The Moonshiner's Leghorns

[NagemTX]

Oh, I forgot to mention that during that bad storm I had my gold spangled Spitzhauben rooster never left the chicks/ juveniles side the whole time. He had a few hens stay with him and the babies stayed close to them or under them.

 

[KF0002]

View attachment 4136466

I mean the chicks. Lord give me strength.

 

[KF0002]

Oh, I forgot to mention that during that bad storm I had my gold spangled Spitzhauben rooster never left the chicks/ juveniles side the whole time. He had a few hens stay with him and the babies stayed close to them or under them.

Some of our Gamecocks will do that. They will even tidbit for the chicks to show them food. Meanwhile, if chicks wander into another Game hen's pen, she will brutally kill them. They are so mean to babies that aren't theirs. A Game hen nearly killed a chick right in front of me today. The chick got away, but it didn't seem okay.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I mean the chicks. Lord give me strength.

I can't tell on itsy bitsy chicks. I've heard all the advice about length of eye stripe, how defined the arrowhead is, the outer stripes down back, etc.
Years later I still can't tell reliably. Some definitely look female, some definitely look male but a lot are somewhere in the middle. For me usually more often what I'd think looks female ends up male.
As you know it's fairly easy early on by comb size and color but beast color is still the most exact for me.

 

[KF0002]

I can't tell on itsy bitsy chicks. I've heard all the advice about length of eye stripe, how defined the arrowhead is, the outer stripes down back, etc.
Years later I still can't tell reliably. Some definitely look female, some definitely look male but a lot are somewhere in the middle. For me usually more often what I'd think looks female ends up male.
As you know it's fairly easy early on by comb size and color but beast color is still the most exact for me.

Oh ok. I can usually tell by a week or two a lot of times based on their size. The cockerels are always bigger and the pullets are smaller with dantier legs and feet. On Leghorns, the combs on the roosters definitely give them away pretty early. lol

 

[WallyG74]

I lost another pullet to a snake. Killed her, tried to eat her and failed. Just like the first.

 

[KF0002]

I lost another pullet to a snake. Killed her, tried to eat her and failed. Just like the first.

Oh no! I'm so sorry, that is tragic. It must have been a really big snake.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I lost another pullet to a snake. Killed her, tried to eat her and failed. Just like the first.

Ya that sucks.
I'm really starting to develop a real dislike for them.
I still think I have disappearing eggs from a couple pens.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I eliminated another pen yesterday. It was the last of my youngest pullets from last year.
Couple blue GDW I put in with the brown rooster and crele pullet. A blue SDW I put in with SDW rooster and 2 splash SDW. 4 blues in blue pen and 4 blacks in black pen.
I keep moving or getting rid of older birds I'm gonna end up not scrambling for grow out pens later. I'm not sure what that's gonna be like.

 

[The Moonshiner]

A Moony "life hack" ( what the boy informed me it's called )
I use these feeders for chicks up to a couple weeks old. Especially if space is limited in brooder.....

Of course by about day two they've learned how to and decided it's fun to see how fast they can empty all the feed out and spread it into the bedding.
Not cool you little.....

Ordinary 1 gallon plastic paint container cut down. This one is cut to 2 1/4".....

Fits perfect inside.
You get the idea.....