The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

Not sure I'd like to see a giant chicken. I think it would peck me to death on the spot, pick me up and start running. Upon which action, another giant chicken would steal me right from her jaws and continue running, throwing my body to the ground occasionally and trying to rip fresh pieces of meat to eat on the spot.

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Not sure I'd like to see a giant chicken. I think it would peck me to death on the spot, pick me up and start running. Upon which action, another giant chicken would steal me right from her jaws and continue running, throwing my body to the ground occasionally and trying to rip fresh pieces of meat to eat on the spot.

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Don't kid yourself. If you dropped dead in your chicken run, they would eat you.
 
I've posted some of these pictures before, but I just added two more to it.

I have to admit, I am quite addicted to sexing chickens by appearances. I am not into feather sexing day olds, or vent sexing - as I breed my own birds and feather sexing is very precise. You have to keep two lines of chickens, using fast feathering males and slow feathering females. Since I have no idea how to determine if the birds I presently have are fast feathering or slow feathering, I'll stick with the visual sexing guides only ;)

Also, vent sexing.. Just don't feel comfortable with it personally.


Comb Sexing:


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Single combs (note wattle buds in 3 week old male to the right) Males pink up early, where females often times stay peachy until they are older.


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Leg Width:


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Leg Width Sexing does not work for all breeds.. Naked Necks are especially easy to sex this way (at least my line).

Colour Sexing


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If you are buying birds over 12 weeks at a sale, check out these very clear differences between mature cockerels and pullets:


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(Note: Not all hens will have 'small' combs, but they will always almost always be smaller than the rooster's.)


I hope this helps you in your sexing attempts.

If anyone has any clear pictures of breeds that can be colour sexed that I have not already included in this post, and would like me to edit and share in this article, I'd be grateful. I would love to have a collection of images for others to reference back to when trying to sex their own birds, or trying to help others.

Feel free to repost any of these images so long as they are not edited in any way.
 
I'm not overly fond of RIR. The ones I've had the pleasure to know have all been hatchery birds, not overly pretty, tendency towards being aggressive.... HOWEVER, your HRIR are absolutely, drop dead gorgeous. So little time and space, and money, and resources... so many beautiful breeds of chickens, and so much to learn!
Thank you. The HRIR strain I'm raising trace back to Robert Bosl Mohawk birds. These heritage chickens were brought back from the edge of extinction. Five years ago they were in such decline, Mr. Bosl had little hope of a resurrection of these gorgeous dual purpose birds. Due to his efforts and a handful of dedicated breeders, they are making a strong comeback. Bob Bosl helped many many people get started by sharing his vast wealth of knowledge. Many he helped then went on and helped others. Ron Fogle shared his flock with me. Someday I hope to do the same. Right now I'm still a beginner with this strain and learning to set up my first breeding pen.
They bear little resemblance or have little connection to what is sold in hatcherys and called RIR. I started with twenty two. Fourteen males! I raised them together. They never fought with each other. At seven months old, the males are just now getting pink feet and chasing hens when they get the chance. The pullets are the sweetest things. They are all one big contented happy flock. As you can see. The littlest bantam can eat side by side with the largest of my HRIR pullets in peace. They even sit in the same nesting box and lay together. I've raised many many breeds of chickens over the last forty years. Bantam and LF. Hatchey and purebloods. I feel incredibly lucky to get a chance to own and breed these magnificent big old reds. I hope to do Mr. Bosl and Mr. Fogle proud. I have a good ten years left in me to try.

I promised an updated picture of my fluffy little ones too. What does thirty five White Silkies look like? Well.....A whole lot of poofy white fluff. That's what! Babies behind the fence are a month old. The big kids are three and four months.

 
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Thank you. The HRIR strain I'm raising trace back to Robert Bosl Mohawk birds. These heritage chickens were brought back from the edge of extinction. Five years ago they were in such decline, Mr. Bosl had little hope of a resurrection of these gorgeous dual purpose birds. Due to his efforts and a handful of dedicated breeders, they are making a strong comeback. Bob Bosl helped many many people get started by sharing his vast wealth of knowledge. Many he helped then went on and helped others. Ron Fogle shared his flock with me. Someday I hope to do the same. Right now I'm still a beginner with this strain and learning to set up my first breeding pen.
They bear little resemblance or have little connection to what is sold in hatcherys and called RIR. I started with twenty two. Fourteen males! I raised them together. They never fought with each other. At seven months old, the males are just now getting pink feet and chasing hens when they get the chance. The pullets are the sweetest things. They are all one big contented happy flock. As you can see. The littlest bantam can eat side by side with the largest of my HRIR pullets in peace. They even sit in the same nesting box and lay together. I've raised many many breeds of chickens over the last forty years. Bantam and LF. Hatchey and purebloods. I feel incredibly lucky to get a chance to own and breed these magnificent big old reds. I hope to do Mr. Bosl and Mr. Fogle proud. I have a good ten years left in me to try.

I promised an updated picture of my fluffy little ones too. What does thirty five White Silkies look like? Well.....A whole lot of poofy white fluff. That's what! Babies behind the fence are a month old. The big kids are three and four months.

Same age as my own Mumsy. Most of mine have dirty crests as well.. except the ones in the brooder. I just separated the silkies from the general pop because they weren't getting enough food.
 
Same age as my own Mumsy. Most of mine have dirty crests as well.. except the ones in the brooder. I just separated the silkies from the general pop because they weren't getting enough food.
I raise the Silkies separate for that very reason. And I don't move the food and water dish once the crest grows out. They can find the food and water without searching. The whole flock free ranges everyday and eat everything from raw squash and pumpkin to boiled chicken carcass. They are little savages. I love them so.
 
I raise the Silkies separate for that very reason. And I don't move the food and water dish once the crest grows out. They can find the food and water without searching. The whole flock free ranges everyday and eat everything from raw squash and pumpkin to boiled chicken carcass. They are little savages. I love them so.
I find them easy compared to other breeds. They are relaxed and quiet..

Not much forage left this time of year. Grass is quite short and bugs are gone. Winter is coming. This morning was in the teens.
 

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