Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[dheltzel]

Just an interesting thing I noticed today on one of my older chicks. They are about 8 weeks old, and they are cruising around on their own now, Mama Bielefelder was the last to let them go, and she laid her first egg yesterday.

This morning, I noticed one of the chicks (A Black or Silver Amer., can't tell the color yet) had this ball of feathers hanging from her neck. It was just dangling there, and she was acting normally. I try to keep an eye on everybody, but it's possible she could have had a tumor grow quickly. Thankfully, the chicks were hanging out in the garage later, where I could finally catch her.

Apparently, the poor thing had scraped her neck somewhere, and pulled the skin almost completely off, including the feathers. I don't think it was a predator, it didn't look like a bite, but more like a bad scrape on the top of her neck. I was gone all day yesterday, so I believe that's when it happened. She was acting completely normally, and it looked like it hadn't bled much at all. So I snipped the little puff of skin and feathers off, blu-Koted her, and let her go.

Definitely a black Am. I hope she is a girl, I really like all the Ameraucanas.
I had to blu-kote all of my fly tie chicks that I moved to the farm, they are feather picking like mad. All 6 were involved, some bore more of the brunt of the aggression than others and were bleeding, the rest just have bad molts and are bare back. I can't get over how different these "Game type" birds are regarding their social interactions. I know some people like feisty birds, but I really prefer the mellowness of the Ams, Legbars and Welbars. I guess I'm spoiled by roos that I never have to watch when I'm in their pen, and chicks that don't take advantage of a bad molt by trying to eat their siblings.
OTOH, if I get extra roos of these fly-ties I bet they will do very well free ranging on the farm, and they are some very handsome birds.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Definitely a black Am. I hope she is a girl, I really like all the Ameraucanas.
I had to blu-kote all of my fly tie chicks that I moved to the farm, they are feather picking like mad. All 6 were involved, some bore more of the brunt of the aggression than others and were bleeding, the rest just have bad molts and are bare back. I can't get over how different these "Game type" birds are regarding their social interactions. I know some people like feisty birds, but I really prefer the mellowness of the Ams, Legbars and Welbars. I guess I'm spoiled by roos that I never have to watch when I'm in their pen, and chicks that don't take advantage of a bad molt by trying to eat their siblings.
OTOH, if I get extra roos of these fly-ties I bet they will do very well free ranging on the farm, and they are some very handsome birds.

I'm pretty sure it's a pullet. But boy, they are all much bigger than the CCLs so far. Will they look like the black sex links?

 

[Blarneyeggs]

That picture of your boy is Awesome!

Awwww, Thank you. He took my credit card to TSC to pick up turkey feed and shavings...came home with that outfit! Here he is with our puppy 'Mark' -Mark was 60lbs last check about a month ago... he is the sweetest thing, and learning quick. I can leave the birds out now and he does not bother with them.

 

[fisherlady]

So Lucky! You have 2 adorable boys!

 

[dheltzel]

I'm pretty sure it's a pullet. But boy, they are all much bigger than the CCLs so far. Will they look like the black sex links?

The black am pullets look a lot like the black sexlinks you got from me, but their muffs and beards are usually a little larger and fuller. Their eggs seem bluer to me, I assume because they have 2 blue egg genes, but they are not quite as prolific with their egg laying. My black Am pullets are laying fantastic right now, but a month or so back they slacked off, while the BSL's lay nearly every day all year.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

What a long day. We butchered 18 meaties today. 10 were this morning with hubby's help then I did 8 after he left for work. I'm EXHAUSTED! We were able to borrow a plucker from some friends though so that had been a lifesaver. 19 left to go. I think we'll keep the best looking pullets to raise out to try to breed. Hopefully, we can finish up tomorrow.

 

[emorems0]

What a long day. We butchered 18 meaties today. 10 were this morning with hubby's help then I did 8 after he left for work. I'm EXHAUSTED! We were able to borrow a plucker from some friends though so that had been a lifesaver. 19 left to go. I think we'll keep the best looking pullets to raise out to try to breed. Hopefully, we can finish up tomorrow.

What kind of meaties do you have? I'm guessing not CX since you plan to keep some for breeding. Have you found the slower growing meat birds any more difficult to process than the CX? Just trying to prepare myself for when ours are ready in a few months... We've only ever processed CX en masse and I'm wondering how it compares.

 

[emorems0]

I noticed we were talking breed behavior a few pages back and I figured I'd mention my nickname for the 3 black sexlinks I have from Dheltzel... I refer to them as my ninja chickens. They DO NOT like to be contained and have even started conflicts with my neighbors, lol. I never had any problems containing my birds or keeping them in our yard when we occasionally let them free range, but since these girls matured I just haven't been able to keep them contained and they LOVE the neighbors mulch. They even taught my other chickens how to escape and told them it was okay to cross the street and whatnot. I've raised the fence, I've re-hung the doors to close a gap, I've blocked up any exit I can find and these girls STILL find a way out within a few days. Being black suits them... because they are NINJAS!

 

[OneMountainAcres]

What kind of meaties do you have? I'm guessing not CX since you plan to keep some for breeding. Have you found the slower growing meat birds any more difficult to process than the CX? Just trying to prepare myself for when ours are ready in a few months... We've only ever processed CX en masse and I'm wondering how it compares.

They actualy are CX. @duluthralphie successfully raised some up and bred them, creating his "toads". I plan to try to do the same thing but I'll be out crossing them.

 

[emorems0]

They actualy are CX. @duluthralphie successfully raised some up and bred them, creating his "toads". I plan to try to do the same thing but I'll be out crossing them.

Guess I shouldn't have assumed... my neighbor saved two male CX and she is actually getting fertile eggs from her hens now! They were the smallest of her crew which isn't great selection for producing big offspring, but it apparently helps them to be able to get the job done despite their large breasts! She has a broody girl and is letting her sit on 4 eggs, I'm really curious to see what she gets