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[KensingtonHens]

I have 6 hens, 16 weeks old. One of them squawks until we let her out of the run!!! It's becoming very annoying. They have plenty of food and water, some treats to scratch around for and still she sqwaks. She starts early in the am, quiets after I go out and scold her, then starts up again I'd afternoon. I can't have them out all day. What else can I do?! Have I spoiled them already?!!

 

[junebuggena]

Some girls are just really loud. It's a personality thing. Since she clearly wants more 'playtime' than she's getting right now, you could try letting them out for an hour or two early in the morning, and then again in the afternoon. She might quiet down if she gets regular outside time on a predictable schedule.

 

[KensingtonHens]

That sounds like a very sound idea. Thank you! Scheduling seems a no brainier but I hadn't thought of it!! I hope that doesn't mean what I think it means!! I also have one gal who is larger then the others and still rather pale in the face. She's really quiet, I haven't found any parasites or worms so I'm just waiting to see. She has been pale sense birth. I got them at two days old. Maybe she's a he? No crowing, Wouldn't he have crowed (if a he!) by now? 16 weeks.

 

[junebuggena]

Being pale in the face and comb just means she's not quite as developed. Size is not a indicator or who's going to mature first. One of my smallest girls was the first to lay regularly. At 16 weeks, a cockerel would be very obvious. As long as none of your birds have thin, shiny feathers growing near the base of the tail, they are probably girls. Some boys don't start crowing until after 6 months, but most do crow much earlier.
This is my Easter Egger cockerel at 16 weeks old to give you an idea of male feathering. Long, flowing hackle feathers; and long, thin, shiny saddle feathers.

 

[KensingtonHens]

Being pale in the face and comb just means she's not quite as developed. Size is not a indicator or who's going to mature first. One of my smallest girls was the first to lay regularly. At 16 weeks, a cockerel would be very obvious. As long as none of your birds have thin, shiny feathers growing near the base of the tail, they are probably girls. Some boys don't start crowing until after 6 months, but most do crow much earlier. This is my Easter Egger cockerel at 16 weeks old to give you an idea of male feathering. Long, flowing hackle feathers; and long, thin, shiny saddle feathers.

Thank you for the pic. Really helped. Now I'm more confident they are all pullets. My smallest bantam RR started like with a bum leg and I had to hold her to make sure she was breathing half the time. She is now the one having stand offs with out dog! It is funny just how different they all are. Like the kids!!