Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

DON79

thanks for that, will keep you updated as to when he does his first crow! But he does get locked in overnight til the morning so not likely to hear him first thing. Do you know what age they would start to crow normally or is it just when they are ready?

Donna

KAAT_LADY

nykmedia wrote: »

. No wonder people fatten up the cockerals and then eat them!

o no I couldnt ... he has a name ,,we call ours Curly ,, something to do with his curly feathers

KAAT_LADY

DON79 wrote: »

thanks for that, will keep you updated as to when he does his first crow! But he does get locked in overnight til the morning so not likely to hear him first thing. Do you know what age they would start to crow normally or is it just when they are ready?

Donna

yes we lock ours away for the night ,,or til we get up anyway,,,,:rolleyes:

Katharine

I tried locking mine in, he just crowed on his lonesome in the dark! Luckily my neighbour doesn't mind, and neither do I. His name's not Lyall. Mine started crowing pretty young just wern't very good at it, sadly 'lunch' and 'dinner' are no more, but Lyall seems happier for it, there can only be one daddyo.

I bought my (first) chickens from an entirely freerangeing flock, as a hen with chicks. Within a couple of weeks, knowing nothing of chickens, I suspected which were boys and which were girls, which to my amazment turned out to be correct! All I can say is comparison is the best yardstick, there were various giveaways. Angelina sparred with the boys tho so I was least sure about her.

Frugaldom

I'm hatching!

Broody Wyandotte x has been sitting on eggs for past 3 weeks, so today is the official expected hatch date. and sure enough, when I checked the nest box, there's an empty shell lying beside the hen. Can't disturb her to find out more but will keep everyone informed.

Sparring isn't a very reliable difference here either, otherwise every single youngster I have is male, even the 2 that I can now tel are female. Both are Araucana X hens, so should get blue/green eggs from them - unless they decide not to be girls after all and start growing hackles LOL ned the thug, I can already see his hackles and will check closer at the weigh in. Sad, I know, but I have weight gain charts for Captain Beaky and his band. I'll laugh if Captain Beaky ends up being a hen! :rotfl:

Edited in: Impatience got the better of me so I stuck the camera in the door and this is the best picture I have so far. Only one chick in the pic but I can definitely hear more cheaping from underneath her

Katharine

Awww that's wonderful, it's a beautiful little chook! I'm so jealous I wanted to hatch some, but can't really as I have to move soon.

Frugaldom

I think it's cute, haven't managed to see if there are any others yet, can just hear them peeping, so they might not even be out their shells yet. Hardest part will be getting rid of them, but needs must - gotta pay the rent some how with work drying up left, right and centre

Katharine

I don't want to pry but I'm wondering how close you live to me I'm probably apx 100 miles north of fife too, within a certain tourist spot, be funny if you were just down the road. I'd be tempted to buy them if my DH would let me. I don't want to breed my current flock as they are mum and her son and daughters.

Laura_D_3

nykmedia wrote: »

I'm hatching!

Broody Wyandotte x has been sitting on eggs for past 3 weeks, so today is the official expected hatch date. and sure enough, when I checked the nest box, there's an empty shell lying beside the hen. Can't disturb her to find out more but will keep everyone informed.

Sparring isn't a very reliable difference here either, otherwise every single youngster I have is male, even the 2 that I can now tel are female. Both are Araucana X hens, so should get blue/green eggs from them - unless they decide not to be girls after all and start growing hackles LOL ned the thug, I can already see his hackles and will check closer at the weigh in. Sad, I know, but I have weight gain charts for Captain Beaky and his band. I'll laugh if Captain Beaky ends up being a hen! :rotfl:

Edited in: Impatience got the better of me so I stuck the camera in the door and this is the best picture I have so far. Only one chick in the pic but I can definitely hear more cheaping from underneath her

Shes so lush I'm really jealous - I want baby chucks now :T

Katharine

And ducklings, piglets, lambs......:p