| Author | Content |
CountryGardens
Lewisville, MN (Zone 4a)
November 29, 2012 1:18 PM Post #9345562
| Post Office gal called at 7:30 AM. I have noise!
This came from Mt. Healthy hatchery, in Cincinatti, IN.
2 boxes of babies.
50 Ameraucanas, 50 Black Australorps, 50 Buff Orphingtons, & 50 Silver Laced Wyanddottes.
I am going to do photos once a week to show progress.
Bernie
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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kittriana
Magnolia, TX (Zone 8b)
November 29, 2012 1:55 PM Post #9345590
| Winter babies! Rainbow Eggs, have fun- Post Office truck became a cluck! cluck! truck!!! usually raises eyebrows at drivers whose trux are 'crowing down the road' Good little birds you have there. |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
November 29, 2012 2:54 PM Post #9345623
| You should have a rainbow of eggs to sell by May! |
CountryGardens
Lewisville, MN (Zone 4a)
November 29, 2012 3:09 PM Post #9345641
| That is the plan. |
terri_emory
Alba, TX (Zone 8a)
November 30, 2012 8:41 AM Post #9346193
| They look really healthy and have a nice area to grow up in. Good luck with the eggs! |
Moodene
(Nadine) Devers, TX (Zone 9b)
December 1, 2012 4:47 AM Post #9346721
| FLUFFY BUTTS!!!! I love baby chicks!!! |
AnnieBBB
(Zone 5b)
December 2, 2012 2:24 PM Post #9347920
| Oh thanks a lot! No way do I want to take care of babies during the winter but after seeing your picture... things could change! LOL |
CountryGardens
Lewisville, MN (Zone 4a)
December 2, 2012 4:55 PM Post #9348022
| Our idea is to have lots of eggs when Farmers Market starts May 4th.
Last year we figured the old hens for eggs early & pullets mid summer. Old hens gave up to early! |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
December 2, 2012 6:14 PM Post #9348185
| I though that you were starting earlier this year - and more variety too! |
CountryGardens
Lewisville, MN (Zone 4a)
December 2, 2012 7:46 PM Post #9348273
| The Gold Stars didn't do good this year. I think they had some genetic issues. Lot of them developed bad legs & things like that. Figured maybe some standard chickens would do better. We have a couple Americanas & one Silver Wyandotte with no problems.
Gold Stars I think are bred for cages. They don't try to fly, won't go in nests off the floor, & seldom go on roosts. Strange bird! |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
December 2, 2012 8:00 PM Post #9348284
| Well your traditional breeds may not lay as many eggs initially as the hybrids, they should keep laying for longer. I'll be interested to hear how they perform for you. |
Iluvocala
CITRA, FL
December 4, 2012 7:12 PM Post #9350063
| I once got White Rocks from Mt. Healthy, they were some of the nicest birds Ive ever had. Great layers. |
Light_for_Jesus
(Zone 6b)
December 4, 2012 7:27 PM Post #9350071
| That is just too awesome! |
terri_emory
Alba, TX (Zone 8a)
December 6, 2012 8:11 AM Post #9351240
| I'm thinking of Jersey Black Giants, or a mix of them and another large, docile breed. We are enlarging the chicken run right now but don't want them delivered until spring. They need to be docile to get along with my current three Brahmas who are verrrrry docile. Any suggestions? I only want 15 total so Mt Healthy sounds like a good fit for my order...I'm not selling eggs, but just share with friends. |
CajuninKy
Biggs, KY (Zone 6a)
December 6, 2012 9:16 AM Post #9351284
| I had not heard of Mt Healthy. i will check them out. I ordered a catalog from Eagle Nest yesterday. |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
December 6, 2012 10:44 AM Post #9351355
| My Jersey Giants have all been gentle, calm and friendly ladies. They have been more susceptible to Marek's disease than the other breeds, however (?). Another reliably docile breed, in my experience, has been the Buff Orpington. My Barred Rocks are all friendly but tend to pick on younger birds. Most of my Ameraucanas have been civil in their behavior to other birds but not reliably people-oriented. Many other breeds that I have kept have some individuals that are very sweet and others not so much, with no breed-specific consistency of character. Many of the larger, calmer breeds do not lay as prolifically as the light, flighty ones, but are much more pleasant to live with. Have fun rebuilding your flock! |
CountryGardens
Lewisville, MN (Zone 4a)
December 6, 2012 1:51 PM Post #9351541
| They have been here a week. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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CajuninKy
Biggs, KY (Zone 6a)
December 6, 2012 2:18 PM Post #9351559
| Really growing. Have you lost any? How long will they stay in that pen?
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CountryGardens
Lewisville, MN (Zone 4a)
December 6, 2012 3:46 PM Post #9351622
| Only 3 or 4.
They will stay quite a while. Opening the far door doubles the size, but that part isn't heated. |
terri_emory
Alba, TX (Zone 8a)
December 7, 2012 6:59 AM Post #9352099
| Thanks for the tips, Porkpal. I'll see if Mt Health vacinates for Marek's.
Country, are the black Australorps docile? I like dark or buff colors for my hens and they seem to attract less attention from our local Red Tailed Hawk family. |
CountryGardens
Lewisville, MN (Zone 4a)
December 13, 2012 12:43 PM Post #9357430
| Another week has gone by.
A little flying going on now. Whole bunch are scardy cats.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Light_for_Jesus
(Zone 6b)
December 14, 2012 6:38 AM Post #9357938
| They are really growing. Thanks for the pictures. |
terri_emory
Alba, TX (Zone 8a)
December 14, 2012 6:42 AM Post #9357942
| This is stage I start to really like the little dears. They really start to develop their individual personalities and, to me, they start to really be fun to watch! Your's are really doing well! |
CountryGardens
Lewisville, MN (Zone 4a)
December 21, 2012 10:12 AM Post #9363852
| Another week has passed. They are growing fast now. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Jnette
Northeast, WA (Zone 5a)
December 21, 2012 11:18 AM Post #9363881
| Starting to show their colors. You are brave getting them so early. Where are you going to put them when they are considerably bigger? Mn is pretty cold in the winter isn't it? Will you have to heat it? I would think. Doubt they would have their winter coats? |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
December 21, 2012 3:34 PM Post #9364085
| They really are growing. Do they use their little roostlets? |
CountryGardens
Lewisville, MN (Zone 4a)
December 21, 2012 5:53 PM Post #9364214
| That door opens to double the size of the room. They should be fine.
They are using the roost. |
AnnieBBB
(Zone 5b)
December 22, 2012 5:43 PM Post #9365032
| Are the Gold Stars, Golden Comets, Red Star, Cinnamon Queen all really the same "breed" of chicken? If they have problems I may have to change my order... I loved my RIR's and they were great layers but they got so nasty they had to go to camp. |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
December 22, 2012 6:17 PM Post #9365075
| They are all hybrids produced as sex-linked offspring, but are not identical. Most are a cross of a white breed hen ( Delaware, Silver laced Wyandote, White Plymouth Rock) with a red breed rooster - either Rhode Island or New Hampshire Reds. The pullet chicks are colored like their dads, the roster chicks more like their moms - hence the ability to guarantee the sex from day one. I don't know if they tend to be nasty; none of my Red Sex Links are bad (sired by Rhode Island Reds) but neither are my Rhode Island Reds; however I know those often have a reputation for aggression as you found. |
CountryGardens
Lewisville, MN (Zone 4a)
December 22, 2012 8:32 PM Post #9365162
| Gold Stars are a New Hampshire hen & a California White rooster. Pullets are hatched red, cockerels are white.
I like this mixed bunch better already. |
CountryGardens
Lewisville, MN (Zone 4a)
December 22, 2012 8:39 PM Post #9365165
| Here is link to Hoover's Hatchery. Shows some different Hybrids.
http://hoovershatchery.com/baby-chicks.html
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CajuninKy
Biggs, KY (Zone 6a)
December 22, 2012 10:16 PM Post #9365194
| I like the black sexlinks best. RIR and barred Rock if I remember correctly. Great layers and well behaved. |
catmad
Pelzer, SC (Zone 7b)
December 28, 2012 4:43 AM Post #9368848
| I thought I had an example of sex-linked coloring, but I now think I was wrong. I had two mixed breed naked necks hatch around Halloween. One was almost white, and one a dark chocolate. First I figured they were just going to grow up different colors. Then, they both began to turn red. Now, they're almost indistiguishable, but with minor differences, so I still know which is which. I also had been thinking one was a pullet, one roo, but now I'm thinking both roo. Guess I'll know eventually *g* |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
December 28, 2012 5:53 AM Post #9368878
| I have had Ameraucanas that changed colors dramatically as they matured, I did not know there were other breeds that did the same. Pullets, however, are notorious for turning into roosters.
All the sex-linked hybrids seem to involve a rooster who is either a Rhode Island or New Hampshire Red. What is so magic about these breeds? Anyone know? |
CajuninKy
Biggs, KY (Zone 6a)
December 29, 2012 4:19 PM Post #9370103
| Got me. |
CountryGardens
Lewisville, MN (Zone 4a)
January 3, 2013 10:56 AM Post #9374235
| Didn't get a picture last week, so here they 2 weeks older than the last picture.
My son said they are eating us out of house & home!
Cats were basking in the sun.
Click an image for an enlarged view.
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porkpal
Richmond, TX
January 3, 2013 1:03 PM Post #9374344
| They are getting big!
That looks like some chilly basking... |
terri_emory
Alba, TX (Zone 8a)
January 4, 2013 9:18 AM Post #9375177
| The cats are almost a cute as the chicks... |
fancyflea
Wharton, TX (Zone 9a)
January 4, 2013 11:59 AM Post #9375348
| enjoying seeing the progress on your babies... |
Tammy
Barto, PA (Zone 6b)
January 21, 2013 1:26 PM Post #9392649
| I just found my little bantum "Jap" had hidden away to hatch an early brood. 6 chicks w/two eggs to go. I had to run out and get a heat lamp & chick starter 'cause I sure wasn't planning on this!
I have a Jersey Giant/Buff Orpington cross rooster that is the nicest & gentlest rooster I have ever had (in my 15yrs with chickens of many breeds).
Have a red sex link hen - they are supposed to be broody so I figured I'd get chicks from her. She has the largest eggs I have seen in my life. Anywhere. She's nice & loves to run for a treat. The big deal with sex links of course is that you can tell if they are male/female at birth 'cause their color is linked to their sex.
Tam |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
January 21, 2013 1:59 PM Post #9392686
| The offspring of the sex links, however do not breed true. It is only the initial F1 cross that has the color coding.
How big is your Jersey/Orp rooster? I love both breeds and would love to see a picture of him. |
Tammy
Barto, PA (Zone 6b)
January 21, 2013 4:05 PM Post #9392800
| Ah... did not know that about the sex links.
He's quite large... here's a pic from this summer. Not the best but the only one I can find quickly.
The coolest thing about him is his oversize comb.
Tam
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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porkpal
Richmond, TX
January 21, 2013 8:47 PM Post #9393179
| That is quite a comb! Is he gentle with the hens? |
Tammy
Barto, PA (Zone 6b)
January 22, 2013 5:44 AM Post #9393410
| I can't say enough good things about him! He is gentle with the hens,
he is really good about calling them over when I put out a treat and
is protective. By far the best rooster I have ever had.
Tam |
CountryGardens
Lewisville, MN (Zone 4a)
January 27, 2013 3:08 PM Post #9399344
| Got around to taking a picture again. They are 2 months old now.
Not quite so wild anymore. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
porkpal
Richmond, TX
January 27, 2013 3:30 PM Post #9399366
| Wow! They are little hens now! They certainly grew up fast. |
Tammy
Barto, PA (Zone 6b)
January 27, 2013 4:46 PM Post #9399424
| they look great! Amazing how fast they grow
Tam |
terri_emory
Alba, TX (Zone 8a)
January 28, 2013 6:37 AM Post #9399899
| I know that farm livestock are not supposed to be cute, but those little brown hens are. |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
January 28, 2013 8:21 AM Post #9400055
| They also seem to be the ones most interested in the camera. |
