San Diego Chicken meetup and Chat thread

[dfdesigns]

It's interesting how the male to female ratio works out... In looking at feathers (both color and development patterns), feet size and combs, I'd have to say:

2 out of 3 of the broody's chicks are cockerels

and

4 out of 5 of the incubated chicks are pullets

The broody chicks have been the most interesting, mostly because I really have no idea on parentage. Two for sure have my EE as a momma, and I'm leaning towards my Speckled Sussex being the daddy of all of them. Pictures would probably be nice, wouldn't they?

Also, momma broody has decided to ditch the babies at night now. The last two evenings I've had to go pluck her out of the coop and stick her back in with the chicks. Tomorrow (assuming we're all still here) begins Operation Split The Coop - all the babies are going out!

Dana

 

[empireranch]

Here's my broody update - out of the 6 shipped eggs, only 2 hatched - some sort of orpington mixes (but the buff has yellow legs so that can't be right). Picked up 3 chicks yesterday from feed store and put them under broody late last night - 1 barred rock, a sex-link and an EE (is that a hatchery ameraucana?). Anyway - very fun and educational experience. Do you see any roosters?

[/img]

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Kate: It's much too young to tell if you have any roosters, unless you have any sex links.

Dana: I did not find that my incubator ones were more female. In fact Out of 28 Ameraucanas (incubated) I only got about 10 females. =/

 

[dfdesigns]

OMG - is there anything cuter than a broody with her babies??? What a sweet picture!

Cari - isn't it bizarre how things work out? I will probably be wrong with my sex guessing anyway... at least your Wheaten crew is easy to ID. Will you be hatching more?

Dana

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

Quote:
Ditto that!!

 

[crazy huhn]

Quote:
Congratulations on your new family additions. They are soooooooo cute.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Empireranch, that picture is way too cute!! All my Australorps and my NN bantam are broody. Even after I pull all the eggs out, they continue to sit. Even after I throw them off the nest, they continue to sit on the floor where they've landed. I really wish I could let them hatch out some chicks but what would I do with all of them????? One day.....when my numbers are down.

My D'Uccles have decided that they like to spend the day out with the big birds in the run. The cockerel won't let the big hens bother them, but of course, he gets to have his way with them.

I'd love to hatch out some little NN D'Uccles!

 

[cracking up]

Empireranch - That little barred rock has an awfully big white spot on it's head. Think it's a roo. They sure are cute and fluffy. Mom really does a better job than the incubator.

No rapture here! I'm going to bed!

 

[empireranch]

Quote:
The woman at Hawthorne Feed picked out the 3 chicks for me - the very light chick is what I thought she said was a sex link - is it too light to be a pullet then?

 

[empireranch]

Quote:
The spot is yellow - oh no, I am getting worried now. I picked my first 7 pullets myself (from Country Feed) - at Hawthorne the woman picked them. They were labelled as pullets and I told her that's what I wanted. Time will tell.