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[Sylv]

Here in Carmarthenshire my husband and I are still plodding on. Not one egg hatched from my super (huh) new incubator. Saw some peachicks for sale so bought some of those and they arrived safely. Hope some of them are hens or it will have been another expensive mistake!! My poor old border collie, Alfie, is not very well. I don't know whether he will get to his 16th birthday or not. I have been wondering whether to get another puppy when he goes. I was looking at Maremma Sheepdogs but then found they seem to be as rare as hen's teeth. Emailed the only breeder details I could find but have not had a response. So will probably have to find another breed, my husband likes the look of some of the little terriers but I am certain he would not like the 'terrier' temperament.

 

[JemimaP]

All good here too, had a couple holidays so I’ve not been on this site as much. I thought my Pekin bantam made a bit of an egg song the other day but still no sign of eggs. They’re 20 weeks but I guess the might not lay til next year. (Or they’re hiding them round the garden!)

 

[boskelli1571]

Here in Carmarthenshire my husband and I are still plodding on. Not one egg hatched from my super (huh) new incubator. Saw some peachicks for sale so bought some of those and they arrived safely. Hope some of them are hens or it will have been another expensive mistake!! My poor old border collie, Alfie, is not very well. I don't know whether he will get to his 16th birthday or not. I have been wondering whether to get another puppy when he goes. I was looking at Maremma Sheepdogs but then found they seem to be as rare as hen's teeth. Emailed the only breeder details I could find but have not had a response. So will probably have to find another breed, my husband likes the look of some of the little terriers but I am certain he would not like the 'terrier' temperament.

Terriers like chicken dinners....

 

[JemimaP]

Hi this might be a daft newbie question but my 4 Pekin bantams (5 months) have a noticeable line between their breasts at the front. When they were younger I noticed one of them sometimes looked like that but lately they all do and it’s quite pronounced. The line separates their 2 breasts so the breasts jut forward from the centre line. Does it mean they’re too fat? Too skinny? Not enough food in their crop? Normal?
Thank you!
(Sorry I don’t have a photo I hope you understand what I’m describing)

 

[MedicDog]

Hi this might be a daft newbie question but my 4 Pekin bantams (5 months) have a noticeable line between their breasts at the front. When they were younger I noticed one of them sometimes looked like that but lately they all do and it’s quite pronounced. The line separates their 2 breasts so the breasts jut forward from the centre line. Does it mean they’re too fat? Too skinny? Not enough food in their crop? Normal?
Thank you!
(Sorry I don’t have a photo I hope you understand what I’m describing)

Are they acting any differently?

 

[JemimaP]

Are they acting any differently?

No not at all. They’re very happy. Very active. They freerange all day and are often up and down on garden benches and they roost on a high perch in their run rather than their coop and they get up no problem at all.

 

[PouleChick]

Someone posted a chart a while ago with how to judge your chickens weight and I think and innie may be a little bet on the podgy side! I'll see if I can find it.

Devastated - I've had one sole chicken from 24 eggs Need to pull what are left under one of the hens who doesn't have a chick now - I think I need to try to find a day old somehow. At least the other has 1.

 

[PouleChick]

Does it mean they’re too fat?

Looks like it does:
When you feel the chicken from the front, the first thing you are likely to encounter is the crop, which will probably be full. This will feel like a sort of soft bag at the base of the chicken’s throat.


Feel down from there, to the underside of her belly. You are feeling for her “keel,” the bone which separates the breasts. If you have ever carved a chicken, this is the bone that sticks straight up when carving, which you scrape the breast meat off.


Gently feel through the feathers for this bone. If it is sharp and prominent, if you can pinch it between your fingers without feeling any meat, then your chicken is underweight. On the other hand if you feel cleavage, then your chicken is overweight.
https://owlcation.com/agriculture/How-Can-I-Tell-If-My-Chicken-Is-Fat-Or-Thin

 

[Perris]

Devastated - I've had one sole chicken from 24 eggs

How awful! You have my sympathies Do you know what went wrong?

 

[JemimaP]

On the other hand if you feel cleavage, then your chicken is overweight.

Thank you @PouleChick looks like I have chubby chickens lol!

So sorry to hear you only got one chick