Baymule
Herd Master
We got a white rooster, white hen and a black hen. The rooster just started crowing, the hens are about a year old. Not a good pic, I’ll get better ones.
I may Have too many Chickens
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We got a white rooster, white hen and a black hen. The rooster just started crowing, the hens are about a year old. Not a good pic, I’ll get better ones.
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Sheepshape
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Gorgeous.....do they have black or blue combs.....I can't make out?
http://sites.google.com/site/zijdehoenders/t&dcreating/basics-about-chicken-color-genetics-heritage
Brahma colour genetics are much more basic!
Are you intending to Breed them? I think the genetics for colours is pretty complicated in Silkies, so you may end up with several colours from Black X White (I think)
http://sites.google.com/site/zijdehoenders/t&dcreating/basics-about-chicken-color-genetics-heritage
Brahma colour genetics are much more basic!
Baymule
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They came out of a mixed flock, so I figure the colors will be all over the place. That is fine with me, I like colors! LOL
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Sheepshape
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A week on and they are doing fine. If early feathering really does suggest hen, then there should be 5 hens to 4 roos. Sounds about right, anyway.
Baymule
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Early feathering? I hadn't heard that one!
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Sheepshape
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I think it's mainly for the large breeds of chicken.....Orpington, Brahma etc. The wing feathers are the first to come in, so easiest place to tell. In the pic. above the (hopefully) pullets ....the two chicks on both ends of the front row already have 3 'tiers' of permanent feathers. The cockerels are less easy to see, but in the middle of the from row, the yellowish Naked Neck only has one tiny wing feather and the black chick is the same.
The feathering thing usually does follow this pattern in some breeds. However, I have one (or more)of the late feathering genes in my little flock, so some of the chicks have 'bum fluff' for many months. I currently have a Blue Partridge Brahma who, at 20 weeks,looks like she's half Silkie due to this gene. I'll take a pic. of her to show the effect of these genes in her.....whilst I'm searching for one of my best Brahma hens who was AWOL last night. Unfortunately it is all too likely that she has been Taken by a fox.
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Sheepshape
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This is a chicken with the extreme late feathering gene (or maybe more than one!) which I believe is sex-linked. She's the Blue Partridge Brahma in the middle with the very fluffy butt and is aged 20 weeks. She has only recently acquired back feathers.Once she gets her full adult plumage, then there will not be any problems with her feathers. She'll moult and re-feather normally.
Baymule
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I hope you find your hen. Even a pile of feathers is better than wondering what happened to her. Hope she comes home.
That is unusual on the feathers staying fluffy that long. It just makes her cuter and more lovable.
That is unusual on the feathers staying fluffy that long. It just makes her cuter and more lovable.
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Sheepshape
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She suddenly showed up from the back of the sheep shed....huge sigh of relief. She's a really odd hen in that she is a complete loner....which really means she is asking for trouble as the nights get longer and the foxes get hungrier. I think I'm going to try to drive her into the sheep shed (where she chooses to roost) much earlier at night. Solitary hens like her have no defences at all. She cannot run fast due to her bulk and feathery feet, and can barely fly. When I kept La Flèche they were amazingly agile and used to fly up onto the roof struts of the shed or way up into the branches of trees, so would be quite safe from predators.However, their temperament was nervous and not-so-friendly.
I'm still trying to work out what is the overall winner in the chicken stakes when considering friendliness, longevity, egg laying capacity, looks, broodiness and hardiness. Brahmas score very highly on friendliness, looks and longevity, but spend most of their lives broody and eat loads. Usually they are not moody when broody as some chickens I have had would try to peck your hands off when they have a few eggs.
The fluffy butt Blue Partridge Brahmas look extremely cute, like overgrown chicks, up until about 8-9 months. This coincides with them starting to lay as a rule (yes. they are that old before they start to lay)
Looking at what I have just written about Brahmas I'm wondering why ever I keep them. However, for me their personalities win the day.
Baymule
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I had some Delaware chickens, meanest darn things I ever had. I butchered all the roosters and kept the hens. That was a mistake. They ate like full grown hogs and laid half the time. They finally killed my very favorite EE hen and I slaughtered the awful witches. My feed bill went down. I have a pen of Australorps, 10 pullets and 2 roos, one of which is on my fried chicken list. We'll see how they do. I like my EE hens, they lay well and are friendly.
