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- #401
Elinor's chicks :
Quote:
I have found that my bator chicks feather much quicker than my chicks raised by a hen. Those raised by a hen are just slower to grow in general.
In my experience (with my orps, both LF & bantams) in most cases the pullets will feather in quicker than cockerels.
ps- I have three buffs growing out from my group growing up in various ages as well, all 3 are girls.
OK, how do you tell what they are? This might be more appropriate on the 'Raising Chicks' thread, but since these are Orpington chicks ....
I change my mind every ten minutes. I'm pretty sure one is a pullet. When I feather-sexed her at one day, that's what she seemed to be then. She has the most feathers, her tail is wider, no hint of a comb or spur buds. The 'middle' one has slowed on feathering, while the lagger has caught up. They spar with each other, but my cochin pullet did that with her cockerel roommate when I first got them. Sometimes I think I see spur buds, sometimes I don't, and in the last two days, these two are showing the tiniest hint of combs, but not above the 'eyebrow' level.
The only reason it's important is - being an 'Urban' chicken keeper, I can't keep the boys. As hard as it may be to find homes for any, I'll need to start as soon as I can.
When does the hen 'wean' the chicks and think about laying again? She already dumps them off when they climb on her back, and she's starting to not let them crawl under her.
I went back through the thread to look at pictures. HenThymes you have chocolates? Oh my! If I only end up with one pullet, I will still have room for one more....
Quote:
I have found that my bator chicks feather much quicker than my chicks raised by a hen. Those raised by a hen are just slower to grow in general.
In my experience (with my orps, both LF & bantams) in most cases the pullets will feather in quicker than cockerels.
ps- I have three buffs growing out from my group growing up in various ages as well, all 3 are girls.
OK, how do you tell what they are? This might be more appropriate on the 'Raising Chicks' thread, but since these are Orpington chicks ....
I change my mind every ten minutes. I'm pretty sure one is a pullet. When I feather-sexed her at one day, that's what she seemed to be then. She has the most feathers, her tail is wider, no hint of a comb or spur buds. The 'middle' one has slowed on feathering, while the lagger has caught up. They spar with each other, but my cochin pullet did that with her cockerel roommate when I first got them. Sometimes I think I see spur buds, sometimes I don't, and in the last two days, these two are showing the tiniest hint of combs, but not above the 'eyebrow' level.
The only reason it's important is - being an 'Urban' chicken keeper, I can't keep the boys. As hard as it may be to find homes for any, I'll need to start as soon as I can.
When does the hen 'wean' the chicks and think about laying again? She already dumps them off when they climb on her back, and she's starting to not let them crawl under her.
I went back through the thread to look at pictures. HenThymes you have chocolates? Oh my! If I only end up with one pullet, I will still have room for one more....
Can you post pictures of them, I may be able to tell from the pics.
It just depends on the hen as to when she sends them on their own, I have had hens that will even start to lay eggs again while still taking care of their chicks, they just join her in the nest box.
I do have a chocolate project in both bantam orps and cochins.
