Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[dheltzel]

I'm definitely interested in sexlinked cochins. The mottled black is also my favorite color. If you have some cochin pullets available when you come to center PA next year, I may want some. Since they are very friendly, so I don't need to get baby chicks.

I merged my chicks to the flock during last weekend. It's strange that none of the big girls pecked the chicks even once! The chicks were in their cage inside the coop for a week, but I was expecting at least little pecks for pecking order. But no, big girls checked them and squawked a lot, but no peck. Instead, Pepsi, the puppy-like black Ameraucana chick, actually pecked my large Orpington's butt when she was eating! Pepsi then chirped and ran away. She acted like a little girl laughing about what she just did.

Pepsi sounds like the right name for her, dark in color with a little sizzly attitude.

I hoarded all the mottled black frizzles and am putting the pullets with my best male mottled for next year. Looking forward to hatching 100% mottleds from that pen. Mottled chicks are extra, extra cute. I don't think I could so sexlinked mottled though, the white spot on their head would not show with all the yellow they already have.

 

[TillyPeeps]

Pepsi sounds like the right name for her, dark in color with a little sizzly attitude.

I hoarded all the mottled black frizzles and am putting the pullets with my best male mottled for next year. Looking forward to hatching 100% mottleds from that pen. Mottled chicks are extra, extra cute. I don't think I could so sexlinked mottled though, the white spot on their head would not show with all the yellow they already have.

They don't need to be sexlinked. For how friendly they are, if you have some older pullets available next year, I can take a few. I have two dog cages for broody jail now. For additional cochins, I think I need several more cages.

Yeah, Pepsi is quite a character. She was the chick yelled really loud for her friend. I still think the other chick we got was not the friend though. But she stopped loud chirping after 3 days and made the other black ameraucana her new best friend. I find chickens like other chickens with the same color. Two black ameraucanas are best friends, and two lavendar ameraucanas are very close too. My silver Welbar, Blue Bear, is one year older than my Dorking, but they have the similar color pattern. The Dorking is the lowest in pecking order and is pecked by every other chickens except my head hen Blue Bear. Blue Bear will only allow the olive egger that is her hatchmate and the dorking to eat with her. She sometime even protect the dorking from getting bullied.

 

[TillyPeeps]

Hi Dennis, I heard that Cochins lay good in winter. Is that true? That would be really good, since most chickens stop laying in winter. Even they only lay 2 egg per week, it would be great during winter. My Dorking is the only good winter layer I have now. Short day light hours did not change her laying at all. She lays 4~5 eggs per week in spring, and it's the same now. She molted two months ago before all other chickens.

 

[dheltzel]

Hi Dennis, I heard that Cochins lay good in winter. Is that true? That would be really good, since most chickens stop laying in winter. Even they only lay 2 egg per week, it would be great during winter. My Dorking is the only good winter layer I have now. Short day light hours did not change her laying at all. She lays 4~5 eggs per week in spring, and it's the same now. She molted two months ago before all other chickens.

It is hard for me to say which breeds are better winter layers because it depends on their age, when each breed reaches its ideal age, they start to lay, without much regard for the daylength. Right now, the only breeds laying worth anything are Welbars and Ayam cemani. Haven't seen a cochin egg for a few weeks, and only one every few days prior to that. Last winter, the Marans did all the egg laying over winter and Welbars were notably not laying. This year, the Welbars lay 10x the Marans, so I don't know. I am gonna switch to eating quail egg tomorrow, getting an abundance of them because I keep the lighting stead y all year. It does were them out, I just sent the rest of last October's hatch off to get butchered. They all fizzled out in under a year. I'm hoping my new line of jumbos are more vigorous, they certainly lay larger eggs.
I know certain breed have a reputation for laying more in winter, but I really don't see that. Last winter the Marans were hitting 6 or 7 months old about now and when they started laying in November, they really filled in that gap. This year, half the flock is older and the other half are only 3 or 4 months old. But a flock of young Welbars are doing well.

 

[TillyPeeps]

Thanks, Dennis. It's interesting that my Welbars and Marans never laid in winter even when they were young pullets. And my Dorking lives to her breed reputation for laying good in winter. I guess it's more about individual birds or the strains of birds. Maybe I should get Cochins and Welbar next year. I only have one Welbar left, and no other chickens' egg has that shinny dark brown color.

 

[feliciadawn]

Only my silkies are laying now ... and all my big girls are hard molting. Feathers everywhere!

 

[TillyPeeps]

Only my silkies are laying now ... and all my big girls are hard molting. Feathers everywhere!

My Pokie girl Sunny (half silkie) was my best layer and the only winter layer until she passed away. It's really strange that Silkies seem being good winter layer. Right now, most my hens are molting too. Only one laying eggs is the Dorking, who molted in summer. Short daylight time doesn't slow her down at all.

 

[Hempfield Twp Chickens]

Hello Like Minded Pennsylvania People!
We have brooded chicks 3 times and given them away the first 2 when they were old enough to go outside. In the spring of 2020, we decided to keep the brood, despite an unclear ordinance. We have 6 hens, no roosters, they do not free range, we have 1.5 acres of land on the edge of agricultural zoning. Long story short...A Karen complained, we were served a violation, paid a hefty fee to appeal, lost the appeal, and are now in process to have the ordinance ammended to clearly and specifically allow for the keeping of backyard chickens. I am now seeking support from other members of my community.

If you live in Hempfield Township, PA, please email the Township Supervisors asking them to amend the ordinance. Also, please attend the public meeting Oct 24 at 7pm.

Many voices speak louder than few.

 

[Thatscluckinggreat]

Hello Like Minded Pennsylvania People!
We have brooded chicks 3 times and given them away the first 2 when they were old enough to go outside. In the spring of 2020, we decided to keep the brood, despite an unclear ordinance. We have 6 hens, no roosters, they do not free range, we have 1.5 acres of land on the edge of agricultural zoning. Long story short...A Karen complained, we were served a violation, paid a hefty fee to appeal, lost the appeal, and are now in process to have the ordinance ammended to clearly and specifically allow for the keeping of backyard chickens. I am now seeking support from other members of my community.

If you live in Hempfield Township, PA, please email the Township Supervisors asking them to amend the ordinance. Also, please attend the public meeting Oct 24 at 7pm.

Many voices speak louder than few.

Not in your area but wishing you success!

 

[TillyPeeps]

Hello Like Minded Pennsylvania People!
We have brooded chicks 3 times and given them away the first 2 when they were old enough to go outside. In the spring of 2020, we decided to keep the brood, despite an unclear ordinance. We have 6 hens, no roosters, they do not free range, we have 1.5 acres of land on the edge of agricultural zoning. Long story short...A Karen complained, we were served a violation, paid a hefty fee to appeal, lost the appeal, and are now in process to have the ordinance ammended to clearly and specifically allow for the keeping of backyard chickens. I am now seeking support from other members of my community.

If you live in Hempfield Township, PA, please email the Township Supervisors asking them to amend the ordinance. Also, please attend the public meeting Oct 24 at 7pm.

Many voices speak louder than few.

Good luck! Sorry, I'm not in your area. I'm lucky that my neighbors either don't care or love my chickens. Even we are allowed to have roosters, I try not to have one to upset my neighbors.