The Dogmother Posted October 12, 2006 Author Share Posted October 12, 2006 Well here's the latest update of life at chick-city: They are growing almost as we look at them (much like the kitten ). We decided to see if we could sex them; Lesley read somwhere that you could tell the sex of a chick by looking at their wing feathers as they come through - a female has stepped wing feathers and a male has more rounded, equal length feathers. A few days ago, it was hard to tell, but now they are bigger it is more apparent: Smaller, lighter barnie's wing Darker, bigger barnie's wing Herbert's wing Soooo... it looks like the barnies might both be girls ; the wings looked stepped and showed the laced pattern too. And Herbert, might be a boy (our instincts were right). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 Not bad then, 2 good egg layers and a tasty sunday dinner. WIN WIN WIN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 12, 2006 Author Share Posted October 12, 2006 I'd like to keep one of the hens. Lesley has Herbert earmarked for the pot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 Would be a shame to see a chick that you raised go to the pot. I'd rather buy the cockerels in at 8 weeks then seperate them, then you know... Will you be tasting Herbie or would that just be not on? Sorry about the type of questions just curious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 I like your ring Clare! The chicks wings look good too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Maybe I should start a save Herbert from the pot campaign, he's gorgeous To be fair, Herbert doesn't actually have many wing feathers to compare (ahh). Maybe he's a she with not many wing feathers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 13, 2006 Author Share Posted October 13, 2006 Yes, it's all still uncertain, but it will be interesting to see if this theory holds in the long run as they develop. I don't have a problem with Herbert going to the pot and would eat him myself too if that was the case. I have made my mind up to it, so it's fine by me - must be the pragmatic Italian blood I see your point about seperating them Martin, and I would if I were raising them for the pot myself. I haven't discussed with Rosie yet about Herbert being for dinner, but I think she'd be fine after the initial pouting session; she's not so enamoured now he's less of a cute cuddly tiny chick. Thanks Linda - I like the ring too. The chicks look odd at the moment - all gawky with big wings and feet; just like teenagers. Herbert is sprouting a tail of sorts, but the barnies (who don't have big tails when adult) and more rounded at the rear. It's a bit like surrogacy - I love them to bits, but in the end; except for one barnie hen, they're not mine so I am happy for them to go back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Sensible attitude,Clare Are they still in the Rablu? May I ask ,would an Eglu be just as good for raising baby chicks,or does the rable have advantages over it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 13, 2006 Author Share Posted October 13, 2006 They are still in the Rablu and run Sarah, I am keeping them seperate from the rest of the flock as the eglu run door is open to let those girls freerange. Brooding hens and their babies need to be kept apart from the rest of the flock. The Rablu is excellent for hatching - it doesn't have roosting bars, which the chicks wouldn't be able to negotiate, and the tray inside can be made into a big, easy to clean nest for them. I have been using seperate pots and feeders in the run for their food and they seem really happy. I am shutting the rablu door at night now that it is getting colder to help Lavinia keep them warm. The big girls still have their Eglu door open at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Thanks for the info I am trying to work out what to do with my Eglus..... I know I want to do chicks next year (we now have a Silkie & they brood well) so I may keep the mk1 yellow & just take out the roosting bars - do you think that would be a suitable environment for them? I would have to get a run for it too Also,it would be good to keep a spare house in case I need to seperate anyone for any reason. Or I could keep the green mk2,which I have a run for- decisions,decisions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 13, 2006 Author Share Posted October 13, 2006 One answer to that dilemma Sarah is that they sell spare bases for the Mark 2 Eglu, so you could convert your green mark 2 to a rablu for brooding purposes and keep the other base to use if you need to turn it back into an eglu to quarantine a hen or introduce a newbie. I think Barbara mentioned that the bases are £50 on their own, but I may be mistaken. Does this help, or does it make it any more confused? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 That helps a lot - only I have one more decision to make now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 13, 2006 Author Share Posted October 13, 2006 What's that then? Let me know if you'd like to come up and see the chickies in their Rablu; it's ideal for raising chicks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Sarah - One of our broodies has her chicks in an Eglu with the roosting bars removed. We just filled it with straw and I made a little ramp with a short piece of 6x1 timber. They have been fine. .......and if you're visiting Clare, then we're only 15 mins away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 I'm less than 15 minutes away from Lesley, 40minutes from Clare! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 Thanks for the visits offers - Lesley,I had no idea you were so near to Clare I am still mulling it over - one is going on eBay next week,as I have a new pink one coming on Friday,plus a brand new MK1 run for the yellow My instinct is to eBay the yellow one,but I keep looking at it in the garden,& its so pretty......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 Sarah - keep them all!!!!! What else would I say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 Wish I could - but lack of space & funds means one has to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 14, 2006 Author Share Posted October 14, 2006 Wel, the chicks all seem a lot bigger today, especially Herbert who is gettign as tall as Lavinia now. I bought them a new feeder today - they had been eating out of a bowl as it was easiest for them to reach into, but good old Herb had taken to standing in it and scratching the chick crumbs out all ober the place (appalling table manners!). They now have a galvanised small trough with a lip on it so that they can't spill the crumbs out. I'll try to take some more photos tomorrow for an update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 Sounds like they are getting big, can't wait to see more pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 Is there any way of saving poor Herbert from the pot? I've got quite attached to the cute pictures Nice to know he's growing up and acting like a proper adult chicken (standing in the food and throwing it everywhere). Perhaps you could just tell me he was going on his "holidays?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamsin Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 I've got quite attached to Herb too and have enjoyed seeing pictures of him progressing. Do we know Herbs destiney yet or is he destinged to the pot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 I think he is a Sunday Lunch for Lesley and Carl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 15, 2006 Author Share Posted October 15, 2006 Thanks Martin We're pretty sure that he's a chap, but will need to wait to confirm this. But whatever he is, he'll be going back to Lesley and Carl, destined for the pot. He's a sweetie, but as you know, I am being totally pragmatic about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 That egg was 'on loan' as we weren't sure that the bantam eggs were fertile. I didn't want Rosie to watch Lavinia sitting on eggs for 21 days and have nothing to show for it I knew that egg would hatch into a fluffy yellow chick. He will have a happy life until he goes off on holiday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
