Oops Chicken Math got me again!

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I totally get the chicken math! I started out with 4, then got 4 more. Two of the second batch turned out to be Roos, so back down to six. I am at a high anxiety level right now because I believe it is time to integrate and….my 24 week darlings are starting to lay, but the two younger ones will be 13 weeks in a couple of days, soooo, integrate. Holding my breath and hoping for it to all work out. BTW, one of my younger ones is a Speckled Sussex. Wish me luck!
 
You're going to love the Speckled Sussex. They are the first ones to greet me, and love to get scratches under the wings. Very docile birds. I also have Buff Orpingtons, and they'll come up, but a bit more stand-offish than the SS. Round it out with a Cream Legbar, and a baker's dozen of Silkies, plus 1 pair of Cream Legbar/Barred Rock (from previous flock that didn't make it due to our unexpected, back-to-back blizzards we got in April, but this pair was too young to make it out into the coop yet, so they're survivors) that are the senior flock members along with the Silkies. The pair is roo and hen, brother and sister. It's fun to watch them interact with each other. He is extremely dominant, but not aggressive to the other roos I have... just ME! LOL! And he's sneaky, too... if I'm facing him, he's fine, stays his distance. Turn my back to leave the run after feeding them all, and he's on the attack. Good thing I've got plenty on my derriere, because that's where he ends up, every time. But I keep him, because he keeps the flock safe and under control. I just know what he's going to do, and take steps to keep him off me.

I also have two Pilgrim geese I got this year. Very sweet boys, both ganders, even though I was hoping to have a mating pair. They get along very well with each other, as there are no females to fight for. The only problem with them is that they'll chase the chicken hens, so they'll be separated for a while. They are a good alarm system, as well as protective of the flock, overall, because they can be a bit intimidating.

And then there's the Coturnix quail. I have a dozen of them, mostly egg layers, but a couple of roos so I can keep them going, hatching more later. Darn geese keep letting them out of their coop! The coop is actually a rabbit hutch for the quail, and the geese have found the two doors on the outside, pulled the latch off that keeps both doors closed, and every time I come out to take care of them all, I find the quail running around in the geese pen, because that's where their coop is... it's up on legs, so the geese go under it. The geese are very inquisitive, and I guess they like the company. Only problem is, I have to keep the quail confined, due to state regulations. Gawd, it's frustrating with them not helping the situation! I've done everything I can, short of nailing the doors shut. Fortunately, the top of the hutch opens up, so if I nail those two doors shut, it won't prevent me from accessing it. Just that quail are serious HOPPERS... they'll hop right out when the top is opened up.
 
mldlm said:
I totally get the chicken math! I started out with 4, then got 4 more. Two of the second batch turned out to be Roos, so back down to six. I am at a high anxiety level right now because I believe it is time to integrate and….my 24 week darlings are starting to lay, but the two younger ones will be 13 weeks in a couple of days, soooo, integrate. Holding my breath and hoping for it to all work out. BTW, one of my younger ones is a Speckled Sussex. Wish me luck!
Click to expand...

We've been up and down with Roos. I'm really hoping we can keep the one we have right now he's a sweet boy. He may not stay that way but he's a Marsbar so could get some interesting egg combinations if we can hatch his offspring.
If we have a Roo from this batch they will almost certainly go unfortunately.

Good luck with your integration, we've had to take one of our big girls out overnight because she was getting A little too big for her boots but that has settled her down a bit.
 
kodster said:
You're going to love the Speckled Sussex. They are the first ones to greet me, and love to get scratches under the wings. Very docile birds. I also have Buff Orpingtons, and they'll come up, but a bit more stand-offish than the SS. Round it out with a Cream Legbar, and a baker's dozen of Silkies, plus 1 pair of Cream Legbar/Barred Rock (from previous flock that didn't make it due to our unexpected, back-to-back blizzards we got in April, but this pair was too young to make it out into the coop yet, so they're survivors) that are the senior flock members along with the Silkies. The pair is roo and hen, brother and sister. It's fun to watch them interact with each other. He is extremely dominant, but not aggressive to the other roos I have... just ME! LOL! And he's sneaky, too... if I'm facing him, he's fine, stays his distance. Turn my back to leave the run after feeding them all, and he's on the attack. Good thing I've got plenty on my derriere, because that's where he ends up, every time. But I keep him, because he keeps the flock safe and under control. I just know what he's going to do, and take steps to keep him off me.

I also have two Pilgrim geese I got this year. Very sweet boys, both ganders, even though I was hoping to have a mating pair. They get along very well with each other, as there are no females to fight for. The only problem with them is that they'll chase the chicken hens, so they'll be separated for a while. They are a good alarm system, as well as protective of the flock, overall, because they can be a bit intimidating.

And then there's the Coturnix quail. I have a dozen of them, mostly egg layers, but a couple of roos so I can keep them going, hatching more later. Darn geese keep letting them out of their coop! The coop is actually a rabbit hutch for the quail, and the geese have found the two doors on the outside, pulled the latch off that keeps both doors closed, and every time I come out to take care of them all, I find the quail running around in the geese pen, because that's where their coop is... it's up on legs, so the geese go under it. The geese are very inquisitive, and I guess they like the company. Only problem is, I have to keep the quail confined, due to state regulations. Gawd, it's frustrating with them not helping the situation! I've done everything I can, short of nailing the doors shut. Fortunately, the top of the hutch opens up, so if I nail those two doors shut, it won't prevent me from accessing it. Just that quail are serious HOPPERS... they'll hop right out when the top is opened up.
Click to expand...

That's not just chicken math that's bird math! 😂 I love it.

Can I ask why the state says you have to keep them confined? Are quail special in some way?
 
Nev
Tretinker said:
To be fair it didn't actually get me it got husband.

I'm driving 2.5hrs to get ducklings and return a cockerel to our breeder when husband calls and says he's just realised by returning one of our roos we now have 13 chickens and that's not a number he likes so I better get chickens too.

He didn't have to tell me twice! I'd already seen the breeder had Buff Orpington chicks so I was sold.

A few problems first, this may mean more roos that I'll have to return, second he only had one buff so you know this is going to be a boy ;) thirdly my limit was 15.....I had to get 3 as a minimum. Being he only had one buff this meant I have 2 speckled Sussex. Which I know nothing about!

If I have 3 roos I may cry 😂 I can't wait till we move to the country and then I will have a bachelor pad. Taking our beautiful boy back today was devastating :( he was such a character.
Click to expand...
heard of a breeder who takes back cockerels. What does the breeder do with them?
 
Jeri B said:
Nev

heard of a breeder who takes back cockerels. What does the breeder do with them?
Click to expand...
He sells cockerels separately but he has a boys only pen for the ones he doesn't sell, our little guy joined another boy that was hatched at the same time, they seemed happy. He said he'll keep them separate for now and if they don't sell when they are old enough they join the bachelor pad, which had about 10-15 males in or join his breeding programme.
 
Dragon Slayer Trinket said:
Oh, dear. Bless your husband. :lau

Keep us updated!

Geese are wonderful. I'll get some pictures for you of my geese, the latest flock additions, in the next week.
Click to expand...

I know poor guy had hurt his back so he's shuffling like an old man but he won't stop! He has started to put up a fence to cut the garden in half so me can safely have the dogs one side and poultry the other.

I'd love to see your geese, I think our neighbours would have something to say if we add any more additions to our garden 😂
 

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