| Author |
Barnyard Buddies:  I Got Him!  |
|
|
kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 16 2010 : 6:30:38 PM
|
I finally caught the rooster I have been trying to catch forever! He's in the chicken house with the other little roo. I am so happy. And Jimmy Buffet knew it too. He usually goes to the garage where I feed him by himself so the other roo won't chase him. But right after I caught that roo Jimmy was right in the middle of all those hens eating too. He'll be such a happy roo now.
I had put an ad on Craig's list for all the game chickens an had an email from someone who wants them. She'll come Wed. to get them. I hope she does. If not someone else will get them. I'll put a sign out front. But they are going!
So does anyone know how to tell a hen from a roo when they are little? The 2 roos I caught screeched and made all kinds of racket when they were held upside down. Plus I knew they were roos. But the other 2 I caught that I thought were roos didn't make all the noise. They just hung without even moving. They are the same age as the young roo also. He's very colorful and has blue legs. The others have orange legs and are not as pretty as him. Just more orange but they have the long skinny shiny feathers. Does anyone know?
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
|
|
1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Aug 16 2010 : 6:43:58 PM
|
The only "true" way to sex them is a vent check, most of those other ways are old wives tales, urbane legends, etc...good luck
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
 |
|
|
kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Aug 16 2010 : 7:03:54 PM
|
You will think I am totally dumb, but what am I looking for when I check the vent? I did try to look at one of the others that I caught but I don't know what to look for. I have never had to look there so I just have no idea. I mean, I kind of know but will it be really obvious? I didn't see anything when I looked that would indicate a male part. Thanks.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
|
|
|
1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Aug 16 2010 : 8:02:58 PM
|
It looks like a fine corkscrew shaped , light weight fishing line, thats the best I can describe it,lol
P.S., it is inside the vent unless being used at the moment...
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
Edited by - 1badmamawolf on Aug 16 2010 8:04:19 PM |
|
|
|
kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Aug 17 2010 : 05:11:52 AM
|
Thanks. I will check the 2 in the cage right now and see what they are. I watched a video last night of the guy who does the show Dirty Jobs. He was in a chick factory sexing day old chicks. It was horrible and gross at the same time. They were so fast they were flipping chicks this way and that way I could hardly see them go. They would do over 20,000 chicks a day. Each person. They would squeeze the poop out then look then toss. But the chicks seemed fine.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
|
|
|
1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Aug 17 2010 : 08:24:59 AM
|
Kristen, I have seen that show, and the hatchery was McMurray...
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
|
|
|
Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Aug 17 2010 : 09:37:22 AM
|
Our "theory" to date so far is that young hen's tailfeather will often grow out sooner than rooster's will. The roo's tailfeather will be short and stubby for quite some time.
thus far it has proven correct the 3 times we have chosen older than day old chicks |
|
|
|
kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Aug 17 2010 : 2:18:17 PM
|
Anna, these chickens have brighter feathers and they are long and thinner than the older hens. These are the young chicks that are only about 4 months old now. The one chick I can really tell he's a roo. But these others are fooling me. And I need 4 hands to do the vent check. I did look at one and it looks like a female. I didn't see any bump. It just went in. I need someone to come look and see what they say.They are holding thier tail feathers up really high and stright unlike roos that kind of are curved. I will just have to keep them a little longer and observe them closer.
I caught 2 more in the milkroom awhile ago. So now I have 6 caught. I need to catch 1 more game chick then the older hens. There are 5 of them. Then I will have only my Buffs.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
|
|
|
southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2010 : 08:36:23 AM
|
Kris, If you ever master sexing those chickens, you will need to share. I can't tell either. It sure would be good to know.
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
|
|
|
kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2010 : 09:51:52 AM
|
I sure wish it were easier to tell them apart when they are younger. I can usually tell pretty much at about 4-6 months but these guys are fooling me. They were all born at the same time and the roo is definitely a roo. But at first I thought he was a hen. Til the tail feathers starting getting really colorful. So maybe the others are hens because they are still so plain. And now I have 3 more chicks almost 2 weeks old. 2 are pure Buff from Jimmy and the other must have been from the game roo. It has color on it's wings. And still yet another hen sitting on a nest somewhere with all game eggs. I saw her a few days ago and she didn't look like a mama hen yet. Those eggs should hatch any day now. Then here I go again!
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
|
|
|
minnie
Farmgirl in Training
28 Posts
minnie
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 1:51:38 PM
|
| I got such a good old fashioned laugh reading some of the ways to tell boys from girls, such silly gooses. The only way to tell, is how 1badmamawolf , such names you call yourselves, explained it. |
|
|
|
kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 3:30:54 PM
|
I really think all the others are hens because I could tell right away what the one was. He just looks all rooster. I have some guys coming tomorrow to get the roos and maybe they can tell me if the others are roos or hens. I hope they will buy them all.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
|
|
|
minnie
Farmgirl in Training
28 Posts
minnie
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 3:42:29 PM
|
| You were saying that they are game chickens, I hope the people who are coming for them are not going to be using them for that horrible practice of fighting them. Please make sure thats not whats gonna happen to them. |
|
|
|
Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 7:46:29 PM
|
Hi Minnie:
I agree with you when it comes to the "fighting" part. Even, here in Louisiana, that practice is still done. Just a horrible thing! You are right about 1badmamawolf, when I need advice she is the first one I ask. I would love to have chickens, but first, I'd have to have a crash course from her.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
|
|
| |
Barnyard Buddies: I Got Him! |
|
I Got Him!
