Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[gilcamp4]

good afternoon everyone I need help with a chicken, I have had them for 6 years and just hatched 7 eggs about 5 wks ago I have one don't look like a chicken, hope someone can tell us what it is.

 

[Scrambles55]

Could it be a Bantam?

 

[cheeka]

gilcamp, it is a chicken. it's just small. if it isn't a bantam, it's just slow to develop. awfully cute little one.

my Blue Cochin is sitting. and she's sitting on eggs. she let me take one, but as soon as I did... she took it back. I tried to just set it down on the bedding to see if there were more, and she rolled it right back under. so cute. I'm hoping she'll go broody and soon! everyone is out free ranging, I just came in to swap camera memory cards... so off I go! be back later!

 

[subhanalah]

Okay, I started reading this thread when I first got chickens (about 4 months ago) and didn't really keep up, but now I have a question for you folks.

is old rooster here? That guy is hilarious.

anyway.
so, I was just trying to take a picture of my chicken's butt, so I could post how cute and fluffy and pretty chicken butts are and I don't understand why people always seem to have a problem eating something that comes from there.
my gold sex link wasn't having it. She's kind of dominant and was not having that weird contraption pointed towards her with her back turned, nuh-uh...not happenin'.
I go to pick up my Easter Egger who is the only pullet out of my first three birds, and the other two have already been culled from the flock. Anyway, she hatched in the 15 of February, but when I tried to pick her up....she squatted for me. Could she really be getting ready to lay? I wasn't expecting this for another 4-8 weeks from her.

 

[cheeka]

subhanalah, yes it is possible. generally, they lay a few weeks after they start to squat. I have a group in my flock who hatched in Dec, 12, and they started to lay between 17-19 weeks which was so confusing for me, as my original flock waited 26 weeks or longer. so if your girl is roughly 16 weeks old, she may lay by 18-19 weeks which is the early average.

good luck getting fluffy butt pics, it'll happen, they'll get used to the camera.


Wilma wants to know if you have any Barred Rocks...

 

[subhanalah]

subhanalah, yes it is possible. generally, they lay a few weeks after they start to squat. I have a group in my flock who hatched in Dec, 12, and they started to lay between 17-19 weeks which was so confusing for me, as my original flock waited 26 weeks or longer. so if your girl is roughly 16 weeks old, she may lay by 18-19 weeks which is the early average. good luck getting fluffy butt pics, it'll happen, they'll get used to the camera. Wilma wants to know if you have any Barred Rocks...

I really like Wilma! Sadly, I hatched out four barred rocks and someone wanted to buy two pullets. The other two were cockerels and are already gone to chicken heaven....I guess the pullets too, since their family dog massacred all of their chicks. Here is her picture, she was looking for scratch and didn't want to pose for the camera. Her comb seems mighty pale yet. Thanks cheeka! (That's what I call my little sister lol)

And here's my silkie Inky (for funsies). Truly a wait for a crow or an egg with these! He/she is almost 11 weeks old, from my first hatch.

 

[mortie]

The flock laid a grand total of zero eggs today.

 

[Melinda48]

Your girls will love it!

 

[cheeka]

Quote:

 

[subhanalah]

she/he got into the fermented feed after I took that last picture, lol.I will try to get a picture, but it's hard! They are just so busy!

My pullet is a smaller breed of chicken, she probably weighs about a pound, I felt her pelvic bones and could almost fit two fingers. It's close, but not that close, lol.