Red Partridge Orpington informational hatch thread

[K0k0shka]

I'm glad they are three different colors so we can tell them apart.

Me too! They are the same breed and came from the same small flock, but I'm glad they are different colors so we can tell them apart, and so they can have more individuality.

 

[K0k0shka]

Night 3, and the chicks went into the coop all by themselves!! My smart babies... I'm impressed! They hopped up onto the nesting box first, and looked like they were craning their necks in the direction of their roost, trying to figure out if they could make it, but I think it was too dark for them to brave the jump. They started settling on the nesting box top so I went and moved them to their roost. They didn't cry today - yay! Just settled right in and started making their "go to sleep" sounds. And they look comfortable and at home on the roost now, taking up as much space as they need instead of squishing themselves against the wall as far away from the hens as possible. This makes me happy

The formerly broody hen is by far the most tolerant of the chicks, and they know it. They go right up to her and eat beak to beak with her - something they won't dare do with any other hen. They do have a special bond. Unfortunately I think it's giving her ideas, because I found her in the nesting box at bedtime when I went to move the chicks... She had her wings down and had "that look" about her Moved her back to the roost, and let's hope she gets over it. I humored her once, but that's enough for this year.

 

[SkiboJeff]

You are an awesome story teller. I just read the entire thread in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down. Thank you for sharing.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Night 3, and the chicks went into the coop all by themselves!! My smart babies... I'm impressed! They hopped up onto the nesting box first, and looked like they were craning their necks in the direction of their roost, trying to figure out if they could make it, but I think it was too dark for them to brave the jump. They started settling on the nesting box top so I went and moved them to their roost. They didn't cry today - yay! Just settled right in and started making their "go to sleep" sounds. And they look comfortable and at home on the roost now, taking up as much space as they need instead of squishing themselves against the wall as far away from the hens as possible. This makes me happy
View attachment 2723535

The formerly broody hen is by far the most tolerant of the chicks, and they know it. They go right up to her and eat beak to beak with her - something they won't dare do with any other hen. They do have a special bond. Unfortunately I think it's giving her ideas, because I found her in the nesting box at bedtime when I went to move the chicks... She had her wings down and had "that look" about her Moved her back to the roost, and let's hope she gets over it. I humored her once, but that's enough for this year.
View attachment 2723536

Love the penciling on the hen in that kast pic. Is that an Orp?

 

[K0k0shka]

Love the penciling on the hen in that kast pic. Is that an Orp?

Thanks! That’s one of my Double Silver Laced Barnevelders. She’s the one that went broody this past spring and hatched and raised three chicks. I’m thinking that’s why she’s nice to these three - she might have residual motherly feelings towards them (even though they’re not the ones she raised).

 

[K0k0shka]

You are an awesome story teller. I just read the entire thread in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you for the kind words! I’m glad you have enjoyed the thread

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thanks! That’s one of my Double Silver Laced Barnevelders. She’s the one that went broody this past spring and hatched and raised three chicks. I’m thinking that’s why she’s nice to these three - she might have residual motherly feelings towards them (even though they’re not the ones she raised).

I hope to have a beauty like that someday.

 

[K0k0shka]

I hope to have a beauty like that someday.

They’re kind of a pain in the butt, but they sure are pretty to make up for it!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

They’re kind of a pain in the butt, but they sure are pretty to make up for it!

Hm. A pain how?

 

[K0k0shka]

Hm. A pain how?

They are loud! Which gives me constant anxiety because I have problems with my neighbors who hate chickens. My Barnevelders yell the egg song before, during and after laying, and also if another hen is in the nest they want, they will yell the egg song at her until she leaves the nest (if she doesn’t leave, they’ll squeeze themselves in with her and muscle her out). They spook easily and scream the alarm sound over dumb sh** And often they’ll just screech for no reason at all. They don’t really have a normal conversational voice like the other hens, they just screech, which can be pretty annoying. They are also naturally skittish and approach the world with suspicion. I have put mine through extensive socialization since hatch, and they will hop up into my lap, but they avoid being touched or picked up (won’t put up a fight and I can catch them easily, but they’ll evade for as long as they can). Their breeder says that that’s a lot more than she’s been able to get out of hers. Hers keep a distance and won’t come near. So, I’ve accomplished a lot and it’s still doable, it just takes a lot of work for very little payoff. That’s if you want pet chickens, of course. I do, so the Barnevelders wouldn’t be my top pick. Honestly, I got them cuz they’re so pretty They’re not much good for other purposes either though. Not quite pet material, not good for eggs because they only lay when they feel like it, their eggs are TINY even though they started laying 5 months ago, and they really make you wait for that first egg - mine were 9 months old when they laid their first. And they don’t lay the dark chocolate eggs that standard (red) Barnevelders are known for either. The DSL lay ordinary light brown eggs, so they don’t even have egg color going for them.

So, not great as pets or for eggs, and not ideal for meat either because they are very small even when full grown. What’s left is their looks, and they do have that going for them! They get a lot of compliments, and I enjoy looking at them.

The Orps, on the other hand, check all my boxes, so they are my all time favorites - calm and friendly, not easily bothered, very quiet, enjoy handling, lay well and lay large eggs, have a lot of meat on them, and my English varieties are pretty to look at, too.