The Old Folks Home

[scottcaddy]

Quote: I have had a few game cross hens with real spurs and a Roo looking tail, laid nice little blue eggs also!

Scott

 

[insanity]

I don't have any shots of the roo for comparison because he pecked me 1 to many times.But here is the "pullet".

The roos comb was almost twice as big as this.He also had a large red spot right behind the tuft near the ear, her's is pale.

I tried to get the saddle feathers here. They look rounded to me.

 

[ronott1]

I don't have any shots of the roo for comparison because he pecked me 1 to many times.But here is the "pullet".

The roos comb was almost twice as big as this.He also had a large red spot right behind the tuft near the ear, her's is pale.

I tried to get the saddle feathers here. They look rounded to me.

@12 to 13 weeks, very small wattle, single row of peas, no red on the wings and round feathers at the saddle= Pullet.

Unless that pullet starts to crow soon.....

 

[insanity]

Thanks,

I'll start integrating her back into the flock.

I may be overly paranoid about roos but better safe than sorry. Can't have crowing.

 

[ronott1]

Thanks,

I'll start integrating her back into the flock.

I may be overly paranoid about roos but better safe than sorry. Can't have crowing.

The first crows are so cute!

I have an 8 week old Partridge Penedesenca that is crowing like crazy. He is an obvious Boy too!

 

[Bunnylady]

The youngest crows I've ever heard were from a days-old Bantam Cochin. It was the funniest sound, because of course he hadn't the "pipes" to do it properly. It wound up somewhere between a squeak and a giggle. The first time I heard it, I thought, "what the heck??!" When I saw the little fuzzy thing stand on tippytoes and stretch his neck out to do it, there was no mistaking - he was crowing!

We've had a few Serama roo's that crowed with their beaks shut. It's surprising how much quieter they are when they do that - Baby

and I call them "chicken ventriloquists."

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Thank you Cynthia, I can leave the babies in the pen for a month so that they will be two months old first. That is not a problem at all. Thank you!

My opinion - I don't wait for 2 months to integrate BUT I have a huge run with lots of room and hiding spots for the new kids. I keep them penned up a few days (usually 2-3) in a cage where they can be seen but not touched, and then after a few days take them out of the cage at night and put them on the roost and after that they're on their own with me keeping an eye on the situation. I think it causes unnecessary work to keep them separated for much longer (again, if you have the room for protection). If you don't have room, I completely agree with letting them be as old/big as possible before letting them in. When integrating them, I also try to give them something to do for a few hours in the first few hours of the day (like a flock block or lots of hidden sunflower seeds, or a large pot of food to peck at) that way the main flock is also distracted.

To put this in perspective, I'd say my run is between a quarter and half acre.

 

[tcmstalcup]

My opinion - I don't wait for 2 months to integrate BUT I have a huge run with lots of room and hiding spots for the new kids. I keep them penned up a few days (usually 2-3) in a cage where they can be seen but not touched, and then after a few days take them out of the cage at night and put them on the roost and after that they're on their own with me keeping an eye on the situation. I think it causes unnecessary work to keep them separated for much longer (again, if you have the room for protection). If you don't have room, I completely agree with letting them be as old/big as possible before letting them in. When integrating them, I also try to give them something to do for a few hours in the first few hours of the day (like a flock block or lots of hidden sunflower seeds, or a large pot of food to peck at) that way the main flock is also distracted.

To put this in perspective, I'd say my run is between a quarter and half acre.

this is my method too. I have lots of space. They get a week or so just to look at each other and I sneak them in the coop at night. Since chickens can't count I guess they don't notice the newcomers so much in the morning! I wait 4-6 weeks depending on how annoying keeping everybody separate is getting to be.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

this is my method too. I have lots of space. They get a week or so just to look at each other and I sneak them in the coop at night. Since chickens can't count I guess they don't notice the newcomers so much in the morning! I wait 4-6 weeks depending on how annoying keeping everybody separate is getting to be.

I am usually integrating in the winter, except this summer I hatched late, but I'm usually sending them outdoors at 4-6 weeks old as well. Just adding that for anyone who thinks it might be too "cold" to let "babies" out. As long as they are mostly feathered, and they have plenty of warm places to hide, I go for it. I used to be much more timid about it until I had a broody hen determined to hatch in January. The water would freeze, the cage she was in froze to the floor of the coop... and the babies were up and running around after hatching in frozen shavings. And 2 of them were turken chicks.

 

[chickadoodles]

Thanks SCG and tcmstalcup I appreciate your helpful advice very much! My two runs are 750 sq ft. I will sneak the babies in at night after they all get used to each other.
Thank you!