Autumnswirl
In the Brooder
- Jul 10, 2016
- 13
- 3
- 14
First I want to thank all of you, I've been getting a lot of my chicken questions answered by searching the internet sense April, and I almost always end up on Backyard Chickens.
I bought 7 day old chicks from TSC on April 15th, and then 6 more the next week. Of the initial 7, 5 came from pullet bins- 3 leghorns, 2 ISA browns, and 2 came from a straight run bin- they were the last 2 in it, both were supposed to be "special blacks". The next week, I picked up one more special black straight run, 3 Rhode Island Red straight runs, and 2 more ISA brown pullets. I did find out the special blacks were supposed to be a cross of Rhode Island Reds and something else which I cant remember.
One of the special blacks from the first group died by the end of the first week.
Fast forward to today. The flock appears healthy, they are free range and locked up every night.
I am positive the second weeks special black is a rooster, and he is going to be stunning. The other special black turned out to be a bantam. also very pretty.
From all the research I've done, I am not going to attempt to sex the leghorns- to many hens are thought to be roosters right up until they lay an egg.
The Isa Browns are supposed to be hens, I have heard of a few that turned out to be roosters, but all 4 of mine have small combs, yellowish, and only one appears to have longer saddle feathers but they are rounded on the ends.
The Rhode Island Reds I am wondering about. They all almost look the same, but ones comb is turning red before the other 2, all combs are small.
I've come to the conclusion that I am comparing them all to the rooster, so due to how roosterish he looks, they all look like hens to me. So Im going to post a few pictures to see what you all think.
Rhode Island Reds: (mixed in with the others, the reds are darker than the isa, and the rooster makes an appearance in the last 2 pics) (11 weeks + a few days old today)
The other questionable chicken is the bantam (bought from straight run special black bin, April 15th) "She" is questionable because very small yellowish comb, no red anywhere on head, thick legs, distinctively rounded feathers on hackles and saddles, has been seen crowing. "She" is true to bantam nature, quick to run and hard to get photos of. "She" is the tiniest chicken in the pictures. Im still leaning towards hen. (12 weeks, 2 days old today)
And finally, just because he is so pretty, the rooster (special black mixed run bin, 11 weeks + a few days old today)
I bought 7 day old chicks from TSC on April 15th, and then 6 more the next week. Of the initial 7, 5 came from pullet bins- 3 leghorns, 2 ISA browns, and 2 came from a straight run bin- they were the last 2 in it, both were supposed to be "special blacks". The next week, I picked up one more special black straight run, 3 Rhode Island Red straight runs, and 2 more ISA brown pullets. I did find out the special blacks were supposed to be a cross of Rhode Island Reds and something else which I cant remember.
One of the special blacks from the first group died by the end of the first week.
Fast forward to today. The flock appears healthy, they are free range and locked up every night.
I am positive the second weeks special black is a rooster, and he is going to be stunning. The other special black turned out to be a bantam. also very pretty.
From all the research I've done, I am not going to attempt to sex the leghorns- to many hens are thought to be roosters right up until they lay an egg.
The Isa Browns are supposed to be hens, I have heard of a few that turned out to be roosters, but all 4 of mine have small combs, yellowish, and only one appears to have longer saddle feathers but they are rounded on the ends.
The Rhode Island Reds I am wondering about. They all almost look the same, but ones comb is turning red before the other 2, all combs are small.
I've come to the conclusion that I am comparing them all to the rooster, so due to how roosterish he looks, they all look like hens to me. So Im going to post a few pictures to see what you all think.
Rhode Island Reds: (mixed in with the others, the reds are darker than the isa, and the rooster makes an appearance in the last 2 pics) (11 weeks + a few days old today)
The other questionable chicken is the bantam (bought from straight run special black bin, April 15th) "She" is questionable because very small yellowish comb, no red anywhere on head, thick legs, distinctively rounded feathers on hackles and saddles, has been seen crowing. "She" is true to bantam nature, quick to run and hard to get photos of. "She" is the tiniest chicken in the pictures. Im still leaning towards hen. (12 weeks, 2 days old today)
And finally, just because he is so pretty, the rooster (special black mixed run bin, 11 weeks + a few days old today)
