- Jul 16, 2010
- 211
- 4
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Hello all! This is my first post here. I've been over on Backyard Herds for a little bit.
I have searched but not seen a post about this. I have a mixed flock of young chickens. Most came from the same farm with a few from feed stores. All are around 4-1/2 months old. I got them all at several days old. Most unfortunately are turning out to be roosters, LOL. I have RIR, barred rocks, buff orps, black australorps, silver-laced wyandottes, and silkies (gotta have silkies!).
I've not had many roos in the past, but to me they look fine. Combs deep red and legs a bit yellowish, or blackish gray (depending on breed). What I find concerning is that the pullets look washed out to me. Feather color is good, but most of their legs are very pale barely yellow and the combs just barely pink.
I also have a small flock of Embden geese that are about 9 weeks old, and one of the females has always had a distinctly pink beak and legs/feet while the others are orange. They came from Metzer.
I've not had any health issues with any of the birds. All were fed a chick starter (I think 22%) by Brant grain. I've switched the chickens over to layer crumbles. Everyone free-ranges (geese and chickens not together -- the chickens have a large treed and grassy area and go into the cow pasture behind them and under the rabbit cages while the geese have a large yard of their own and get turned out onto another large pasture with goats and llamas. They SOMEtimes get over or through a fence or gate and mix but not as a rule).
The chickens get kitchen scraps.
The geese get a limited amount of starter and mostly graze.
Everyone's behavior is fine. Nothing else to report. The chickens have yet to lay their first eggs (though I AM anxiously waiting. Both have newly constructed coops/housing. Oh! The house had some rooster pens set up in part of the area where the chickens are now. Not sure how long ago but someone once kept roosters on the property. The neighbors ain't talkin. The area used to be very wet too but we brought in dirt and reworked it all so it's good now and the coop has a dirt floor but is raised about 5" above grade (also let us bury wire fencing under the floor so it worked well).
I just wonder if I need to worry about some deficiency in my birds? Never saw this before. Thanks for any help!
I have searched but not seen a post about this. I have a mixed flock of young chickens. Most came from the same farm with a few from feed stores. All are around 4-1/2 months old. I got them all at several days old. Most unfortunately are turning out to be roosters, LOL. I have RIR, barred rocks, buff orps, black australorps, silver-laced wyandottes, and silkies (gotta have silkies!).
I've not had many roos in the past, but to me they look fine. Combs deep red and legs a bit yellowish, or blackish gray (depending on breed). What I find concerning is that the pullets look washed out to me. Feather color is good, but most of their legs are very pale barely yellow and the combs just barely pink.
I also have a small flock of Embden geese that are about 9 weeks old, and one of the females has always had a distinctly pink beak and legs/feet while the others are orange. They came from Metzer.
I've not had any health issues with any of the birds. All were fed a chick starter (I think 22%) by Brant grain. I've switched the chickens over to layer crumbles. Everyone free-ranges (geese and chickens not together -- the chickens have a large treed and grassy area and go into the cow pasture behind them and under the rabbit cages while the geese have a large yard of their own and get turned out onto another large pasture with goats and llamas. They SOMEtimes get over or through a fence or gate and mix but not as a rule).
The chickens get kitchen scraps.
The geese get a limited amount of starter and mostly graze.
Everyone's behavior is fine. Nothing else to report. The chickens have yet to lay their first eggs (though I AM anxiously waiting. Both have newly constructed coops/housing. Oh! The house had some rooster pens set up in part of the area where the chickens are now. Not sure how long ago but someone once kept roosters on the property. The neighbors ain't talkin. The area used to be very wet too but we brought in dirt and reworked it all so it's good now and the coop has a dirt floor but is raised about 5" above grade (also let us bury wire fencing under the floor so it worked well).
I just wonder if I need to worry about some deficiency in my birds? Never saw this before. Thanks for any help!
