Thistlewick Smallholding - Chickens & Sheep (for now)

[thistlewick]

Okay guys the hatch is done, I've left the one egg in there to candle after I make this post to see what's going on -- it's probably dead. I don't know if I have the stomach to do an eggtopsy. :O

They made their way to the brooder pen went well!! They are super cute and friendly. Not scared of our hands, which is a nice extra but that might change as they become more chickeny

They have eaten, but despite my dips of their beaks into water, none of them have gone to that of their own free will. Since there is still 41 hours til the 72 hours is up, I am not worried about it. I dipped almost all their beaks into the water, they all got a drink from that, but none of them willingly went to get another.

I will keep tabs on that. It should work itself out. They do love the crumble tho

My ADORABLE husband had the genius idea to tidbit to them, he makes the little noise and picked up and dropped the food, they all instinctively knew what he was doing and ran to the food. It was amazing to watch I may have thought to do that, but I think I'm kind of shy - even to animals lol Stupid, I know. I am glad he thought of it

Greeted this morning: LOLOL love this pic

On their way out:

Making their way into the brooder:

https://imgur.com/a/lQCy9Ab

Snow:

Cocoa:

as of yet unnamed CL/EE cross:

who is already cheeky

 

[WingItRanch]

Great pics! They're so cute! I can't believe how calm they were when placed in the brooder. It's usually chaos for me

That is hilarious that your husband tidbit for them!

 

[TwoCrows]

Okay guys the hatch is done, I've left the one egg in there to candle after I make this post to see what's going on -- it's probably dead. I don't know if I have the stomach to do an eggtopsy. :O

They made their way to the brooder pen went well!! They are super cute and friendly. Not scared of our hands, which is a nice extra but that might change as they become more chickeny

They have eaten, but despite my dips of their beaks into water, none of them have gone to that of their own free will. Since there is still 41 hours til the 72 hours is up, I am not worried about it. I dipped almost all their beaks into the water, they all got a drink from that, but none of them willingly went to get another.

I will keep tabs on that. It should work itself out. They do love the crumble tho

My ADORABLE husband had the genius idea to tidbit to them, he makes the little noise and picked up and dropped the food, they all instinctively knew what he was doing and ran to the food. It was amazing to watch I may have thought to do that, but I think I'm kind of shy - even to animals lol Stupid, I know. I am glad he thought of it

Greeted this morning: LOLOL love this pic
View attachment 4127903

On their way out:

View attachment 4127902


Making their way into the brooder:

https://imgur.com/a/lQCy9Ab

View attachment 4127904
View attachment 4127905

Snow:
View attachment 4127906

Cocoa:

View attachment 4127907

as of yet unnamed CL/EE cross:

View attachment 4127908

who is already cheeky

View attachment 4127909

Super adorable photos, such cutie pies!

 

[thistlewick]

Thanks so much!! It's a bittersweet day in a way, we found a place close by that takes unwanted Roosters/Cockerels and re-homes them.

We are getting rid of Sarge and George, our two from the beginning and Tamago (surprise cockerel from the EE bunch from TSC) and Falcon, our own hatched Cockerel.

We are keeping 4 - Chuck, Oscar, Heath and Cracker.


We are also giving over Hurricane, the Fawn and White Runner drake. He isn't sexually mature yet and I am not having that happen :O

It was a LOT of drama to get them in crates, but now it's like everyone's forgotten and are back to normal. Ahhh, animals.

Our sheep, since I never show them

 

[thistlewick]

We didn't have to give up Hurricane! She said he very likely would not try to mate any hens, the hens don't allow for it and the 'murdering' of hens by duck is extremely rare.

We absolutely have space for him and we are home all day and visit with them often, we will keep an eye on him. She said we're welcome to bring him to her if he is showing randy-hen behavior.

We discussed his behavior now, how he just is GLUED to the girl duck (Spitfire) and basically ignores everyone else and she said he should be fine. She did recommend we get a couple more girls for him and that would help even more.

So we're willing to get a couple more girl ducks, but not sure the best avenue. Babies? We thought we could put a pen outside the run/hen house and have them be in there a few weeks til they are bigger (ducks grow SO fast) and hope that they accept them - or try and somehow find 2-3 adult hen ducks - which will probably be rather difficult to do.

Anyway, it's always fun to have a problem to solve.

Chicks are drinking and eating and playing and sleeping. Ginger and Tilly brooding. Tilly due 2 weeks from today, Ginger 3 weeks from Sunday, had to replace the eggs.

Forgot to tell about that - went for a visit and saw an egg on the ground way outside the hen house. It was dirty and muddy and covered in grass and yolk, but unbroken. Went to Ginger's nest, broken egg with yolk everywhere (no one ate it) and the nest was scattered. So I went in and cleaned up the yolk, got a new nest pad, made it comfy and soft (its crazy how much fullness you get out of those pads, just gotta pull that stuff up and out, its awesome) and put 2 more eggs in there and she just went on about her business sitting on them. She had only been setting for 2 days or so, so crossing fingers it will be ok.

 

[thistlewick]

The chicks are 3 days old and HUGE and doing so well, little chonkers, I love them all. They already want to bust out in the mornings with the rest of the chickens, they mush themselves up against the hwc of the brooder pen trying to GO THAT WAY TOO, it's so freakin CUTE.

I've spied a few of the teenagers looking up at them. They will be in the high brooder pen for 2 weeks and down in the low one for 1 week or so before we just let them free range. We will have one zillion chickens before it's all overwith lol

My husband captured a great pic of Chuck this evening;

I don't care what anyone says, Easter Eggers are glorious.

So Heath and Ayu had a little tete a tete today -- it looks dramatic, but no one was even touched by this drama;

Ayu is 1 week older than Heath, but because she's Ayam Ketawa she is sprightly, small and lithe. She has SASS though! And that girl can straight up FLY - she's rad we love her so much.

Heath is actually a good boy, so far all our youngster Cockerels are good. We are going to be keeping him to breed Splash/Blue Laced Red Wyandottes. Because why not.

Was looking at getting some pullets so they could grow up and it wasn't just gonna be on Dorothy. If y'all know anyone selling any BLR Wyandotte pullets lemme know! haha

 

[thistlewick]

So today is a gorgeous day, I should be outside, but we're observing No Mow May on all 10 acres of our pastures. So we're just chillin.

I have not been sleeping well. Thanks menopause.

The chicks are 5 days old today and I cannot actually believe how fast they grow.

Is it true about the eyeliner being strong on girls? I just looked through my old pics at George and Chuck -- they looked like girls, but the black eyeliner did NOT stretch up to their comb, it just went from the eye back. It seems like on girls it is a line ALL the way through the eye?

What about tail growth?

Is this all old wives' tales?

Anyway here is some pic spam:

my heart MELTS at this little one, Ruby we call her, she came out red. We have never had a red chick (except Toffee, and she was a Starlight Green Egger) and Ruby's parents are both Easter Eggers. So... chicken genetics! SHE RUNS to my hand whenever I do anything in the brooder and wants to be held. The first chick I've ever had like this. OMG I wonder if she will stay as sweet.

Watch it's a Rupbert and not a Ruby LOL just my luck.

^^^ This one is Chocolate's baby. Chocolate AND Chuck were both chipmunk colored - dunno how this one came out all brown. I love chicken genetics! (Name is Cocoa)

This is Harriet's baby. I should have saved more of her eggs, I need more true blue layers - but this MIGHT be a girl, if Cream Legbar is dominant? we will see...

Ruby from top - look at her little tail and she is only 5 days old. Gotta be a girl right?! right??

I think Snow might end up being a Roo but oh man I'd love a Splash hen!! Crossing fingers.

What do ya'll think? Everyone but Snow and one EE has a LONG tail already. Is that really a thing?

 

[ChaosMom]

The chicks are 3 days old and HUGE and doing so well, little chonkers, I love them all. They already want to bust out in the mornings with the rest of the chickens, they mush themselves up against the hwc of the brooder pen trying to GO THAT WAY TOO, it's so freakin CUTE.

I've spied a few of the teenagers looking up at them. They will be in the high brooder pen for 2 weeks and down in the low one for 1 week or so before we just let them free range. We will have one zillion chickens before it's all overwith lol

My husband captured a great pic of Chuck this evening;

View attachment 4129941

I don't care what anyone says, Easter Eggers are glorious.

So Heath and Ayu had a little tete a tete today -- it looks dramatic, but no one was even touched by this drama;

View attachment 4129942View attachment 4129943

Ayu is 1 week older than Heath, but because she's Ayam Ketawa she is sprightly, small and lithe. She has SASS though! And that girl can straight up FLY - she's rad we love her so much.

Heath is actually a good boy, so far all our youngster Cockerels are good. We are going to be keeping him to breed Splash/Blue Laced Red Wyandottes. Because why not.

Was looking at getting some pullets so they could grow up and it wasn't just gonna be on Dorothy. If y'all know anyone selling any BLR Wyandotte pullets lemme know! haha

Feel like making a drive?

I bought our pullets here and plan to buy more in the future. She has filled her reservation orders, but she usually has extras for backups. Her birds are healthy and used to the outdoors at 6 weeks. Per this, she may have some available June 9. She’s in Fletcher (mailing address, anyway) barely south of Asheville.

 

[WingItRanch]

So today is a gorgeous day, I should be outside, but we're observing No Mow May on all 10 acres of our pastures. So we're just chillin.

I have not been sleeping well. Thanks menopause.

The chicks are 5 days old today and I cannot actually believe how fast they grow.

Is it true about the eyeliner being strong on girls? I just looked through my old pics at George and Chuck -- they looked like girls, but the black eyeliner did NOT stretch up to their comb, it just went from the eye back. It seems like on girls it is a line ALL the way through the eye?

What about tail growth?

Is this all old wives' tales?

Anyway here is some pic spam:
View attachment 4131374View attachment 4131375

my heart MELTS at this little one, Ruby we call her, she came out red. We have never had a red chick (except Toffee, and she was a Starlight Green Egger) and Ruby's parents are both Easter Eggers. So... chicken genetics! SHE RUNS to my hand whenever I do anything in the brooder and wants to be held. The first chick I've ever had like this. OMG I wonder if she will stay as sweet.

Watch it's a Rupbert and not a Ruby LOL just my luck.

View attachment 4131379View attachment 4131382

^^^ This one is Chocolate's baby. Chocolate AND Chuck were both chipmunk colored - dunno how this one came out all brown. I love chicken genetics! (Name is Cocoa)

View attachment 4131383View attachment 4131384

This is Harriet's baby. I should have saved more of her eggs, I need more true blue layers - but this MIGHT be a girl, if Cream Legbar is dominant? we will see...
View attachment 4131385View attachment 4131386View attachment 4131387

Ruby from top - look at her little tail and she is only 5 days old. Gotta be a girl right?! right??
View attachment 4131388View attachment 4131389


I think Snow might end up being a Roo but oh man I'd love a Splash hen!! Crossing fingers.

What do ya'll think? Everyone but Snow and one EE has a LONG tail already. Is that really a thing?

They're so FLUFFY! I'm a sucker for those cheeks.

I wouldn't put any credence into the whole tail thing. You're just going to have to be patient like the rest of us! I'm still side eyeing my one chick that was overly friendly and bold. Even though there are no signs of her being a cockerel at 14 weeks old... still suspicious. I'm used to the boys being the outgoing ones.

 

[thistlewick]

I know it's MURDER waiting haha but before we know it, we'll know

I just spoke to a lady north of Salisbury who had BLR Wyandottes and showed her pics of Heath and she told me he's a Blue Silver Laced Wyandotte :O :O :O

SO WHAT DO I DO NOW

We chatted a bit and I think I'm just gonna put him over Dorothy and Pepper both to see what I get. He will be fertile is 6-10 weeks! :O

Its this boy lol

She did confirm he's rare

WHAT was he doing in a Sapphire Olive Egger bin at TSC? The other bins didn't have any wyandottes or splash anything, it was random AF!