it to, except yours.