Physical Signs***Update***Photos & More ???

[CoyoteMagic]

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Me either. I fell in love with the first ones I had, named all of them but got rid of the roos and my bully hen and "hen"chman Big Bertha and ChickenLittle after they killed Henny Penny. So this batch I kind of left on their own. Feed them, talk to them, take them goodies, but not the handling that I did with the first batch. They hang out with me when I work in my gardens and work on the coop. They follow the dog around too, lol.

I haven't noticed the squatting yet. Someone said that the BSL and RIR's tend to lay after 18-20 weeks. I'm basicly at the point when it happens it happens, lol. Although we did have the egg vs stew pot talk when they were all little, lol.

I've been wondering about the combs of the BSL's. Some pics I see have them some don't so I'm not sure what to expect. My RIR's are actually smaller than the BSL's so I kind of them to lay even latter then them.

And of course I have Tessie my headless chicken who is the smallest of all. She tends to stay in the run and not go out with the rest of them when they free range. That's ok with me, I fear something would get her as she doesn't move all that fast.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

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No I don't. Mine's legs are kind of strange looking. They are not as yellow as the RIR's but a bit greenish black. Really strange color. Dunno what others look like.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

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GEEZ!!! I'm already going thru a 50lb bag of feed in a month!! and these guys free range all day long!! I only have 8 birds!!

I was thinking in the beginning that my blacks were Australorps. Just something about their coloring but I think now, well, I'm almost 100% sure they are BSL's.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

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I wouldn't know what a specific egg laying type was unless it dropped an egg in my lap. All I know about chickens I've learned here.

It's hard to believe that they are 14 weeks old. They were just little fluff balls stinking up my spare bedroom!!!

 

[Southern28Chick]

GEEZ!!! I'm already going thru a 50lb bag of feed in a month!!

I go through 100-150 lbs a month.

I have 24. Mine "range freely" in a giant chicken yard and get plenty of greens and bugs but they eat the feed like crazy in the early morning before I let them out.​

 

[anya40]

Thanks for the info on laying!! I'm new to this chicken thing. My Barred Rocks are 20 weeks old now. All of a sudden this week, they started squatting and spreading their wings when they see me. I had no idea what this was about. They look like they think I'm going to hit them or something! I had no idea this is a sign of laying soon. Guess I had better get those nesting boxes done PRONTO! I just want to say thanks to everyone on this site. I have been reading your posts since before I got the chicks the first of March. I had no idea what I was doing, but I followed all of your advice and all 12 of my girls are doing just fine! Then I figured after 5 months, it was time to actually sign up and start talking with all of you. Thanks again for all of your good advice. My girls are happy and healthy and I couldn't have done it without you!

 

[Zenbirder]

Welcome anya40 !!!
My barreds are about 16 weeks and growing fast, not mature like the 19 week RIRs though. I also have learned a lot about my beautiful new girls

 

[SpottedCrow]

Penny's got a dark face and when she's laying, it gets a purple-ish colour.
They'll do the squat when you pet them, sort of scrunching down and spreading their wings, like they'd do for the roo.
They'll get sort of restless, going in and out of the coop/nest boxes, and start making a ton of noise.

 

[anya40]

Well, from all that you say, I guess mine will be laying any minute. Can't wait! I moved out here to the sticks from the city of St. Louis, so I knew NOTHING about chickens or anything else for that matter. But, I am so in love with these girls. I had no idea they were such great birds. I'm so glad I decided to raise them. I'll post pics when I figure out how to do so. They are really noisy girls. They were all so quiet until about 2 weeks ago and now I have to tell them to shut their yaps! One in particular is the loudest. They remind me of puppies when they come running to me when I am outside and now they know my truck. When I drive up, here they come! They are just great and probably the most pleasant animals I have ever owned. I'm kind of worried about them with this horrible heat. I have a turbo fan blowing in their coop at all times. They are in the barn and boy is it hot in there! They free range all day and I put about 4" of water in a shallow Rubbermaid thingy and they get in there and walk around. Should I be worried about them with this heat?

 

[SpottedCrow]

They sweat through their feet, so dipping their feet in the water is a good thing. Also they lose heat through their wingpits which is why they spread their wings when they're hot and through their combs and wattles. You can freeze plastic water bottles and put them around the coop/henhouse or put ice cubes in their water. You can also give them watermelon, but not too much because they'll get diarrhea.