Roo or Hen guessing game

[RowerRN]

Hubbie filled the tunnel this weekend, so whatever may have been stealing eggs is now temporarily out of business.

Interestingly, one of the girls 'arranged' the clean straw in the nesting box, but no egg. Hoping this was practice/preparation? Guess we'll see.

Also I think I should cull some of the older girls. They are downright bullies to the younger americaunas. Don't know if black australorps tend towards being mean, but mine sure are.

 

[yorklady]

Look like pullets to me!

 

[Mac14]

I'm glad you got that hole filled in. If I were to be sure that they are pullets then I would have to see closer pics.

 

[dolly85]

Those are definitely pullets. Its gets pretty cold in Maryland, I'll bet those chickens wait until the days get longer before laying. If you want eggs now you add some extra light to their coop.

 

[debid]

Hubbie filled the tunnel this weekend, so whatever may have been stealing eggs is now temporarily out of business.

Interestingly, one of the girls 'arranged' the clean straw in the nesting box, but no egg. Hoping this was practice/preparation? Guess we'll see.

Also I think I should cull some of the older girls. They are downright bullies to the younger americaunas. Don't know if black australorps tend towards being mean, but mine sure are.

Arranging the straw is a very promising sign. I caught a few of my pullets practicing like that just a few days before laying.

As for the bullies... How long has the group been together? It took a good 6 weeks for the new pecking order to be settled after I added a couple more ladies to my group (they'd been together since they were tiny chicks). None of them were interested in leading the welcoming committee and it was rather hard to watch. One of them was, well, fighting like a rooster. She's always been eccentric but as bizarre as her behavior was, she wasn't drawing blood either so I waited. Glad I did, too. Everything is pretty calm these days and she's best buddies with the one that she fought hardest with.