Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[bikerchicky]

I have a few hens with spurs LOL
All breeds of cocks get spurs, some get more than 1 set per leg.
Never heard of a roo getting spurs...LOL aren't they those ugly rat things jumping around in Austrailia ????????????
That said, most males Chickens, otherwise known as Cockerels, do develope a spur BUD at age 6 weeks or so...which gets progressively larger with age.
The best way to see if you have a male, however, is to look for hackle, hens do not have it, and it developes far before spur buds do.
Hackle will be found on the neck cape and the saddle of the bird, and never on females.
This will be evident even at 5- weeks of age....easy to see, dig in the bird's saddle area & see if hackle feathers are growing.

OK, so beeing a noob. what are hackle feathers, and how do they differ from other feathers? As of now the two at my place don't have wattles, no spur buds, and just have feathers on their backs. Their combs have only just started turning a bit of pink. I'm guessing this indicates they are pullets.

ETA: Posted this before I saw the pictures and explanation. Thanks all!

 

[KMoran]

OK Thanks. I think its a blue then.

 

[Chickielady]

As long as you are not leaving them out unattended over night, they should be ok. Just keep an eye on them.
The swap would be ok too. I can transport from there.
I would wait at least 2 full weeks. And do you want to give her another chance? You were disappointed with how quickly she weened them. Maybe you just need to break her.

Hey, we can spank Trav too !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CR: I have to SHOW you these metal garden stakes I saw today that were so COOL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ok I am outta here, gotta feed Einstein~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~G'night again Peeps !!!!!!!!

 

[Chickielady]

OK Thanks. I think its a blue then.

Remember, Blue is a dilution of black...see a black baby ?
Compare it to the rest...look at the pics I just posted.....blacks & blues are hard to tell under a red heat lamp !

 

[RustyHen]

BIG BABIES










I have sufficiently terrorized all the babies with the flash....................and just butchered 12 Cornish X....am going down & watching TV with Einstein ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GOOD NIGHT PEEPS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BEautiful chicks! those are some large babies!

 

[BGMatt]

Polish Drive-By

I can't believe it's not...wait it is a Buttercup Bantam.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote: Huh? Did I miss something? Why you gonna TRY and spank me? You've met me, I am not exactly a little person and certainly do NOT get spanked.

 

[bikerchicky]

No, but I can explain...
Here is a wee tutorial:
Hackle is only on MALES and it is LONG skinny feathers that are usually GORGEOUS and shiney....
See here:




You will notice on Milton's back, the long straight feathers, and also all around his neck



here is a good pic of my main man Java Cock, take note of the LONG skinny feathers off his neck (CAPE) and saddle (pretend he is a horse...see the flowing LONG feathers off his back ??)
Here is a Java hen for comparison :





The female is covered with feathers, but the male, has hackle.

Wow, great explaination. Thanks so much. I had 2 hens about 20 years ago, so this is pretty new to me since I'm starting over and trying to be a more aware homesteader.

 

[RustyHen]

OK, so beeing a noob. what are hackle feathers, and how do they differ from other feathers? As of now the two at my place don't have wattles, no spur buds, and just have feathers on their backs. Their combs have only just started turning a bit of pink. I'm guessing this indicates they are pullets.

Chickenlady page# 1939 she showed some pics and explained hackle and saddle feathers. I would add the the hens feathers are rounded on the ends not generally pointed. But their are exceptions as in hen feathered cockerals, only a few breeds are that way and I don't think we are dealing with any here.
Edited to add: You found it on your own I'm too slow, we have been doing the Dr. rounds today.

 

[bikerchicky]

Please note::::::::::::::::: when the bird is but a week or 2 old, you will not see hackle emerging, but about 3-6 weeks yopu will see small spikes of skinny feathers coming out in the places I told you...neck cape & saddle.

Right. Now it makes sense how people were asking about small chicks and I really had no clue about what to look for and when some said they were boys I was feelling like I was in a fog because I couldn't see anything "SHOUTING" at me saying these were boys.

Thanks so much for letting me learn from all of you!!!