I’m getting a bit worried that one of my girls may not be a girl. Can you believe that in 5 weeks, we’ve gone from this:
To this:
See that lightest gray one? It just might be a rooster. Since Day 1, that one has been a loner. Always off from the rest of them. I felt sorry for it and thought the other chicks were not very friendly with it. All the chicks would eat out of our hand, except the little gray one. I’ve noticed lately that the little gray one is the one doing all the pecking and chasing. Sunday when we were moving them outside so we could clean out the box (thank goodness!), Vince happened to pick up the gray one and it attacked! Mean little rascal! The four Ameraucanas are much bigger birds than the Gold Stars anyway. The Gold Stars are real sweet and they love to come over to be petted. The other three Ameraucanas are a bit friendly but not as much as the Gold Stars but dang, that little gray one . . I don’t know about that one.
They had so much fun outside for about an hour. Then we hauled them all back inside (GRRRR!). I do think this week, come hell or high water, we’re going to get them outside permanently. I might have said that about 2 weeks ago though!
pdudgeon says
it’s good to see them outside and doing their chicken things.
i’ll bet they loved that break as much as you did~~
Pat says
Here’s hoping they make a permanent move outside this week. I’m sure nobody will be happier about that than YOU. I don’t know how you have been standing it as long as you have!!!
CJ says
Wow, they have really grown! This may just be an old wives tale, or there might be some truth to it, I don’t know. But I’ve heard that when you’re buying chicks from a straight run (versus pullets, like you did) to put your hand in and the chicks that run up to it? Don’t pick those, the naturally more aggressive ones are more likely to be roosters.
Take it with a grain of salt 🙂
I so hope you get your coop this weekend, if not at least a chicken tractor! It’s warm enough outside now for them to be in a tractor with their light, and Vince could whip that up in a couple of hours.
Mrs. Goodneedle says
Good luck with the relocation; how’s Speck dealing with this, by the way?
I can’t believe how fast they’ve grown!
Denise says
I wouldn’t worry about the rooster. My grandmother always kept 1 (and only 1) rooster with her free-range hens. She believed fertilized eggs were more nutritious. (I just realized she must have kept chickens for at least 75 years since she lived well into her 90s) Plus hens occasionally brood. Basically they get feverish and lethargic. She then would put it in its own little pen with lots of eggs in the nest (everybody’s eggs, not just her own) to hatch more chickens. So if you don’t have a rooster, what would you do with a brooding chicken? However I should warn that roosters are just plain mean so we always carried a stick in the hen yard.
Cindy says
It could just be a grouchy girl chicken. I mean, it’s been known to happen.
🙂
Bobbie says
I know!!!!! The mean chicken is a ALPHA chicken–the one who has to be the boss of all the others and they better mind her or else. My dog, Sis, is a Alpha dog and had I known it, she would have went to another home–shes mean to Sadie, my Corgi, so jealous of her–but shes learned by now that Sadie is the # 1 dog in this house-that just makes her only a little better. I love Sis to death and I think she would fight a bear if she thought it was going to hurt me–shes a Blue Heeler, and once I have a dog, they are here to stay, no matter what. Its probably good to have a Alpha chicken-she can keep the others lined out for you. Hugs, Bobbie
Linda says
Well, there’s always Sunday dinner……………….
Julie H. says
I looked closely at that light gray chick and I don’t think it’s a rooster. I’d be more afraid of that dark colored one behind it being one. I can’t see it’s head but it has more of a prominent tail and sure has a lot of color…..no matter what the breed. Usually by now you’d start seeing a big difference in the comb size and color. Expect your first egg late in July.
ruth anne shorter says
I am impressed by the speed of growth of chicks! But just think about those wonderful eggs as soon as July. Wow, that is going to be a good egg.