My chicks demand tribute!

These are 4 of my chicks, the 2 Welsummers, the Buff Orpington and the Delaware. The Marans and the RIR are elsewhere. This was the first day when I had them on newpaper so they could find their food--they are off it now, eating from the feeder and no splayed legs. I took the suggestion and added jewelry to help stop the eye-picking that the vicious Welsummer (center front) was engaging in. It seems to be working. They are all eating and drinking and running around like maniacs. The little Marans seems sleepier than the others, but everytime I start to worry, she jumps up and eats and drinks--she does however seem frailer than the others. The little RIR that was the object of the Welsummer's bullying is now running around pecking at the Welsummer's eyes--but he's not as vicious about it. Still, it seems like payback. They are soooo cute and still very quiet. My other chicks seemed much noisier, maybe I'm being a better Mommy this time?

Just looked at the blow-up and you can see the Marans. She is the dark one--very petite. Are Marans typically smaller than Orpingtons? She seems about the same size as the RIR, but daintier.

Oh, and you can just see the 2 RIR by the feeder--so I got them all in a picture, not easy.

This message was edited Feb 23, 2008 6:14 PM

Cat,
How did you end up with such a variety of chicks? Are they from your own chickens or did you swap/buy them somewhere? Such pretty little things...Scott

Maine, you can actually buy a variety of day-olds if you make at least the minimum purchase total.

Hi Scott, Granny is right. Some hatcheries make you buy the minimum, usually 25, all one breed; others let you mix breeds as long as it adds up to the minimum. I used Meyers Hatchery because they were the only one that allowed you to mix breeds in a "special small order" of as little as six chicks without filling out the bulk with rooster chicks to keep them warm. Instead they add a small heating pad and an extra chick in case of loss. I was worried because this seems like a bad time of year to risk the chicks getting chilled, but they came through beautifully. I am limited in what I can do until I move to a larger piece of land (I'm on a quarter acre in town--no roosters). I envy all of you who can really take off and make larger orders. My current goal is to have a selection of dual purpose chickens that lay large brown eggs and have quiet, pleasant personalities. I am planning to try hatching some Marans and Silkie crosses and eventually Barnevelders from a breeder later this spring. The Serama's you and Silkiechick are working with are so appealing--I hope you have great success!

Hi, Cat, you are lucky that you can have chicks in your town. Ours prohibits any domestic animals even if you were to have larger than quarter acre lots. Since we live in the country, we don't have that problem. Thank goodness. Here's hoping you will someday be able to have a place like ours (10 acres), so you can raise the animals you want.

They are so cute, Cat! And, they look healthy. Can you
get a picture of the marans so I can check it out? Blanca's
2 black chicks are still a mystery, but looks like your marans
has a light spot on it's head. I'm surfing chick pictures to
try to identify what daddy Davey has in him. :o)

My marans had little white areas on their heads, too and little white tummies. The white places on the head were a gentler, not as stark white. They looked more like someone had rubbed the color off there than a SPOT per se. And yes, they were a little smaller than my other standard size hens when they were chicks. They are not as bulky as orpingtons as hens, either. But plucky!

Hi truest--Here is a picture of my little Marans. I took it on the bed (don't tell DH) because I thought she would show up well against the sheets, but the flash sort of washed the picture out. Like BackyardHens says, the spot on the top of her head is smudgie. She also seems to be feathering out faster than the others. Her eyes and beak are smaller and she just seems very dainty--but she is certainly plucky. No one is messing with her. Her chirping has a very distinct piercing quality. I'll post another picture so you can see more details.

Another picture showing the Marans' wings and back.


Woops! It is out of focus.....

This message was edited Feb 24, 2008 5:24 PM

And a last showing her smudgie head spot.

A-Dorable!

tf

I am really interested in chicken personalities, since I like to hold and talk to mine when they are big:-). My Australorp and Orpington's personalities stayed pretty constant from day olds to adults, so I am watching this bunch closely. So far:

The Delaware is by far the most friendly and curious--she comes right up to you and likes to be held.
The Buff Orpington is almost as friendly and sweet.
The Welsummers are less curious, but calm and active and fairly friendly.
The Marans doesn't seem to care if I'm around and screams if I pick her up, but she is pretty fearless--just in her own little world.
The RIRs are the biggest suprise--I thought they would be calm and friendly, but they take off like bullets if you reach for them. They are very shy and cautious. I hope handling them will make them tamer.

Does anyone have any experience with skittish RIR? Or are they usually pretty calm?

In my batch I have coming, I have 2 RIRs 4 Marans and 2 Buff Orphingtons.. I am VERY interested in comparing your notes to my personalities..

I can't hardly wait.. keep telling us stories..

My RIRs weren't very tame. But you have to consider that I didn't handle them very much. But the ones that screamed the most and the loudest were the Araucanas. In fact, the one we called Trouble was just that. Trouble. You would have thought we were killing her when she would get out of the pen and we had to catch her. We used a fishing net with an expandable handle to catch her. When we did, she would let out a scream you could probably hear a mile away.

So, I think if you handle the chicks a lot, they will probably quiet down when they realize you aren't going to hurt them. My RIR rooster is about as tame as any of my chickens. He does let me put my arm up to him and will get on it and let me carry him a few steps then he gets off. I am glad he does. He is very heavy and I can't hold him too long. So, just work with them and they should get used to you.

Cat- one of Davey's black chicks has a smudgie on it's head!
Though Davey doesn't look like a marans, maybe it is in him.
Do your marans chicks have black legs? My 2 black chicks
also have a cream crescent on their throats, one has black
legs and one has some off black on it's legs. Both have the
cream on thier wings and belly.
I have the new Blanca chicks, which I will better be able to
tell their personalities this week. The other 3 breeds are
Ameraucanas, polish and cochins. The most bold and curious
are the amer's, they will fly to get on my arm and like to be held.
The cochins are the calmest and also like to be touched more
and held some, and only a few of the polish actually come
over for attention. This is about half the population in there,
as the other half of all 3 breeds keep their distance, and put
up a ruckus if I reach for them.
may princess tammy have sweet chicks.

Hi truest, I'm wondering if it is the barring pattern that makes your chicks sound similar to my Marans. Could Davey have any barred Plymouth Rock or another barred patterned breed in his background? You will be able tell the difference between a Cuckoo and a Barred pattern when they fledge out, I think. "Brie" (I went for the cheese theme--going to use the cooks' names on the next batch) my little Marans has some black on her legs, but it looks like the color may develop--she's kind of "shady"there now.

I really am getting interested in the Ameraucanas personality and plummage-wise, but oddly I'm not so sure I would like turquoise eggs. The Orpington (Ricotta) is the friendliest today, but the Delaware (Paneer) is close behind. The Welsummers (Peckorina and Fontina) are HUGE, almost twice the size of the Marans and very mellow. They don't mind being handled at all. The Marans is aloof--she doesn't seem to care about me or the other chicks. I hope she lays wonderful brown eggs--cause I can't see getting much love from her:-). The RIRs (Cheddar and Colby) remain wild and fearful--but they are acting a little more curious. They are all growing so fast!

I'm just not sure of what may be in Davey, guess I'll have to
wait and see. My ameraucana chick, Pebbles, came from
the same farm as Davey. A hawk got her, but I was able to
get her from it and bury her. My Pebbles was not going to be
hawk food! The amer eggs may not be that turqoise. Most
eggs I've seen are pale pale blue green. They can range from
pinkish tannish to on the green blue side. Many of my amer
chicks have eye tufts, and the plumage is very partridge or
wild bird looking, which I like. I have light golden to dark
chocolate brown. They seem very interested in what's going
on around them, often stand on ther tippy toes to look up
at the brooder light, me or Durham the dog. One amer likes
to fly up to the top of the brooder edge when it is open, walk
around, then hop back in. Pebbles used to hop in my hand as
soon as I put it in the brooder, and snuggle in. She knew she
was getting an elevator ride.

may princess tammy have a helping hand.