New to the Chicken Universe

New to PTO? Want to stop in and say hi and introduce yourself? Here's the place to do it!
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ponypoor
Newly Hatched Chick
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Aug 07, 2021 8:42 am
x 6

New to the Chicken Universe

Post by ponypoor » Sat Aug 07, 2021 8:52 am

Having a blast with my newest additions to the barn: 3 Silkies around 16 weeks or age - so far one is a hen having just laid her first egg (is that early for a Silkie?), have no idea on the other two, but hoping they are hens also.

Also have 7 very generic chickens a family member hatched out for a school class that ended up here. So far 2 of them are roosters, they started crowing at about 6 weeks - not sure if that is early or not but I did have 2 Silkie roosters that didn't start crowing until they were 16 weeks.... which is why I had hopes they were Hens. I optimistically named one Roxanne, then she/he started crowing.....

The young chicks are way different from the Silkies, they are aggressive, cunning, they are escape artists and drive us nuts trying to contain them. On the other hand my 3 Silkies are quiet, know their names, sit quietly in my office in the barn communing with me.
6

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WLLady
Stringy Old Soup Pot Hen of a Moderator
Posts: 5613
Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2015 9:55 pm
Answers: 5
Location: Rural near West Lorne and Glencoe
x 8527

Re: New to the Chicken Universe

Post by WLLady » Sun Aug 08, 2021 3:00 pm

Welcome to PTO!
Hope you enjoy the forum! yes, some cockerels will start showing the crowing ability stupid early. I once had a turkey poult that was strutting at 3 weeks old. boys! lol. I have some boys that have started trying to crow (sounding more like strangled yodelling) at about 5 weeks which was a combination of disappointing and hilarious at the same time. 20 weeks is "normal" for new eggs from pullets, but range from about 13 weeks (leghorns are early) to sometimes never (like my favorite welbar....sigh....she's going on 2 years old and i don't think she's ever laid anything, but she's super pretty....and eats bugs).

Well, welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy it here!
2
:giraffe: Pet quality wheaten/blue wheaten ameraucanas, welsummers, barred rocks, light brown leghorns; Projects on the go: rhodebars, welbars

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Killerbunny
Poultry Guru - total zen level
Posts: 7869
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 12:04 pm
Answers: 4
Location: Brockville
x 10156

Re: New to the Chicken Universe

Post by Killerbunny » Mon Aug 09, 2021 6:35 am

Hello and welcome. Hope you like the forum and ask questions if you need to. We don't judge here.
2
:iheartpto:
Beltsville Small White turkeys.
Mutt chickens for eggs
RIP Stephen the BSW Tom and my coffee companion.
RIP Lucky the Very Brave Splash Wyandotte rooster.
RIP little Muppet the rescue cat.
:turkey:

:bat:

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baronrenfrew
Stringy Old Chicken
Posts: 2353
Joined: Fri Dec 18, 2015 11:07 pm
Location: renfrew, on
x 3506

Re: New to the Chicken Universe

Post by baronrenfrew » Tue Aug 10, 2021 12:26 pm

Well good day and welcome eh! WLLady - $10 says that your hen is not fully a hen. "indeterminate sex" does occur in nature.
1
Diligently follow the path of two swords as one. Percieve that which the eye cannot see. Seek the truth in all things. Do not engage in useless activity.

The Book of Five Rings, Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's greatest swordsmen

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baronrenfrew
Stringy Old Chicken
Posts: 2353
Joined: Fri Dec 18, 2015 11:07 pm
Location: renfrew, on
x 3506

Re: New to the Chicken Universe

Post by baronrenfrew » Tue Aug 10, 2021 12:32 pm

oh yes ponypoor - behaviour can be very different between chicken breeds - here is a good breed reference http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html :farmer:
0
Diligently follow the path of two swords as one. Percieve that which the eye cannot see. Seek the truth in all things. Do not engage in useless activity.

The Book of Five Rings, Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's greatest swordsmen

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