Rooster or Hen?

[Painted Calls]

This is a buckeye. Pea sized combs are normal for this breed. They have the smallest combs of any American breed so therefore you can't use the same comb standards as other chicken breeds.

I know what a buckeye is and I know what a pea comb is. I'm not judging a pea comb as a single comb.

 

[NatJ]

I have attached a picture of Favorite at 3 months and he had a beautiful comb

That chicken named Favorite has a single comb.

This is a buckeye. Pea sized combs are normal for this breed. They have the smallest combs of any American breed so therefore you can't use the same comb standards as other chicken breeds.

True, so the single comb on Favorite (who probably got plenty to eat) is not helpful for showing anything about Speckles (who is a different breed, has a pea comb, and did not get enough to eat).

The diet for my flock is not horrible.... The other chickens didn't allow Speckles to eat

No food = horrible diet.
So Speckles had a horrible diet, no matter how good the food was for the other chickens.

 

[ccoscina]

They may have picked out all the nutritional pieces, leaving all the empty calorie corn for that lowest in the pecking order.

Most pullets usually do.

No way. They go for the corn more than the layer feed. They like meal worms the most. Then fresh veggies like tomatoes and radishes and lettuce. Then other treats. Then cracked corn. They like their layer feed the most and they bill it out of the feeder and mostly go for treats and corn. Speckles really didn't get to eat much of anything in it's early life and was always shaking from being attacked all the time.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Speckles really didn't get to eat much of anything in it's early life and was always shaking from being attacked all the time.

That would still lead to malnourishment, even if they were fed the most incredible diet in the world, being unable to eat could certainly slow development.

 

[ccoscina]

That chicken named Favorite has a single comb.



True, so the single comb on Favorite (who probably got plenty to eat) is not helpful for showing anything about Speckles (who is a different breed, has a pea comb, and did not get enough to eat).



No food = horrible diet.
So Speckles had a horrible diet, no matter how good the food was for the other chickens.

Speckles and Favorite are not only the same breed but are also from the same litter.

I know no food = horrible diet but that other poster I was responding to has a history of talking shit to me about what I feed my chickens so I got defensive. I don't like that person.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Speckles and Favorite are not only the same breed but are also from the same litter.

I know no food = horrible diet but that other poster I was responding to has a history of talking shit to me about what I feed my chickens so I got defensive. I don't like that person.

I have never even spoken to you before this thread. So I don’t know what history you mean.

However, I am sorry if I am sounding rude. That really is not my intention. I am simply pointing out that the lack of a balanced diet can lead to nutrient deficiency issues, which can slow development in both sexes.

 

[ccoscina]

Oh sorry alot of people here tell me I feed them too much cracked corn. The main feed is a layer feed and secondary is cracked corn. About 75 to 80 percent layer feed 20 to 25 percent cracked corn. I also supplement this main mix with a little scratch grains, meal worms, oyster shell, poultry grit, manna pro omega 3 maker, harvest delight treats (nuts/seeds/dried vegetables), and those treats with the fish in them.

 

[Painted Calls]

Anything other than a complete balanced feed (in your case, the layer) is considered a treat and should make up no more than 10% of their daily diet.

@Kiki explains it really well.

 

[NatJ]

Speckles and Favorite are not only the same breed but are also from the same litter.

Same breed?

You said Speckles is a Buckeye. Buckeyes have pea combs, and Speckles has a pea comb, so that seems right.

But Favorite does NOT have a pea comb. So Favorite is not a Buckeye.

(If Favorite was sold as a Buckeye, then either someone mis-identified that chick, or someone is breeding and selling "Buckeyes" that do not meet the breed standard.)

To me, Favorite looks like a Rhode Island Red.

 

[Kiki]

Anything other than a complete balanced feed (in your case, the layer) is considered a treat and should make up no more than 10% of their daily diet.

@Kiki explains it really well.

If your birds don't get a balanced diet they are highly likely to suffer a painful death.