I think they are older (than I was told), some are debeaked (all of the GLWs & 1 of the Black unknown's) and some were very underweight. I started out getting 2 eggs a day and now I am averaging about 5 eggs per day from the group. They are filling out and their combs continue to get more color in them each day. I think with a few more weeks of good, consistent feed and more daylight, I will give me some idea of what I ended up with. Does anyone have any suggestions for getting them back up to snuff? I would love any advice or input.
For the next couple of days I'm going to play "Name that Chicken" with you to see if we can figure out what my "unknowns" might be.
Here's the breakdown as I know it:
11 Ameraucanas
3 Gold laced Wyandottes
2 Silver laced Wyandottes
2 Solid Black Unknowns
2 Other Assorted Unknowns
....and this little red hen. She is tiny but her eggs are huge!
Does anyone have a guess as to what she is???
(My guess would be a Red Sexlink.)
I did get some of the prettiest Ameraucana's though.
Check out my pretties...
Depending upon how your others animals take advantage of her, she could be The Little Red Hen! '-)
ReplyDeleteBlessings from Ohio...Kim W<><
Sandy, they are very nice looking hens. I will take a guess, and this is only a guess because I know next to nothing about chicken breeds but maybe a cross between a Rhode Island Red and a Buff Orphington :) I would just keep doing what you are doing and give them lots of good food to eat. (I have really enjoyed your blog and mentioned it in a post I made yesterday)
ReplyDeleteJust love your "girls" they are all so attractive. My smallest "girl" Henny Penny is a Buff Orphington and provides me with the largest eggs.(She lets me know it too!) I enjoy reading about your farm life and all your wonderful "cast members"!
ReplyDeleteThey are the prettiest girls! I can't wait to get a few of them.
ReplyDeleteGreat looking birds!
ReplyDeleteMy guess was a cross with either a RIR or a Red-Sexlink as well.
i have absolutely no idea, but your new girls are gorgeous. you all are making me crave chickens now.
ReplyDeleteyou are lucky! my husband won't let me have chickens...thank you for sharing such beautiful pics of your babies!
ReplyDeleteI'd guess that red hen is a Sex Link as you said. I've got several of them and they are little narrow birds but do give nice big eggs!
ReplyDeleteWell, congratulations Chicken Momma. When the weather improves you are going to have more eggs than you know what to do with. Better put a "eggs for sale" sign up soon.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a hen like the little red one so I don't know what she is. Sorry. She's very pretty. C.
Your red girl looks like my RIR. It's sad that they were debeaked. Do they have any challenges eating because of it?
ReplyDeleteI would feed them lots of table scraps if they can eat it. I feed mine hamburger and turkey meat for the extra protein, as well as yogurt for the calcium and to help build their immunity. A daily beakfast of warm oatmeal or grits will go along way with bringing their weight and health up, too.
I'm thrilled that you've got this new flock and I know you'll give them a good life.
Enjoy those fresh eggs!
~Lisa
Thanks for all the comments! It doesn't really matter to me what they are but it is fun to guess.
ReplyDeleteLisa - I have read that they need a deep dish style of feeder and they do much better with crumbles versus pellets. Right now I am feeding the flock crumbles in two large roaster pans. I also throw out scratch each morning and evening and provide treats daily. The debeaked girls stay pretty much attached to the roaster pans though.
I watched one of the girls scratching around until she found a worm but she had the hardest time picking it up. She would pick it up and it would fall, plus she was so nervous that someone was going to come take her prize. She finally she managed to eat it but it really made me feel sorry for her.
I know I'm late on this, but I'm guessing a good old-fashioned Isa Brown. Sure looks that way to me. Very common among the Amish. We have several.
ReplyDeleteHave fun and I'm sure they will get plump as they go along. ;)