Pullets 7 weeks & 16 weeks

[ShanasCastle]

Hey everyone!

Here are my babies, all purchased locally. The babies were bought from 3 kids who raised them for a school project. They claimed the chicks are barred rocks. Not so sure. The older girls are 1) Wyandotte 2) leghorn?

I'm new to this and I would just like to be sure of what I have and appreciate all of your experience and insight. Thank you for allowing me to be apart of your community!

P. S. Could use advise on overcoming my fear of holding them. The leghorn allows me to pet her, the other one is shy & runs from me. The babies were first & they screamed when I picked them up so it freaked me out! I thought I was hurting them. Hahaha YOU would've too had you heard that squeal. "We" are learning about one another together. The older ones were stuck in an overcrowded coop but the babies were held a lot! My husband (grew up on farm) says that my birds are happy & like me more than him so I'm "a good mother hen"!

 

[Frazzemrat1]

You are correct, I don't see barred rocks at all in there. At this point, I'd say you have mixed breeds. The brown one, does it have a crest? not a comb, but a crest?


as for picking them up... you don't have to. Mine aren't much for it, so I don't typically pick them up. When I need to, I just make sure I'm firm but gentle. They may struggle, and when it seems like they're struggling very hard, I just let them go. Better to let them go and start over, than to injure the bird through their struggling.

 

[ShanasCastle]

You are correct, I don't see barred rocks at all in there. At this point, I'd say you have mixed breeds. The brown one, does it have a crest? not a comb, but a crest?


as for picking them up... you don't have to. Mine aren't much for it, so I don't typically pick them up. When I need to, I just make sure I'm firm but gentle. They may struggle, and when it seems like they're struggling very hard, I just let them go. Better to let them go and start over, than to injure the bird through their struggling.

Not sure about a "crest" but he/she has a slip of hair kind of like a blue jay. Is that what you mean?

Thanks! Phew, thought I was a bad Mom bc they didn't want that hands on attention.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

That's what I meant by 'crest' I wonder if there's some legbar in there.

 

[ShanasCastle]

That's what I meant by 'crest' I wonder if there's some legbar in there.

I was thinking that it might be a rooster, what do you think?

 

[Frazzemrat1]

I was thinking that it might be a rooster, what do you think?

A bit too soon to tell. I'd give it a couple more weeks.

 

[ShanasCastle]

A bit too soon to tell. I'd give it a couple more weeks.

Oh, don't know if this is an important characteristic but that is the only one that has an odd greyish color legs. Very pretty & alert chick! The eyes are dark with lighter color surrounding, but a nice black line (like a mask) around eyes, going back towards the neck. Beautiful even if he/she is a mutt . Just like my dogs!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Howdy, Mother Hen!!!! I am so excited that you decided to join our FUNomenal Flock!
You have yourself a nice flock of mixed breeds. Give it a couple of weeks and then if you still want help with sexing them, take full side body and closer head shots and repost.
Have a super FUN time with your chickens!!!

 

[ShanasCastle]

Howdy, Mother Hen!!!! I am so excited that you decided to join our FUNomenal Flock!
You have yourself a nice flock of mixed breeds. Give it a couple of weeks and then if you still want help with sexing them, take full side body and closer head shots and repost.
Have a super FUN time with your chickens!!!

Awesome! Thanks

 

[lazy gardener]

As for holding them: chickens are prey animals. Most don't want to be held. If you want an animal that wants that kind of attention, get a dog or cat, or even a guinea pig!

But, there are times when it's important to pick up your birds to inspect them, move them to a safe location, or "treat" them for an injury. You should not be afraid to pick them up. Since you ARE afraid, you should handle them so that your fear will become a distant memory. The best way to do so is at night, after they've gone to perch. They are more docile after dark. Simply wrap your hands around the bird, clasping her wings to her body. Lift her off the perch. You can then bring her to your chest to secure one wing, while you cradle her with your other hand. She will kick her feet around and yell, until she feels secure in your grip.

THEN, the fun begins. Take your free hand, and gently use thumb and index finger to massage her face: comb, around eyes, ears, wattles, and her jaw line, and gently scritch the feathers at the back of her head. If you're doing it correctly, she will usually close her eyes, and lean into you, much the same way a cat does when you rub those "pleasure" points.

When you handle a bird, don't put her down until she's calm. Then when you release her, do so gently. If you put her down while she's in a panic, that will be her long term memory of the encounter. If you wait till she's calm, she will remember the experience as ending on a positive note.

Often, my birds who have received facial massages from me will become pests. They will stand in front of me, and beg for attention. One Dom I had used to hop up on the waist level perch and lean into me for her daily facial massage.