Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[Bens-Hens]

They are going to be some lookers! How I would love to have land like you ladies have, room to spread my wings. We will get there some day, then look out BYC as we will be expanding our flock hahahaha

I didn't realise the Marans had feathered feet and legs, all the more character. Alicia is not really keen on the feathered legs for the 'mess factor'. Do they generally keep them leg feathers clean or is it a case of if there is dirt around they will find it (kind of like my kids hahaha).

Nova, yes similar stats to what you posted, depends on what stocks they are bred from. The rump less are missing the back part of their tailbone (no parsons nose), if two rump less birds are bred, some of the offspring will be missing two parts of the spine, and die in the egg. Some will have no tail, and some will have a tail. Factor i the same situation with the muffs/beards and mortality is very high to meet the APA standard. Here in Oz, Britain and much of the rest of the world don't meet the APA standard. I was amazed learning about that stuff, so much for "I just want 4 chickens for eggs"

I'm in too deep!!!! hahahah

 

[Wrightsx4]

As far as feathered legs go, the only "adult" (6mo) chicken I've had with them was my salmon faverolle, Baby. She's not the best example as she was a fall hatchling and was moved out from the brooder just before snowfall here, and died before it melted. So I can't really account for mud type mess with her. Yes she occasionally collected gunk off the coop floor though... yuck. Not too bad. My daughter always wanted to wash her feet and I kept telling her she could do it in the summer when it was warm enough. Broke my heart when she asked to wash them before we buried her. Gahhh - still gets me! Lol, anyway... "french" marans have feathered legs/feet, "English" do not from my understanding.
The bad thing about having land is needing more coops... I can't seem to stop adding chickens...

 

[NovaAman]

Ah... feathered feet... Over half of my birds have feathered feet. They are pain in the neck when you have to deal with scaly leg mites. They are a pain in the butt when they roo's fight through the fence and break them off. They are a pain in the butt if you do not stay on top of coop cleaning. Other than that, no, they do not become a mud fest/dirt fest. I mean, they do get muddy, but when they dry, unlike our kids, the mud comes right off. I love the feathered feet myself. My blue copper maran roo has/had feathered feet. He meets standards. The marans girls are clean legged... The only roo I have that doesn't have feathered feet is Fritz the Jerk. OH WAIT! And now all the chicks I just hatched. LOL. So, no, honestly, the feathered feet are not a problem unless you are lazy and don't keep up with your coops.

 

[NovaAman]

OH, and speaking of chicks. I think I might throw my marans eggs in with the shipped.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Hmmm decisions on feathered legs. I am certainly not lazy, but I still don't know. No rush but it's good to have those points to consider. Thanks ladies.

Now, the overdue photo's. I was working alone this afternoon, well I had the little girl next door looking over the fence laughing at me loosing control of escaping chicks but that certainly was not really helping.

I wanted to get individual photo's, but that didn't really work out so well as they figured out they could walk out and go find some fresh grass to peck at.

Firstly, the older birds. Lucky has been going great, I have noticed they have all put on some weight and grown in size. They are also dropping many little fluffy feathers. I am guessing this is some sort of mini moult of the teen feathers? Just seems to be a few. I recall out last young birds did the same but we never really accurately knew how old they were.

From rear the front, Chloe, Rosie, Lucky and the back end of Milo. I had to bribe them with some fresh lawn at the fence.



Lucky is the big boy, he is only 10 weeks old, and already much bigger and heavier than Milo our other roo. The LS breed has really grown on me.


Here is Luna, Milo and Rosie. Milo is getting more green in his tail, I noticed yesterday that Rosie is also getting some nice green in hers, but it's very subtle and on the underside.


So the rest of the young gang (5 weeks). Currently spending the days outside, night in the brooder. Heat has been removed now, time for some tough love hahahaha

Although what you can see of this comb is pink, it is quite narrow, still not confident to make a sex call on these grey ones!



This little darling, is Baby. I was sure to fish her/him out and get a nice shot. It is getting harder to tell Baby apart from Jewel, but they are the only two with the yellow colour left, and also have yellow legs, where the rest have the slate coloured legs.


It was right about here I had two or three running wild, one jumping off the impromptu photography perch and laughter coming from over the fence. Individual shots fell through and I reverted to inside the coop shots lol. Some of the gang, I did not notice until I loaded this pic...but everyone seems to be just looking for things to eat...except the chick on the right....I think it may have just pecked the Australorp right on the bum hahahaha


Enhance.....one peck and "Whoooo!' Hahahaha I crack myself up.



I can't tell these two SPW apart now, one is Amy and the other is Ryder, they are both very friendly, and I am loving the feathering.


This one shows the two BV's, they are getting there with the feather development, both are getting very dark heads and necks. I googled them full grown and the head colour was something I had overlooked. Never the less, can't wait to see them all feathered out.




Jewel, a good shot showing how the head feathers are coming in on top. No splash features seen yet but her and Baby are certainly lighter than the other three.


That is pretty much it, starting to wind down the 'baby' program and starting the grow out pattern before moving towards integration. Then I get a dust free office back!

Anyone have an idea who would lay first and at about what week? I would think it would be between the Light Sussex or Australorp, but not sure which breed would be 'expected' to lay first. I think the BA being a purpose bred bird, but then the LS's seem to have developed faster to this point. I know we are still about 8 weeks off at this point on average, but wonder if either of those two may be known to come in earlier than 18 weeks.

I very much doubt Rosie our RIR well be in the run for first to lay.

Thanks for visiting!

 

[scottcaddy]

Hmmm decisions on feathered legs. I am certainly not lazy, but I still don't know. No rush but it's good to have those points to consider. Thanks ladies.

Now, the overdue photo's. I was working alone this afternoon, well I had the little girl next door looking over the fence laughing at me loosing control of escaping chicks but that certainly was not really helping.

I wanted to get individual photo's, but that didn't really work out so well as they figured out they could walk out and go find some fresh grass to peck at.

Firstly, the older birds. Lucky has been going great, I have noticed they have all put on some weight and grown in size. They are also dropping many little fluffy feathers. I am guessing this is some sort of mini moult of the teen feathers? Just seems to be a few. I recall out last young birds did the same but we never really accurately knew how old they were.

From rear the front, Chloe, Rosie, Lucky and the back end of Milo. I had to bribe them with some fresh lawn at the fence.



Lucky is the big boy, he is only 10 weeks old, and already much bigger and heavier than Milo our other roo. The LS breed has really grown on me.


Here is Luna, Milo and Rosie. Milo is getting more green in his tail, I noticed yesterday that Rosie is also getting some nice green in hers, but it's very subtle and on the underside.


So the rest of the young gang (5 weeks). Currently spending the days outside, night in the brooder. Heat has been removed now, time for some tough love hahahaha

Although what you can see of this comb is pink, it is quite narrow, still not confident to make a sex call on these grey ones!



This little darling, is Baby. I was sure to fish her/him out and get a nice shot. It is getting harder to tell Baby apart from Jewel, but they are the only two with the yellow colour left, and also have yellow legs, where the rest have the slate coloured legs.


It was right about here I had two or three running wild, one jumping off the impromptu photography perch and laughter coming from over the fence. Individual shots fell through and I reverted to inside the coop shots lol. Some of the gang, I did not notice until I loaded this pic...but everyone seems to be just looking for things to eat...except the chick on the right....I think it may have just pecked the Australorp right on the bum hahahaha


Enhance.....one peck and "Whoooo!' Hahahaha I crack myself up.



I can't tell these two SPW apart now, one is Amy and the other is Ryder, they are both very friendly, and I am loving the feathering.


This one shows the two BV's, they are getting there with the feather development, both are getting very dark heads and necks. I googled them full grown and the head colour was something I had overlooked. Never the less, can't wait to see them all feathered out.




Jewel, a good shot showing how the head feathers are coming in on top. No splash features seen yet but her and Baby are certainly lighter than the other three.


That is pretty much it, starting to wind down the 'baby' program and starting the grow out pattern before moving towards integration. Then I get a dust free office back!

Anyone have an idea who would lay first and at about what week? I would think it would be between the Light Sussex or Australorp, but not sure which breed would be 'expected' to lay first. I think the BA being a purpose bred bird, but then the LS's seem to have developed faster to this point. I know we are still about 8 weeks off at this point on average, but wonder if either of those two may be known to come in earlier than 18 weeks.

I very much doubt Rosie our RIR well be in the run for first to lay.

Thanks for visiting!

Nice Chicks you have there, Thanks for posting pic's! You might even get the fence giggler to help you with the chick round-ups.

Scott

 

[Bens-Hens]

Hahaha, thanks Scott, I would have used my boys, but they tend to spend more time impressing the girl next door than helping lol Some things will never change.

 

[Wrightsx4]

Beautiful!!! The older ones look so grown up and the young ones are so sweet. I'm not seeing a splash look on the 2 LA's but they sure are lighter - the yellow legs I hadn't noticed before. Maybe they'll be the palest lavendar as adults. Of both my groups of older hens (1 yr and 8mo) my BA's were the last of the group, but I know they're "supposed" to be early developers. Mine were around 22 weeks, not late by any means, but not my first. (My older BA is my broody now!!!) Your sussex looks the closest, but I know my speckled sussex rooster is STILL growing at 8 months old, he's enormous and getting bigger. I don't have SS hens so I don't know about laying age, exept they're "supposed" to be slower - but none of mine followed the norm. My youngest layers were my barred rocks and my RSL at 19 weeks. My Rhode Island, NH, and SLW were around 21-22.
Your SPW's are gorgeous! I haven't seen those before. The feathering is so pretty.

 

[NovaAman]

WOW, talk about changes! They've really grown haven't they.

Incubating Part Two


My mom let me know that the eggs came in the post today. I was so excited I almost didn't want to stop and get chicken feed. I did stop though. I mean, chickens need to eat too. But I did it quick, with out my usual BSing.

I got home and sweet! Another styrfoam box, only this time marked as GLASS and fragile. Interesting... hole in the side of the box, and dented... Opened up the box and wetness. Egg yolk and yuck. It is my guess, some one at the post wanted to see if it really was glass in the box. Running total on destroyed eggs...
White Yokos 4
Polish 1
Red shoulder 3
Jap Bantams 2

I still need to candle the other 37 eggs to see what damage has been done to those, but there were no cracks in those that I could see. So, I am going to go and get some egg wipes for hatching eggs. Some of the eggs that were fine were soaked from egg white and yolk from other eggs. It's amazing how different both packages were treated. I guess some one at the post was having a really bad day.

I am sure it will not do any good, but I am thinking of leaving a not so happy comment on the service the post just provided.

 

[Wrightsx4]

Sorry Nova - that's awful. I had the same experience with the eggs I received last fall. I saved what eggs I could, wiped them off with a warm wash cloth and hoped for the best. Good luck!