Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Chickielady]

I was commenting on Jules' post. My birds don't have MG, they have Marek's.

Based on what was written, I don't think she has disclosed the name of the breeder. I think they were Marans from Eastern Washington, but I could be mistaken.

I was commenting on Jules' post also.

 

[Chickielady]

You guys I think my 3.5 month or english splash orpington (my only one- who I hunted down a breeder to buy it form) may be a rooster...

Thoughts?



That being said....

A. I may have an English Orpington Roo for sale soon if any one is interested....

B. My flock will then consist of a SLW, A cochin, and 2 silkies. - I'd like to add a couple more silkies but I'm worried I basically won't have any eggs and my SLW will be bigger than everyone else. Thoughts? Should I try to add another large bird and a silkie ?

My coop is 4-6 and the underside is fenced in for outdoor space- as well as a 4x6 run

Hold the bird in your arms, holding feet in 1 hand so it cannot scratch you, and dig your other fingers in thrugh the neck feathers, and look for hackle.
Only males have hackle.
Hackle is irredescent, narrow long pointy feathers. If it is a male, he would have such hackle in his neck "cape" and his "saddle " area on his back, just in front of his tail.
A young male, even at 3-4 mo of age, should have newly emerging hackle feathers.

 

[Natalierose]

Hold the bird in your arms, holding feet in 1 hand so it cannot scratch you, and dig your other fingers in thrugh the neck feathers, and look for hackle.
Only males have hackle.
Hackle is irredescent, narrow long pointy feathers. If it is a male, he would have such hackle in his neck "cape" and his "saddle " area on his back, just in front of his tail.
A young male, even at 3-4 mo of age, should have newly emerging hackle feathers.

This is great to know!

Thank you

 

[JulesChicks]

So, what kind of birds are they ?
Hopefully, this is not the same breeder I got my MG birds from !

Marans and Cream Legbar. I won't disclose the breeder publicly in order to give her the benefit of the doubt. If you really have to know PM me.

 

[Chickielady]

This is great to know!

Thank you

you are welcome !

This subject has a few threads on the BYC site, including this picture:

 

[Chickielady]

Marans and Cream Legbar. I won't disclose the breeder publicly in order to give her the benefit of the doubt. If you really have to know PM me.

As long as it wasn't a western WA breeder, then it is not the same person, and no I do not need to know.
Hope everything works for you.
As for your last queston, I do not think you need to worry about passing this disease on to others in the future, as long as they are separate.
I got rid of the really sick birds (all from the same breeder) and kept 2-3 of the ones that remained well, and there was no spread to other flocks, but I have not researched it more.
I just culled the constantly sick ones, and that was that.

 

[Carolei]

I have two 5-week-old English Orpington chicks who put their neck feathers up and charge at each other and get into frequent face-offs and squabbles. One of the two, Rosie, has the largest, pinkest comb of my five chicks. Is it pretty much a sure thing that they are both boys? Aren't they very young to be getting into it like this? I'm a terrible chicken photographer, but here they are. Any hope they might be girls? I've heard it's hard to tell with Orpingtons.

Rosie


Freckles

 

[JulesChicks]

I have two 5-week-old English Orpington chicks who put their neck feathers up and charge at each other and get into frequent face-offs and squabbles. One of the two, Rosie, has the largest, pinkest comb of my five chicks. Is it pretty much a sure thing that they are both boys? Aren't they very young to be getting into it like this? I'm a terrible chicken photographer, but here they are. Any hope they might be girls? I've heard it's hard to tell with Orpingtons.

Rosie


Freckles

I don't have experience with Orps, but I had Marans chicks this spring and they are difficult to sex and have single combs. I would say Rosie is a roo - bright pink comb at 5 weeks and thick legs. We got our Marans at 4 weeks and thought 1 was a roo and the other 4 were pullets, but by 5-6 weeks one of the pullets had a noticeably larger and pinker comb. It turned out to be a roo. Not sure on the second one but my guess at this point is pullet by the comb - not at all pink like the other and much smaller and pullet like for the age. Good luck!

 

[JulesChicks]

As long as it wasn't a western WA breeder, then it is not the same person, and no I do not need to know.
Hope everything works for you.
As for your last queston, I do not think you need to worry about passing this disease on to others in the future, as long as they are separate.
I got rid of the really sick birds (all from the same breeder) and kept 2-3 of the ones that remained well, and there was no spread to other flocks, but I have not researched it more.
I just culled the constantly sick ones, and that was that.

Thanks CL. When you say I may not need to worry as long as they are separate, do you mean permanently or for a quarantine period? With the heat of the last 2 weeks since culling I'm hoping that it's died off in our environment but I know the girls that shared the tractor but remained well could be carriers for life - so I thought they could infect new birds I bring in. I am really hopeful that basically by doing what you did (culling the sick birds) that it won't crop up again. Only time will tell.
Thanks!

 

[CarolynF]

Quote:

I'm thinking the same way as Jules based on combs and legs. Some people will also look at their posture, which I notice in the pictures is different. But sometimes you get fooled anyway. I had a blue marans that everyone more experienced than I was certain was a boy, then poof at 12 weeks she was a she. It's not uncommon at all for chicks to face off even younger than yours. When my HRIR and EE were 6-8 weeks, two of them would flare up and bump chests pretty regularly. The HRIR turned out to be a boy, the EE is a tiny, spunky little layer now. LoL.

p.s. Love Rosie's color!