If anyone ever tries to tell me that Buff Orpingtons are sweet natured birds I'm going to laugh. This morning some of them were having rooster type fights with each other and chicks of other breeds. I've never seen such aggressive behavior in such young birds.
Did I just find a strain with a mean streak or have others seen this too? These may all end up in Camp Freezer by fall.
MollyD
11 day old chicks fighting!
That is weird. None of my Buff Orpingtons were in the least bit aggressive with other birds and the literature all suggests that they are prone to being bullied by other breeds. Maybe there is a strain that has temperatment problems and is being spread by hatcheries withour knowing it? Mine were friendly and easy going. My current pullet, Buttercup, is the only one of my 5 other breeds that comes and sits on my lap by herself. Very sweet and gentle. How old are yours now, MollyD? They sound like little game birds.
Catscan they're 11 days old today. I've never seen anything like it! If they'd had spurs there would have been some serious damage done.
MollyD
My buffs will pull themselves up real tall towards another buff but not all the time. It just seems like a handful do this. They don't go at one another just make themselves big. My silkies are actually the bullies in the bunch!
I hope your buffs settle down, Molly.
Me too saanansandy!
btw you might be interested to hear that Millie (Bonnie's sister) arrived earlier this week. In the old flock Bonnie had been bullied. Here she made it clear to her sister that she Bonnie is queen and what she says goes! LOL Millie outweighs her by about 20 pounds but Bonnie stood firm.
Getting back to the chicks. I just gave them a handfull of grass and dandelions to pick through. They seem to like that. Someone told me that composted horse manure was good for them to pick through. True or false? I've got about 2 tons of the stuff.
MollyD
There's probably lots of worms and nice bugs in it!
LOL gave them a small handfull and got these looks of "You expect me to do What with that???" LOL
MollyD
I wouldn't worry, I was watching my month old silkie who I think is going to be a splash and the modern game fowl roo do the dance and chest bump. I think is natural, they are in my opinion, figuring out who is who and where everyone belongs in flock. They only chickens (roos) that ended up being nasty were they quiet ones in the beginning, those are those red-devil silkies from Ideal I bought last year. And they aren't pure silkies, they have regular colored skin and red waddles and combs. All my pure silkies are sweet. One of the reds, Rick, got soaked by the hose this morning for stalking me and Stewie.
My little bamtums will peck at me, but not each other so far, they too are just 14 days old. Hope there not all roosters, we already are attached to them. Hubby already named one 'Houdini'.
We also have ducklings we are trying to learn about that are a montyh old , any help is appreciated.
LoraK this wasn't just bumping and dancing. This was real fighting! Yesterday one of these guys (the mustache one) took on a gosling. It was more than twice his size. I had to keep breaking them up each time he was getting the worst of it and he kept going back for more!
Today they were using beak and feet on each other.
MollyD
But "Hercule" isn't a Buff is he? It really sounds like the behaviour of the Shamo game chicks. Who did you get them from? What did you really get? Devil Birds!
If they don't figure out who is who in flock won't the fighting continue? I certainly wouldn't allow a chick to beat up on another species, in a chicken flock they need to find their place in flock. I had a couple real blood drawing fights last year when they all matured. After that it was just chest bumping and dancing. I am still a novice at keeping poultry this being my second year, I think it is natural for them find a leader even among chicks.
Catscan I sent Ideal a picture of Hercule and I'd say he's not a Buff. I don't know what he is! The ones fighting today were Buffs!! You know those gentle even tempered birds ^_^ you hear so much about. I never have any trouble with the Delawares or the New Hampshires (if they really are NH). I thought NH grown red feathers? I have yet to see any red or reddish brown feathers in any chick here.
MollyD
sorry, didn't i tell you to get Buckeyes? ^_^ they are little angels, you know ♥
tf LOL I'd probably get evil Buckeyes!!
MollyD
or all roos!
Could be!
Molly, I had Buffs, and the rooster was the most aggressive bird I had. He wasn't the top bird, my RIR was. Tawny used to attack me. I had to carry a stick with me when I went to get eggs from the coop. I hit him in the head (accidently) once and blinded him in one eye and he STILL attacked me all the time. Well, one day my DH went up to the coop and Tawny decided to attack him!! He went into the pot the very next day. Tasted good, too. But I am telling you this because there are some Buffs that are very aggressive and some apparently not.
Plus, we have someone here who had the same problem with her Buff roo. MCamden, but she in on her honeymoon, so when she comes back she will tell you the same thing.
GG
GG I'm thinking more and more that the Buffs may get replaced by some Welsummers when I can find both genders. This time I am going to order poulets and just a few roos. Won't order just one roo cause if anything happens to him I'm out of luck.
I'm really wondering about my New Hampshires. Shouldn't I be seeing some red or reddish brown feathers by now??? Haven't seen anything but the buff coloring and some that have cream colored wings and that mustache roo.
MollyD
Don't remember from my childhood about NHs. For some reason, I think they look similar to RIRs. But, I could be wrong.
GG
MollyD: Looking at the Ideal Catalogue--the chicks do look very yellow, while the RIR are definitely darker, reddish brown. NH were developed from RIR, but I don't think they are as dark red as adults. So maybe you are okay.
My 2 Welsummer pullets from Meyer turned into a pullet and a roo--but TF has claimed the roo as soon as we can figure out how to send it. He is a very quiet bird--just goes off by himself. But I can't stress enough how HUGE he is. He was a big chick and he is an enormous 11 week old. The pullet is large too, but just a nice big girl. I think the Meyers Welsummers are pretty nice. Have you checked them? They do that special (pricey) small order of 6 or more with no extra roos.
Here is Peccorino (Pecky) the Welsummer roo next to a RIR pullet (?). The Welly pullet, Fontina, is in the foreground with a Delaware tail cutting into her.
My chicks are feathering out so what I was wondering about was the adult coloring. Shouldn't they be getting some red or reddish adult feathers? All the chicks were shades of yellow. The Buffs had those deeper tones areas and the Delawares were a pale creamy yellow. The NH chicks were plain yellow. It's what's coming in now that doesn't look right for the NH. I'm assuming that the ones with the bands of creamy feathers on their wings are the Delawares.
I would get a good size order if I order the Welsummers. I don't want to pay extra to get a few since we can eat any extra chickens. That's one advantage to they're not being pets! LOL
MollyD
Oh you got the pastel mix! My Delaware had black barring on her primaries. Apparently the NH comes in a range of colors: "Plumage in both sexes is primarily a lustrous golden bay to chestnut with some black in the tail". My (extremely well-behaved) Buff Orpingtons went much darker with their juvenile molt at 4 months. From sort of beigie to rich Palomino Gold. Maybe there is darker plumage lurking in your NH's genes?
I would think Welsummers should be "good eats". They are suppose to be one of the top ranking foragers so feeding shouldn't be too expensive
Sounds like I'll be looking for a new hatchery next time. Between the odd chick with a mustache (Ideal has not answered my inquiry) and now these pale New Hampshires which don't match the picture on Ideal's web page I'm not a happy camper. I'm still waiting to see if my White Chinese geese turn white. I definitely have a pair. Hanzel is much more aggressive than Gretel and he's very protective of her.
MollyD
maybe you just need an incubator and a source for eggs from dual purpose hens with health certificates. HINT HINT...
AAAAAGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! LOL I've got enough to do right now!!! Turning eggs twice a day means even more time spent running back into the house. Can't get my work done that way!!
MollyD
five times a day for best results. or buy a turner. seems hens turn them lots more than that...
maybe next year?
tf
Maybe next year! Right now I've got my hands full. The girls are just settling down and not expecting me to stay with them 24/7 but we've got a wether arriving either this week or next. I expect things will get a bit upset again for a week or so before we settle down till fall and Millie's babies. I took pictures today but as usual I have to wait for Paul and he's working very late today (11:30) so I can't post till tomorrow sometime.
I also took pictures of the chicks. I think I caught a couple fighting.
MollyD