I have 2 chicks, a lavender orpington (Prada) and a gold laced cochin (Fendi). Best guess by breeder was they were both girls when I got them at a couple of days old.
The LO, still not positive one way or the other - breeder says pullet.
The cochin, I thought was a boy and at around 5-6 weeks old, comb/wattles were strong indicators to me it was a boy. Sent pics to the breeder and she was confident it was a girl.
Well, Fendi is having some gender identity issues. I walked up on the deck (they are in a dane sized kennel on the patio at night) this morning after letting the ducks and chickens out and heard a very strange sound and look at see that it was coming from Fendi. Ok, first try at crowing. Later in the morning, he gave it another try. So I'm now positive I have a little roo
I have a few options.
1 - keep Fendi until I know for sure that Prada is a pullet or roo (ie - she lays an egg or starts crowing too)
1a - return Fendi to breeder and swap out for pullet if Prada is a girl
1b - return both Fendi and Prada (if a boy) to the breeder and try again next year
2 - bring Fendi back now to swap for a pullet and hope Prada is a girl
3 - keep Fendi until they are fully integrated into the flock and then return him
We have no desire for a rooster. If he promises to be quiet and respectful, he can stay, but that isn't likely (the quiet bit at least).
I know you shouldn't mix new birds, but since new bird would come from the same breeder as these guys did, is that an issue at 9 weeks without segregating?
Right now, the Fendi and Prada are in a pen in the yard so everybody can see everybody. I am outside when they are out of the pen to keep one of the 4 month old chickens from chasing them. Otherwise, everybody else seems to leave them alone. If I replace Fendi now and assume (yeah yeah, I know what they say) that Prada is a girl, how would that work with just Prada and the new chick of the same size/age?
The LO, still not positive one way or the other - breeder says pullet.
The cochin, I thought was a boy and at around 5-6 weeks old, comb/wattles were strong indicators to me it was a boy. Sent pics to the breeder and she was confident it was a girl.
Well, Fendi is having some gender identity issues. I walked up on the deck (they are in a dane sized kennel on the patio at night) this morning after letting the ducks and chickens out and heard a very strange sound and look at see that it was coming from Fendi. Ok, first try at crowing. Later in the morning, he gave it another try. So I'm now positive I have a little roo
I have a few options.
1 - keep Fendi until I know for sure that Prada is a pullet or roo (ie - she lays an egg or starts crowing too)
1a - return Fendi to breeder and swap out for pullet if Prada is a girl
1b - return both Fendi and Prada (if a boy) to the breeder and try again next year
2 - bring Fendi back now to swap for a pullet and hope Prada is a girl
3 - keep Fendi until they are fully integrated into the flock and then return him
We have no desire for a rooster. If he promises to be quiet and respectful, he can stay, but that isn't likely (the quiet bit at least).
I know you shouldn't mix new birds, but since new bird would come from the same breeder as these guys did, is that an issue at 9 weeks without segregating?
Right now, the Fendi and Prada are in a pen in the yard so everybody can see everybody. I am outside when they are out of the pen to keep one of the 4 month old chickens from chasing them. Otherwise, everybody else seems to leave them alone. If I replace Fendi now and assume (yeah yeah, I know what they say) that Prada is a girl, how would that work with just Prada and the new chick of the same size/age?
