The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

Single Comb and Rose Comb

Normally I can get acronyms, but that one was totally over my head! LOL.

I googled it and came up with nothing, so I had to ask.

Since no one is going to guess on that chick. (it's okay - I really wanted Mumsy's opinion on it most).

it's a... GIRL.


She always had this boyish appearance (other than the skinny legs and small comb), but eventually grew out of it. That's why I never sex by stance. Cathy is proof a pullet can be just as erect as a cockerel.



Right before she started laying. I gave her to a friend.

 

[Mumsy]

Normally I can get acronyms, but that one was totally over my head! LOL.

I googled it and came up with nothing, so I had to ask.

Since no one is going to guess on that chick. (it's okay - I really wanted Mumsy's opinion on it most).

it's a... GIRL.


She always had this boyish appearance (other than the skinny legs and small comb), but eventually grew out of it. That's why I never sex by stance. Cathy is proof a pullet can be just as erect as a cockerel.



Right before she started laying. I gave her to a friend.

HAH!

I guessed male.The legs threw me too! They looked thick to me like a male. Is this a Leghorn or Cornish x cross?

 

[aoxa]

HAH!

I guessed male.The legs threw me too! They looked thick to me like a male. Is this a Leghorn or Cornish x cross?

I think leghorn cross, but I am not sure at all. They were supposed to be mixed frizzles when I got them. All 3 of them were girls. I had thought boys on all as well

 

[Mumsy]

I found this information in one of my old books written in 1971. It seems the breeding of wing sexing Leghorns started in 1907. Quite a bit of genetic science went into them. Interesting reading through the history. Here are just a few images. No copyright infringement is intended. Posted for educational purposes only.

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

I have babies from that cross. They turned out so pretty. Very tiny EEs.

My game mixes went broody 2 times this year each. One kept switching nesting boxes so her eggs died from getting cold, the second gave up early in the first try and hatched out a few chicks the second time but abandoned the nest after it was moved.

I am hoping to get chicks from the EE/games....so they can be bigger and lay blue eggs (?)

I had broody problems with them last summer, due to a psycho hen disrupting the flock. She ended up a cull.
I wanted to keep the little brown cockerel, who turned out to be EE mix. He's a sweet little roo, so he gets a chance. And the games won't have anything to do with the bigger PR roosters.
This spring will be 2nd attempt at hatching. I just wanted to see if they would last summer, in the chicken tractor.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am hoping to get chicks from the EE/games....so they can be bigger and lay blue eggs (?)

I had broody problems with them last summer, due to a psycho hen disrupting the flock. She ended up a cull.
I wanted to keep the little brown cockerel, who turned out to be EE mix. He's a sweet little roo, so he gets a chance. And the games won't have anything to do with the bigger PR roosters.
This spring will be 2nd attempt at hatching. I just wanted to see if they would last summer, in the chicken tractor.

My lil game/bantam from 2012 hatch has already tried to go broody on me but I keep taking her eggs, I want to wait till warmer weather for me mostly.

 

[aoxa]

I am hoping to get chicks from the EE/games....so they can be bigger and lay blue eggs (?)

I had broody problems with them last summer, due to a psycho hen disrupting the flock. She ended up a cull.
I wanted to keep the little brown cockerel, who turned out to be EE mix. He's a sweet little roo, so he gets a chance. And the games won't have anything to do with the bigger PR roosters.
This spring will be 2nd attempt at hatching. I just wanted to see if they would last summer, in the chicken tractor.

No chance at all of blue eggs. Only green or brown.

Blue laying hen + white egg laying gene (a leghorn or polish for example) will result in either blue or white eggs.

Pea comb = 95 % chance at coloured eggs
Single comb = 95% chance at brown or white

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

No chance at all of blue eggs. Only green or brown.

Blue laying hen + white egg laying gene (a leghorn or polish for example) will result in either blue or white eggs.

Pea comb = 95 % chance at coloured eggs
Single comb = 95% chance at brown or white

Ahh..ok. Green it is then. But that won't even be till any they hatch with the EE are old enough to lay.

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

Now, I have a question. One of the game hens, has rooster size spurs on her feet. I call her "Spurs",...lol. Anyway, I was sitting out there observing today...and noticed she turns one foot out to roost. She can't grip the roost, even though it is textured with the bark. Now, we had noticed she runs funny, one leg swings out. Thought it was just because of her huge spurs.
My question is, will chicks get the spurs? I have another game hen with smaller spurs. She doesn't seem to have trouble with hers.
We haven't done anything to Spurs, to alter her. But maybe we should? I picked her up and looked at both feet and legs. They both look good and healthy. No mites, sore spots, nothing obvious. She has decent mobility, can run, walk, lay eggs. Just not perch very well I guess.

 

[aoxa]

Now, I have a question. One of the game hens, has rooster size spurs on her feet. I call her "Spurs",...lol. Anyway, I was sitting out there observing today...and noticed she turns one foot out to roost. She can't grip the roost, even though it is textured with the bark. Now, we had noticed she runs funny, one leg swings out. Thought it was just because of her huge spurs.
My question is, will chicks get the spurs? I have another game hen with smaller spurs. She doesn't seem to have trouble with hers.
We haven't done anything to Spurs, to alter her. But maybe we should? I picked her up and looked at both feet and legs. They both look good and healthy. No mites, sore spots, nothing obvious. She has decent mobility, can run, walk, lay eggs. Just not perch very well I guess.

I believe you can trim spurs.. File them down.

Sounds to me like they are uncomfortable.