4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Little Clucker]

Hiya I've had chickens since July, a light sussex and a Wyandotte. they were 26 weeks then and I was just wondering if there's an easy way to tell if I actually have 2 girlies?

 

The diagrams in the chicken books I've looked at don't really help... they're so fluffy its hard to tell anything

 

They don't fight but Beezlebird (wyandotte) has what look like "Ooops, word censored!"bles on her legs and has occaisonally sqauwked like she's trying to crow... they're now about 40 weeks and the biggest chickens I've seen in my life! Ethel is about 3 times larger than the Miss Pepperpot a friend has and is bigger than my 7 kilo cat...

 

Any help or advice would be awesome!

[cluckingmad]

Welcome to the forum

 

Hmm, well, they're both large breeds so they'll be afair bit bigger than the pepperpots, nothing too worry about there

 

If they're roos they'll have a large comb by now I would think, and long wattles.. plus their tail feathers should be elongated.. pure breeds can be rather unpredictable with laying, but I'd have thought they should be doing so by now?

 

Sorry I'm not much help, another good way to see if they're coming into lay is if they crouch down when you go to pick them up (means they're, ahem, letting a rooster (i.e. you) know they're ready to mate..)

[Little Clucker]

Um these tail feathers.... would they be long and greeny? sort of question mark shaped?

 

I'm worried cus I don't have permission for manly chooks and Ethel my ginormous sussex is wonderful (perches on my arm pretending to be a falcon as her party piece ) and I'd hate for them to end up in the pot!

[cluckingmad]

Ah.

 

Quite possibly yes, but would need pics to say for sure... where aobutws are oyu in the country? Just thiking that some councils are happy with folk having roo's as they make a darn site less noise than some local dogs!!

[Redwing]

The shape and colour of the tail feathers vary from breed to breed

 

I would have thought you would know by now if they were boys, they would amost certainly be crowing by now, in both breeds the boys should be apparent by now

[Little Clucker]

I'm in Milton Keynes Land of the Concrete Cows

 

Beezlebird or Dot sometimes makes a strangled call at about 5am like her voice is breaking or something but Ethel just chuckles all the time.

 

Just checked and Dot has got what look like baby-sized spurs on her legs and Ethel doesn't that I can see. They have very healthy appetites and are the most spoiled critters

 

All I can do is hope to find an egg soon before I get the new girls so there's no surprise babies!

[Redwing]

Got any pics of them? if not and if you are really worried give me a shout, you are only 20 mins down the road, I can always come and take a look at them

[Little Clucker]

Don't have any on the PC but I'm thinking they may be boys as I googled sussex Cockrels and they looked exactly like Ethel Still not sure with Dot but guessing its not too good a chance she's a she either as they do fluff up their neck feathers

 

Now the man I bought them from won't take my calls once I asked if he sold me boys and hung up on me so guessing he wasn't on the up and up!

 

Ah well at least they're lovely and plump! But does pose some logistical problems for bringing in actual girls without getting little chicks hehe

[Redwing]

Doesnt sound promising like I said if you need any help give me a shout

[Little Clucker]

Might be worth getting a second opinion before they get shipped out (Mum's of the old school, if it doesn't lay we eat it!)

Serves me right for letting a friend buy me some birds out the paper for christmas

 

although looks like she'll let me keep EthelFred but not sure if she'll get lonely if we have to keep her separate from the new birds who'll be coming ...eventually