The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

I havent really checked. I cant wait to get them moved to the barn and I cant access the chicks as easilly as Al can. and EEs I find are hard to sex. And i dont mind at all once I know whos a boy and whos a girl .

Well in one of your pictures I saw two girls. Base it on their colours. Or take pictures of them and I will tell you. I am quite good at sexing the EEs early on.

If you couldn't sex by their feather patterns/colours you're right - it would be tough. I am basing the whites on comb and leg thickness. I am not 100% sure on their gender. I know I have one that has a cushion or rose comb and is a girl. I don't think she is an EE at all.

PS: I do think Chloe is pregnant. I am not 100% sure but she is not eating like she used to, and is extra clingy. I don't notice any change in her size, but it's only 3 weeks.

 

[aoxa]

Awww this makes me happy

This is my favourite one Mumsy. So beautiful!

 

[delisha]

Duck growth compared to chickens. I have some PRIR chicks that are 3 weeks old and look great. They should end up being about 6 pounds. I also have 3 Khaki Campbell ducklings that are 2 weeks old. They are almost twice as big as my 3 week old chicks. The info I have about Khaki ducks is that they get to be between 4 and 5 pounds. Do the ducklings just mature a lot faster than the chickens? I got the duckling eggs off of ebay, the seller also sells giant perkin ducks but these are clearly brown and not a bit of white or orange.

Quote: me tooo..I love the black splits too

I need some more Silkies I am trying to order for two weeks..My incubator should be empty by than.

 

[Bulldogma]

I LOVE all the photos, Camille and Mumsy! Thank you for sharing.

New thing up! (Thank you, Vicki!!!!!!)

 

[SallyinIndiana]

A question for those that breed chickens. When hatching chicks to breed and improve a flock, What are some reasons that you might cull a chick or duckling? I have a duckling with legs that go sideways. I've got them tied together and it looks to be doing much better. But it got me thinking, is this a weakness that I don't want. Since I have no intention of breeding ducks anytime soon, it won't matter but if it was a chicken I'm not sure I would want to breed it.

 

[aoxa]

A question for those that breed chickens. When hatching chicks to breed and improve a flock, What are some reasons that you might cull a chick or duckling? I have a duckling with legs that go sideways. I've got them tied together and it looks to be doing much better. But it got me thinking, is this a weakness that I don't want. Since I have no intention of breeding ducks anytime soon, it won't matter but if it was a chicken I'm not sure I would want to breed it.

Most of the time splay leg is not a result from genetics. Sometimes it is. Most times it's not.

I get it a lot in silkies. It does not matter what parents I use. I had it in my previous birds, and I have it in the ones I have now. I'll get 1 a hatch it seems. Easy enough to correct. Unless their legs are forward and they are resting on their hocks. I haven't had much luck taping that. I cull for that one.

Sideways legs? No problem.

 

[loveourbirds]

on dual purpose fowl: slow growth, wrong leg or eye color, wrong comb type, overall health, wrong body shape, feather color and markings, head shape. sometimes I will also breed for egg size or quantity. not all of my birds are show, but I breed to the standard as much as possible.

on bantams and show birds: always breeding for show quality, usually keeping cockerel and pullet lines. anything that doesn't match with what im needing I cull (usually sold as pets or breeders, depending on reason). on these I typically keep 1 or 2 out of 30-50.

 

[aoxa]

We're talking chicks though? I wouldn't cull too early with chicks. If they had something like the wrong leg colour, an extra toe, etc.. yeah it's hard to cull early. I'd wait until they are feathered to make first assessments, and then again at 6 months. Some breeds take a year of growing out to pick your best breeders. My Rocks are going to be like that.

 

[OohLaLa]

HELP PLEASE>>> I picked up two chicks from a local breeder Sunday. I believe they are 2-3wks "a sizzle & a frizzle" both have 5 toes one has black skin the other white. The white skinned frizzle is doing great, very active and has already learned how to use the nipple waterer. Her companion now has a fluid filled sack the size of a small walnut on her chest. When I massage it she throw up clear no smelling water. She wont use the nipple waterer, she is eating she has no pasty butt, she has clear eyes. What ever this is on her chest is draining her though, she is not as active as the other. HELPPPP any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[loveourbirds]

We're talking chicks though? I wouldn't cull too early with chicks. If they had something like the wrong leg colour, an extra toe, etc.. yeah it's hard to cull early. I'd wait until they are feathered to make first assessments, and then again at 6 months. Some breeds take a year of growing out to pick your best breeders. My Rocks are going to be like that.

i start with the obvious things first, comb, eyes, legs, growth. as they grow then i choose more for the standard. it just costs way to much money to raise 150 chicks to adults to pick a trio. in my process i do let some very nice birds go - but that makes for repeat customers. i raise several breeds, i have to be as efficient at it as possible.

waiting until they are feathered is important before you go to crazy culling. they should have prime colors from about 7 months to about 2 years. black australorps for instance will show white until month 4 and be solid black by month 7 - so they would be hard to cull. but golden laced wyandottes have a lot of issues with single combs - those can be sorted rather quickly.


edited to add: ok im lost, its nearly impossible to tell someone else how to select their flock, we all breed a little different. there are ways to correct most problems, its just depending on how serious you are and what you want to accomplish.