The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Bulldogma]

Did the culling of those 4 other roos change the dynamics completely? Why, all of a sudden, do I have one that is scared to death to be in the coop with the others when there never was an issue before? Any advice greatly appreciated... I have absolutely no idea what the heck happened when they were all best friends a few days ago.

Chances are, Yes. Changes in flock members will change the dynamics - sometimes rather radically. Most of the time once a new pecking order is established, things calm down again. As long as she is not being injured, leave the hen in there until they work in out amongst themselves. (It can be hard to watch... but chickens have been doing this for thousands of years... )

 

[jendodd79]

They look like pea combs to me, definitely not single combs. They likely carry the blue egg gene, so you could end up with blue to green eggs. I would bet the lighter colored EE's lay bluer and the darker lay more greener

That sounds fantastic to me!!

My Blue Copper Maran is laying quite light brown eggs for what I was expecting, and I want to work on my rainbow!!

 

[delisha]

Quote: I agree 100%. Don't worry it will work out..they are chickens..not children, even if we sometimes think of them as our kids.

 

[pigeonguy]

Quote: D'uccle = Dew-Clay

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgia...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_Bearded_d'Uccle

 

[Leahs Mom]

This is a true Rhode Island Red

I don't think I've ever seen a real RIR!

And...my RIRs that I got from a hatchery don't look as "scruffy" as the second bird that was shown, nor do they have the white tail... So...all I know is mine are from the hatchery and called RIR

 

[Leahs Mom]

D'uccle = Dew-Clay

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgia...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_Bearded_d'Uccle

That makes it clear! Thanks

 

[Fred's Hens]

I don't think I've ever seen a real RIR!

And...my RIRs that I got from a hatchery don't look as "scruffy" as the second bird that was shown, nor do they have the white tail... So...all I know is mine are from the hatchery and called RIR

This is a fairly typical red bird the hatcheries sell as a RIR, but of course, is a red bird bred to be productive.

As with many others, such as the whole Araucana vis-a-vis the Easter Egger that really gets sold, the honest to goodness bird can usually only gotten from breeders dedicated to these birds. That's just the way it is.

This doesn't make an Easter Egger less of a chicken, it just doesn't make it an Araucana just because the hatcheries sell them as such. Ditto with RIR or many others. When asked about this, hatcheries will tell you they are in business to mass produce and sell healthy, inexpensive, readily available birds said to "represent" the breed. That's what they do and do well.

 

[aoxa]

This is a fairly typical red bird the hatcheries sell as a RIR, but of course, is a red bird bred to be productive.

As with many others, such as the whole Araucana vis-a-vis the Easter Egger that really gets sold, the honest to goodness bird can usually only gotten from breeders dedicated to these birds. That's just the way it is.

This doesn't make an Easter Egger less of a chicken, it just doesn't make it an Araucana just because the hatcheries sell them as such. Ditto with RIR or many others. When asked about this, hatcheries will tell you they are in business to mass produce and sell healthy, inexpensive, readily available birds said to "represent" the breed. That's what they do and do well.

I can't even count how many times I've seen the Ameraucanas misrepresented.

I think I'd try to stick to a hatchery that sells them for what they are, and not mislabels. Of course you aren't going to get anything close to the SOP, but to get something that has other breeds mixed in and not stated just seems wrong to me.

Thanks for your description of the difference. I didn't think they were sexable at hatch (the Production Reds).

 

[delisha]

LM...How goes the foot?

 

[Leahs Mom]

These 2 ladies were sold at the same hatchery as araucana:

(Sorry I don't have any better photos where I am right now.)