Raising Baby Chick-Along

[rjohns39]

Love all the baby pics...

Group processing is certainly more fun than doing it by yourself.

My 12 week olds moved into their new shelter last night and seemed to really like the bamboo leaves.

 

[Jessimom]

Awesome! Great variety!
So, is your SB pullet laying bigger eggs yet? We are still in bantam mode here, although another of my SBs started laying a couple weeks ago and they're already "large" - so interesting! Is there a "small egg gene"? Lol
I am really hoping that by October/November I can do a breeding pen for them. I find that they are one of my favorite breeds - super easy going and fairly friendly. I got a shipment from GFF and some were odd, but there are a number of keepers too.

Their eggs are a little bigger than bantam, but still not "large". I moved them in with the big girls, but they are the only dark green eggs I'm getting in that pen. So, it's easy to track. That's weird that you have such a difference in size. I hope the 'bantam" size gets bigger! I hope you are able to get your breeding pen up soon - these really are the nicest looking and acting birds.

 

[Jessimom]

Looks like a male polish.

I don't have any photos of the ones I know are boys - I'll try to get them. They have BIG lumpy redish combs on their beaks, they have sharp straight feathers on their heads. This one has a very small beige comb, and nice round even feathers. I'll get better photos of them all. I'd hate to think I've been wrong in my sexing of these.....

 

[orrpeople]

And you

Their eggs are a little bigger than bantam, but still not "large". I moved them in with the big girls, but they are the only dark green eggs I'm getting in that pen. So, it's easy to track. That's weird that you have such a difference in size. I hope the 'bantam" size gets bigger! I hope you are able to get your breeding pen up soon - these really are the nicest looking and acting birds.

And you are first on my list when things finally start to "happen!"
MJ has been laying for a while, so I may put one of her eggs under my broody and see what happens. Maybe she will just have petite babies!

 

[orrpeople]

I just wormed all of my 55FHs, SBs and EFGs in the grow out pens. I had a 55 "expire" last week, so I have been going through all the cautionary steps to try to make sure it doesn't happen again. Vitamins, electrolytes, corid, and worming. I couldn't bring myself to necropsy the bird, partly because after I watched a bunch of YouTube tutorials on the process, I became convinced the only diagnosis I would be able to make would be regarding parasites; all the rest was so complex (hug your veterinarian) that I wouldn't know what I was looking for. So, if something else happens with that pen, I will probably have to have a professional analysis done.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

IMG_9991

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 17, 2017

IMG_0023

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

. Roo?

IMG_0009

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

IMG_0006

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

Definitely roo.

IMG_0033

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

IMG_0031

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

IMG_0029

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

IMG_0030

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

Roo?

IMG_0038

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

Thought this one might be a roo before, but now pretty confident a pullet.

All hatched June 27-28.

 

[rjohns39]

IMG_9991

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 17, 2017

IMG_0023

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

. Roo?

IMG_0009

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

IMG_0006

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

Definitely roo.

IMG_0033

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

IMG_0031

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

IMG_0029

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

IMG_0030

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

Roo?

IMG_0038

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

Thought this one might be a roo before, but now pretty confident a pullet.

All hatched June 27-28.

Is 30 a del?

 

[orrpeople]

IMG_9991

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 17, 2017

IMG_0023

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

. Roo?

IMG_0009

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

IMG_0006

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

Definitely roo.

IMG_0033

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

IMG_0031

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

IMG_0029

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

IMG_0030

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

Roo?

IMG_0038

• NorthTexasWink
• Aug 21, 2017

Thought this one might be a roo before, but now pretty confident a pullet.

All hatched June 27-28.

Was that an opossum? Have you had any predator issues?

 

[NorthTexasWink]

Yes, white one is Delaware.
Yes, possum walking the high wires along back fence a coup,e of evenings ago. Saw two, one met my snake shovel. No issues with anything getting into coop or run so far.

 

[orrpeople]

Yes, white one is Delaware.
Yes, possum walking the high wires along back fence a coup,e of evenings ago. Saw two, one met my snake shovel. No issues with anything getting into coop or run so far.

I lost a 55FH cockerel Saturday early morning to a raccoon. We knew it was only a matter of time. We couldn't catch that bird before he was up at least 50' in the big oak by his coop at night. He lasted 3 nights like that and then Mr. Raccoon got him. Thankfully I have 2 more, and was contemplating not keeping that one anyway... but still...