What's the purpose for pecking order?

[RoseMarie1]

Thank you C3life!!! Going to cut and paste so I can remember as I need it.

Chooks4life, what breed of chickens do you have?

 

[Sandstorm495]

There is a lot of information on here for something so simple!

 

[Beekissed]

There is a lot of information on here for something so simple!

I agree!

 

[goodb]

It seems to have gotten a little off topic but great and valuable information none-the-less.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Yeah we've gotten off topic on the fermented food thread to. We've talked about everything over there to.

I just enjoy learning so it's fun.

 

[RoseMarie1]

THIS is going to be another off topic BUT I don't know WHERE else to ask this question and I am curious!

WHY are some chickens combs and wattles faded out looking and not really red? Are some breeds just like that or do they just need some sort of vitamin or something? Was looking on the RIR thread and noticing so many differences in these and the really red ones look soooo healthy looking to me. But the pale ones look like they NEED something? What vitamin makes them really red? OR is there one that would work for this?

 

[Beekissed]

Your birds are young and they won't get their red combs and wattles until they sexually mature..and some mature at different times than others, some breeds sooner and some chickens sooner within the breed. Just like us humans...remember the gals that got their boobs and periods first? Same thing.

At different times of the year you will see a more pale red comb on the birds as well, such as during brooding and molting, going into a winter slow down, etc. It all has to do with hormones whether they have very cherry red combs or just pink combs. When they are mature and you see VERY pale combs and it's not the season for it, nor a reason for it, then you can worry about a chicken being a little anemic.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Your birds are young and they won't get their red combs and wattles until they sexually mature..and some mature at different times than others, some breeds sooner and some chickens sooner within the breed. Just like us humans...remember the gals that got their boobs and periods first? Same thing.

At different times of the year you will see a more pale red comb on the birds as well, such as during brooding and molting, going into a winter slow down, etc. It all has to do with hormones whether they have very cherry red combs or just pink combs. When they are mature and you see VERY pale combs and it's not the season for it, nor a reason for it, then you can worry about a chicken being a little anemic.

OHHHHH so THAT'S it! NOW I understand! I sure was wondering about that because some pix I see look sick their combs and stuff are sooo pale. When do they normally get sexually mature? I know you said at different times but normally? Is that around 6 months of age?

Bee the other evening I was picking up all my birds without bands and putting bands on them and I sure got the cockerels attention. He stayed fairly close to those pullets and I was glad to see that. I did keep the RIR #1 and instead of #7 I decided on #13 because I just liked the way he looked better, more stocky I guess you could say and his legs were in the middle of his body like they say they should be. He seemed to stay with the pullets better than 7 did as well. But this was #13 hanging around when I was picking up the pullets. He wasn't close because I've been teaching them to stay back with my stick but he was just a watching me with his pullets. lol I think he's going to wind up to be a good one just by the way he's acting. I sure hope so anyway.

 

[Beekissed]

Sounds like he is and it was a good thing for him to watch you while you worked on the pullets. It might be another story when he gets his own maturity going on and you might see him doing a little dance at you if you try to pin down one of his girls. When my roosters do that I just cuff them around the head once and they back down right away. I don't try to train that out of them too much because it's a good thing for him to react in that manner...but he also must see and know that I am not a rival, but still the boss.

Six months if average for maturity but they can go as early as 4 mo. and as late as 7 mo....if they aren't laying by 8 mo. I am giving them the hairy eyeball, putting them on the bad list. Only had one bird that went late on maturity past 6-7 mo. and she never did lay by the time culling time arrived.

I'd say if you are seeing some red combs and wattles in your gals, you might be getting some layers soon and it's probably in your RIRs? Production birds, particularly from hatchery stock, will usually mature earlier than other breeds and hatchery RIRs have been bred for high production.

Of my youngsters of the same age, my Delawares are getting red faces right now but the White Rocks are not just yet, though they are bigger birds. I'm happy with that...I want those WRs around for awhile and they sure are beautiful! They look a good bit different from my hatchery stock WRs and look more like this show girl.....long in the back, flat tail head, good head, long legs:




In contrast, look at my WRs from hatchery stock....

 

[chooks4life]

Quote: Mongrels. I have had purebreds but much prefer mongrels. They come from quite a spectrum of genetics and breeds, but my experience has been that some things hold true no matter how mixed the genetics are.
Quote: Lack of vitality. Specifically, lack of peripheral circulation. An adult should have a red crest, face and wattles, unless it's enduring a harsh moult, is sick or injured, also sometimes brooding does it too, or of a breed that has darker skin. You're right, they need something, or several somethings, to bring them up to standard. This is another controversial issue because many people think perpetually pink-crested adults are healthy because they're not dropping like flies and are on an approved 'complete feed'. As I've mentioned before, malnutrition takes a long time to kill in its weaker forms.

There are many herbs and spices and feedstuffs that will assist circulation. Kelp is a carminative, meaning it will redden their combs etc by virtue of increasing health until the peripheral circulation is at its prime. Kelp's an endocrinal regulator and thyroid aid, and will prevent 'overmating' unless you have a really nasty rooster.

Also, when you've been feeding kelp for a few generations, it will increase their basic health with each generation until your week-old chicks have red crests too. They'll develop quicker as well, and it makes sexing so much easier.

Another thing is that it is known to cause grey or white hair in many aged humans and animals to return to its normal color. This also happens in even old chickens by revealing any hidden colors that people thought they'd bred out of a breed. If they're not on kelp, their true phenotype is not showing. Many purebred breeders would be pretty horrified if they saw what's really going on in their genetics.