Texas

[Eliza1313]

I've noticed that my Chocolate Orpington roosters grew faster than their feathers. They are strong little buggers. All the other young roosters are feathered completely.

That happened with most of my male Cubalayas. The females feather out a lot sooner, a long with 2 of the males. Just recently read that the slow feathering gene is dominate. Makes it easier to breed out, or you can take advantage of it to be able to feather sex. You'll need a slow feathering female and a male with out the gene though to feather sex.

 

[tjo804]

Hi! I'm new here, a first-time chicken-mama in Keller, TX. Our flock consists of two Silver-laced Wyandottes (Tammy and Jane), one Dominique (Demaris), and three Easter eggers (Essie Rae, Abba, and Chiquita).

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

That happened with most of my male Cubalayas. The females feather out a lot sooner, a long with 2 of the males. Just recently read that the slow feathering gene is dominate. Makes it easier to breed out, or you can take advantage of it to be able to feather sex. You'll need a slow feathering female and a male with out the gene though to feather sex.

The only female I have is fully feathered. I am hoping to take the most docile male and breed more Chocolate Orpingtons. The more aggressive rooster will become dinner when he is fully grown.

 

[WldFlwrs]

I could get into Chocolate Orpingtons. Those sound wonderful.

We lost one of our 8 week old BO roasters last night. No clue what happened. Dead. Flattened. Head attached but picked almost clean. In the middle of the stall the chicks are kept in in the barn. No signs of anything getting in/out and we have the stall well secured.

 

[bnjrob]

I could get into Chocolate Orpingtons. Those sound wonderful.

We lost one of our 8 week old BO roasters last night. No clue what happened. Dead. Flattened. Head attached but picked almost clean. In the middle of the stall the chicks are kept in in the barn. No signs of anything getting in/out and we have the stall well secured.

Sounds like death by fellow chickens. Chickens can be quite vicious. They also will peck curiously at all kinds of things on another chicken and inadvertently kill their fellow chicken with too much pecking. They likely squashed this one in a stampede and then pecked on it out of curiosity to figure out why it wasn't moving.

 

[Eliza1313]

The only female I have is fully feathered. I am hoping to take the most docile male and breed more Chocolate Orpingtons. The more aggressive rooster will become dinner when he is fully grown.

Sounds like a plan. I am going to be attempting to breed to the standard or breed sex-links. Attitude is definitely important. If it comes down to picking between an aggressive rooster and a more docile one with a flaw I can easily breed out in a couple of generations, then I am picking the more docile one. Any I have that don't make good breeding stock for breeding to standard will go into other projects.

My favorite roo so far is one of my Cubalayas, but I think he has too many flaws for the breed. He was also one of the slowest to feather and develop, thought he was possibly a hen for the longest time.

The good news is that at least half of the offspring of a slow feathering male will be slow feathering. Then you just pick a slow feathering female and a rapid feathering male to breed to get the feather sexing chicks. It may take two generations to produce a rapid feathering male though if the roo you pick has two copies of the delayed feathering.

Sorry, if that was information overload. Have been doing a lot of research into chicken genetics, ever since I found out I have birds that I can use to create black sex-links.


Happy Independence Day everyone.

We will be doing more work on chicken coops and runs, and maybe barbecuing.

 

[hippiestink]

Happy Independence Day everybody. Really missing the Texas barbecues and fireworks from across the Atlantic.

 

[tjo804]

Happy 4th of July everyone!
Stay safe!

 

[Rustys Girls]

Have a Great 4th fellow Texans. rg's

 

[1FlewOver]

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Sounds like death by fellow chickens.  Chickens can be quite vicious.  They also will peck curiously at all kinds of things on another chicken and inadvertently kill their fellow chicken with too much pecking.  They likely squashed this one in a stampede and then pecked on it out of curiosity to figure out why it wasn't moving.

I agree....what's funny though is what happened this morning....I took Rocky (my chicken) out....and gave her food and water.....Sammy...(my cat)....just had to see what Rocky was eating....sooo....ran Rocky off for a drink of her water.....that's why I call him "Bobohead"....