Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Leigti]

Sometime between 8 to 12 weeks is a good age to integrate a cockerel into a mature hen flock. He'll still be young enough for those older girls to teach him manners, but will be old enough to tolerate getting beat up a bit.

I know integrating one chicken is not great. So if he’s kept in a pen next to them for a couple weeks would that help?

 

[Leigti]

I have had Marans for about 16 years ???
Maybe 17 ?
I had Silver Cuckoo Marans, Blue Copper Marans, Black Copper Marans...
My favorite was the Blue Copper...Blue Black & Splash...gorgeous birds !
I no longer have the Cuckoo and Blues...but might make some more blues this summer..not sure.

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My chickens are completely jealous of the gorgeous area your chickens have to roam around in.

 

[Hinotori]

I know integrating one chicken is not great. So if he’s kept in a pen next to them for a couple weeks would that help?

Should. My hens usually see roosters and young birds differently than adult hens.

I tossed a silkie rooster in with the large fowl hens yesterday. He doesn't know what to think. He's only lived with other boys.

He's too rooster aggressive and picked on the other younger boys too much so he needed moved.

The hens are all old. The youngest is 4. They do not put up with rooster crap and are three times his size. None have picked at him. He runs at the first nasty look. Hopefully he'll make a friend soon.

Your hens may have a different temperament. Mine are laid back EEs and ameraucana

 

[pennyJo1960]

Nope kinda like mine are here

 

[Old Man Tom]

Is this where I find others from Okanogan county?

Welcome We are in Brewster and have Black Copper Marans. Tom

 

[Friendsbymail]

Welcome We are in Brewster and have Black Copper Marans. Tom

Well howdy neighbor! Black copper is what we had hoped to find. But there were none local up in the north county. My bits of reading make me think they are a little harder to come by? We did get a cucko which is supposed to lay chocolate color eggs. And one of our others is supposed to lay dark brown or even speckled eggs. I was a bit shocked that our local store offered no EE or anything else with colorful eggs. We are new (I had chickens a few times growing up) and just got our babies over the weekend. 10 babies. 9 breeds. We are excited to watch then grow and see which breeds we end up liking most

 

[Old Man Tom]

Well howdy neighbor! Black copper is what we had hoped to find. But there were none local up in the north county. My bits of reading make me think they are a little harder to come by? We did get a cucko which is supposed to lay chocolate color eggs. And one of our others is supposed to lay dark brown or even speckled eggs. I was a bit shocked that our local store offered no EE or anything else with colorful eggs. We are new (I had chickens a few times growing up) and just got our babies over the weekend. 10 babies. 9 breeds. We are excited to watch then grow and see which breeds we end up liking most

There are a lot of Black Copper Marans around. Good ones not so much. We've had them three years now and I do not have what I want yet! Breeding for SOP birds is a real challenge. Love the challenge. TOM

 

[Chickielady]

My chickens are completely jealous of the gorgeous area your chickens have to roam around in.

Well, they are in the garden now, and again at the end of the season. In between I fence them out of the vegetable beds, and they can only wander the pathways between the beds.
They are in the entire garden (cept for the seeds areas) now, rotovating the soil for me

 

[Chickielady]

There are a lot of Black Copper Marans around. Good ones not so much. We've had them three years now and I do not have what I want yet! Breeding for SOP birds is a real challenge. Love the challenge. TOM

I still want to find about 3 unrelated (to my birds) cockerels for these new flock replacements.
My old girls have been retired, and the new pullets will need an unrelated man.
Keep me in mind if you've too many boys this spring.

 

[Chickielady]

I had to help the last little one out. These shells are so HARD !!