As I posted before--I ordered 4 pullet chicks and and got (I thought) 2 cockerels and 2 pullets. This morning as I rushed out to grab my crowing Australorp "Larry" and move him into a dog kennel in the bedroom until a less neighbor sensitive hour, I was horrified to hear my other Australorp crowing. "Sophie" hereafter known as "Sophacles" is the most henny looking of all the chickens. She follows "Larry" formerly "Layla" everywhere and is shy and truly a little boring. I assume this is what is meant by a "henny" rooster. Right? Are they just late bloomers or is something else going on? As I understand it, chicken genetics require only a single sex gene to create a male--none at all for a female. Can something else happen? I only hope "Daisy" my only pullet remains as sweet as "she" is. "Rowdy" formerly "Fanny" is my Buff Orpington rooster--he was the first to crow at about 6 weeks, but has been silent since moving outside. I have some hope of keeping him to keep Daisy (also a BO) company until I can get--hopefully-some Barnevelders later this spring. Could Larry's crowing be inhibiting Rowdy? Or is it (hope, hope) that Rowdy is just not a very noisy boy. I really can't stand making Daisy an only chicken. They are such a happy group right now, free ranging around the backyard. Unfortunatly, the Australorps are moving to a friend's this evening--where they may end up as coyote food since her free range bantams sleep in the barn's rafters--which my boys won't be able to reach. Arghhhh! I am beginning to wonder if even getting point of lay pullets is a safe bet. I get very attached to these guys, but really can only have hens in this town. Advice anyone?
Okay, 3 roosters need home, what is a "henny rooster" anyway
Unfortunately one of the drawbacks to getting chickens is the whole, "what to do with the roosters"? I think keeping poultry is totally worth it, but I live in the country and can keep a few roos if needed, although I have too many myself and don't know what to do with them either. How old are the Barnevelders? Are they sexed day old chicks or are they older. With the larger breeds sometimes you can tell by their combs if they are roos or not. Of course they have to be a little older than a few days.
This message was edited Jan 17, 2008 6:46 PM
Thanks for the sympathy Patchouli. I am planning to get Barnevelder sexed day-old chicks (pullets)--and I thought I was prepared for the occasional rooster--but 3 out of 4 is a little much. My latest "sex-change" Sophie/Sophacles still looks very much like a hen at 31/2 months--her brother is very "cocky". If it weren't for her crowing I would never have suspected. I was planning to move into the country this year, but with the housing bust, I am going to hold on to my city home for a while longer. The chickens were kinda of my reward for holding on. I would certainly keep the roosters if I could. No one has complained, but I am just not zoned for roosters and with 5 dogs I am afraid I am already pushing my neighbors' good will to the limit. I could get Barnevelder eggs from a breeder--which means I would get roosters, but as I understand it, the local 4H will take roosters from breeders, but not from hatcheries. My current misfits were from Privett Hatchery and they are wonderfully healthy and sweet natured. Just not what I wanted or paid for. Sigh.
May I ask where you're getting the Barnevelders from? I hope not Privett as they're obviously not holding up their end of the business deal.
If I go for hatching eggs, I am thinking of Corner Stone Farms in Virginia which seems to have a serious Barnevelder breeding program and will ship eggs. In fact I need to get back in touch with them. No, Privett is out of the question. They were having trouble with the hatch and I suspect they just shipped what they had without reference to sex. Happily I have found I good home for my Australorp roosters. A friend's brother is thrilled to have roosters run around his fenced yard just for the joy of hearing them crow. He is a country boy and an animal lover. (It is still weird how un-rooster like the cockerel formerly known as Sophie looks. Her brother is big and bold with a beautiful bright red comb and wattles, Sophie/Sophacles is smaller with a much less developed and dull orangey comb and wattles. S/he doesn't even stretch her neck out to crow--but she is still loud and persistant. I am holding on to the Buff Orpington rooster for the time being--just to keep my BO hen company. So far no outdoor crowing from him!
Well, at least you were able to find homes for your roos, that's not always so easy. Keep us posted about the Barnevelders, I'm curious about that breed also. I have a Cuckoo Marans and was wanting to add one more dark egg layer to my flock, but wanted something different than the Cuckoo. Barnevelders and Welsummers came up for other breeds that might be available from hatcheries, but I wasn't really sure on the colors of the hens. If the hatcheries had the other colr variations of Marans I would gladly order one, but apparently they have only the Cuckoo.
I'm interested in dark eggs as well--the only reason I didn't go for Marans is that they sounded a little more temperamental than Orpingtons or Australorps. I think Marans only come in Cuckoo. I'm considering Welsummers as well as Barnevelders. But I have to practice restraint right now. I only have 1/4 acre and I need quiet birds since I am technically in a city (very small). How do you like the Marans? The eggs look incredible! Attached (I hope) is a British site with impressive egg pictures.
http://www.marans.co.uk/
My Marans hen is somewhat temperamental. She is also very comical. She got her name (Kung Pow) when she was just a chick, because she would jump up at a screen I had over their brooder and kick it off with her legs. She is very vocal also. As far as her eggs are concerned, they are very dark, very nice indeed! She herself is a very pretty hen, sorta looks like she's wearing striped pj's, lol!
Marans come in a variety of colors http://americanmaransclub.com/index.html and heres an online group http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Marans_Breeders_of_America/
I have only seen cuckoos at the hatcheries. Good news is the chicks can be visually sexed. My six hens are very comical, always running up to see what you have for them.
Thanks Lora, I thought they came in more colors!They are very cool birds!
Patchouli, I have both breeds. Barnevelder and Welsumer come in one color. The Welsumer is a traditional BBR with hens being salmon breasted partridge but without any lacing. The Barnevelders hens are a double laced partridge and the roos are really dark partridge. Both breeds lay dark brown eggs although I'd say the Welsumer eggs are the darkest of the two and a bit larger as well. Marans and Barnvelder eggs are quite similar in size and color. Welsumer perhaps 1 size larger and a bi9t darker usually. Marans from what I've read, are now available in nearly every color pattern that can be found in a chicken. Egg color varies greatly with Marans and as a result the culling process is still critical for all breeders who resell. It is likely Marans will become an APA accepted breed before too many more years.
So, if I'm going for one more dark egg layer from the hatchery, then you say go Welsumer, right?
Kung Pow sounds like a "kick" (pun intended) and it is interesting to see the other Maran colors. Once I move, I will definitely look into Marans. The eggs are amazing. It is really the vocalizations I am worried about. Right now I am absorbing the fact that my last pullet, "Daisy" has sprouted two sickle feathers and has little nubby spurs just starting. So I am 4 for 4. I definitely will not order from Privett again. Fortunately the man I just delivered the Australorps to says he will take my Orpingtons too. I feel like I am betraying my Daisy (David?), s/he keeps running up to me to be picked up. Happily they are all going to a home as pets. Time to order the incubator and eggs. Has anyone used the Brinsea 200? It is very expensive, but I am planning to keep this up for years. Any other incubators that are less expensive and relatively fool proof?
Woops, just got the other replies, so mine seem out of sync. Photographer, where did you get your Welsummers and Barnevelders? They don't seem widely available and I am feeling dubious about the usual hatcheries. And have you noticed any pronounced differences in their temperaments? My Orpingtons were very quiet and cuddly--and they couldn't fly. My references suggest the Welsummers and Barnevelder are both relatively quiet and earthbound...but less helpful about temperament--They just say they are both good for backyard flocks. Do you have other breeds?
You could get them from Ideal Poultry. They are available from them sexed, and they got my order right. I think a lot of people on this site swear by them.