These are the free Orps we got last June. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/can-you-tell-me-what-kind-of-chickens-i-have.1263598/
In May, we moved to GA, and this June, our rooster died. My daughter had tried to hatch eggs twice before with no success. When the rooster died, we took all the eggs we had from the previous week, plus a week or more after that. We had 27 eggs. Three managed to hatch. From the first day, the yellow one was much bigger than the others. We knew size didn't mean that chick was a male, but we just decided it was one
When they were several weeks old, the other two chicks were always hiding under "him". Now, they pick feathers from his neck, eat out of his beak, and still hide under him. This week he was crowing. We had a friend tell us all three were pullets because their feathers were round.
Anyway, we believe all three "chicks" are from our biggest hen, the one I thought you all said was a partridge. I believe she was Sir John's favorite. She's the one in the third picture with the rooster. You can see she had some back feathers pecked out. She's also the one in the sixth picture. She's huge. Since the rooster died, she had begun crowing for a few weeks, but has since stopped.
I wondered about their feet. I think all of them have a bent toe on one or both feet. I was reading it could be diet or inbreeding.
When we were at Tractor Supply the other week, my daughter bought three ducklings and five Wyandottes. I met a lady trying to rehome some 4 week old chicks. She said the store had all the chicks mixed in one bin, but they assured her they could give her what she wanted. She asked for Brahmas. She told me that now that they were bigger, she believed they were Cuckoo Marans. I told her I'd be glad to take them. Well, once she brought them to me, I saw they had feathers on their feet. I think she was expecting Light Brahmas, and didn't realize there were dark ones. These girls have been so much fun! I understand they don't like the heat as much, so I don't know why they're selling them here... I keep them in the shade, as we do our Orpingtons.
I know my pics aren't great. I just wanted to share our news, and maybe someone can say if we have a cockerel? I mean, "he" did start crowing.
In May, we moved to GA, and this June, our rooster died. My daughter had tried to hatch eggs twice before with no success. When the rooster died, we took all the eggs we had from the previous week, plus a week or more after that. We had 27 eggs. Three managed to hatch. From the first day, the yellow one was much bigger than the others. We knew size didn't mean that chick was a male, but we just decided it was one
When they were several weeks old, the other two chicks were always hiding under "him". Now, they pick feathers from his neck, eat out of his beak, and still hide under him. This week he was crowing. We had a friend tell us all three were pullets because their feathers were round.Anyway, we believe all three "chicks" are from our biggest hen, the one I thought you all said was a partridge. I believe she was Sir John's favorite. She's the one in the third picture with the rooster. You can see she had some back feathers pecked out. She's also the one in the sixth picture. She's huge. Since the rooster died, she had begun crowing for a few weeks, but has since stopped.
I wondered about their feet. I think all of them have a bent toe on one or both feet. I was reading it could be diet or inbreeding.
When we were at Tractor Supply the other week, my daughter bought three ducklings and five Wyandottes. I met a lady trying to rehome some 4 week old chicks. She said the store had all the chicks mixed in one bin, but they assured her they could give her what she wanted. She asked for Brahmas. She told me that now that they were bigger, she believed they were Cuckoo Marans. I told her I'd be glad to take them. Well, once she brought them to me, I saw they had feathers on their feet. I think she was expecting Light Brahmas, and didn't realize there were dark ones. These girls have been so much fun! I understand they don't like the heat as much, so I don't know why they're selling them here... I keep them in the shade, as we do our Orpingtons.
I know my pics aren't great. I just wanted to share our news, and maybe someone can say if we have a cockerel? I mean, "he" did start crowing.
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