Wyandottes

[Derculees]

Hi Chrismahon, in re: 'worried' you mentioned Wyandottes, which caught my eye, having bought a
barred wyandotte 15 week old chick on Saturday from a lady in Leeds who is moving.
I'm used to marans and don't know wyandottes, I have a couple of speckledies at the moment and
they were my little princesses, until Sat night when I tried to introduce the b/w. to the coop
they turned into 'hells angels' and were knocking 7 bells out of her, poor little chick, I had to put
her in the greenhouse today. She's taken to me as her protector, even mother, I'm a feller by the way
never thought I'd see the day. She's roosting under my arm now, as I write this, one handed. The point being, are Wyandottes prone to being bullied ? :? Can't find much info on barred, looks the same as
the specs
regards

 

[chrismahon]

Hi Derculees. It's normally the other way round -Wyandottes can be little monsters. The chick was far too small to be put in with the others and now her confidence will be in tatters. She needs to be at least 26 weeks old so she can stand up for herself better, but it will still be 2 against 1. Its going to take a lot of time and patience now to get her integrated but I would bet ultimatelty she will be top hen.

 

[Derculees]

Hi Derculees. It's normally the other way round -Wyandottes can be little monsters. The chick was far too small to be put in with the others and now her confidence will be in tatters. She needs to be at least 26 weeks old so she can stand up for herself better, but it will still be 2 against 1. Its going to take a lot of time and patience now to get her integrated but I would bet ultimatelty she will be top hen.
Thanks for your reply Chris, I only bought her out of sympathy as the lady couldn't keep hens where
she was going. I really wanted 2 pol cuckoo marrans, to replace the 2 cockerels I bought as pol hens,
and gave them away, as the local supplier and his belligerant wife ignored my repeated phone calls.
I can't really 'quarantine' her within the coop and run - (Cocoon 8' x 4') like you said, I'm going to have to
think this out, time, patience and affection for her, are on my side now I've retired. Housing and
walking her round the garden will be a pleasure, before I let the 'specks' out, until she grows big enough
to stand her ground. I'll have to build her confidence to 'little monster' level, Will keep you posted.
regards, Derc

 

[chrismahon]

Hi Derc, It's good that you are prepared to spend the time and I look forward to hearing about her, the trainee 'little monster'. Ours lay well. Had about 250 from each last year (their first full year) medium size 58 grammes average. Our very docile Orpingtons used to rule the roost generally but the young Wyandottes seem to have taken over.

 

[Sue]

Hello Derc, welcome to the forum. Would it be possible to get another the same age as your Wyandotte? They could live together until they're older and they you would have two to introduce to the others. This is always better than trying to introduce just one newcomer. They would be able to stick together and she would then have her own 'friend' if the others were bothering her.

 

[Derculees]

Hi Sue, thank you for your welcome and your neat idea, although it means drifting away from my
original plan of getting 2 marans 05 I'm going to see the lady tomorrow and get 'no name' as yet
a pal, she deserves it, she flies onto my shoulder and snuggles into my quilted jacket, I will take her with me so they can travel back together, like a couple of grand daughters. I wrote a longer letter earlier, but it said I had to log in to reply, I was logged in, must have taken too long to compose it ?
Thanks also for your reply Chris, hope to report good news in the near future.
regards D

 

[Derculees]

Hi Sue / Chris and forum readers,
I took your suggestion and bought a same age, Gold Laced Orpington, so I've a lot of reading up
to do. I also bought a new sturdy rabbit hutch on legs that I'm converting to house the chicks until
they get pullet wise. I'll have to change the flat sloping felt covered roof to a weather boarded apex roof.
I could then use this as a future quarantine/jail for new or naughty chooks.
They've got on fine together today and are both sleeping in the greenhouse.
D

 

[Sue]

Well done Derc, sounds as though she is happy with her new friend - a gold laced orpington, wow! How lovely. I hope everything goes well for you.

 

[chrismahon]

You've obviously got your 'finger on the pulse'. Good solution to your problem and a great choice of bird. I really like gold laced Wyandottes -very pretty -so will look out for a GL Orp. Should be some examples at the forthcoming shows.

 

[Marigold]

having bought a
barred wyandotte 15 week old chick on Saturday

I'm a bit puzzled at the age of your 'chick' - was 15 weeks a slip of the finger for 5 weeks?
By 15 weeks she'd be nearly out of the grower stage and rather big to share a rabbit hutch with another one!

 

[Derculees]

having bought a
barred wyandotte 15 week old chick on Saturday

I'm a bit puzzled at the age of your 'chick' - was 15 weeks a slip of the finger for 5 weeks?
By 15 weeks she'd be nearly out of the grower stage and rather big to share a rabbit hutch with another one!

You have a point Marigold, the lady I got them from was a bit vague, saying 14 to 16 weeks old, thats why
I settled for 15, not knowing any different. Having said that, they're still cheeping like 'wee uns'
I instinctively bought some growers pellets today as I thought I may be rushing them on layers.
I must get some pics together - along with the 'hut(ch), there's head room enough for them to perch
at the moment, even with a flat roof, which I'm going to change as mentioned previously.
Perhaps you may be able tell me their age from the pics. Aren't forums brilliant. 17 regards D

 

[Derculees]

I'm a bit puzzled at the age of your 'chick' - was 15 weeks a slip of the finger for 5 weeks?
By 15 weeks she'd be nearly out of the grower stage and rather big to share a rabbit hutch with another one!

I've (hopefully) encl some pics of the now 16 week old cheepers to see if you agree with their age,
if it's poss to tell from the pics. As a guide to size, the perch is 8" up from the floor and from the top
of the perch to the 'ceiling' is 16" They are still growing their tail feathers, I believe and look a bit
scraggy at their back ends. I've all so sent a pic of my double headed marans, on sentry duty for the
single headed, double bodied speckledy. I use this as my 'avatar' on another site. The marans had to go when they started crowing - in stereo!
shame, I could have asked Chris where his neighbours son had his to her gender change done.
I've read your posts several times Chris re: 'noise' and deeply sympathise with your predicament.
I'm not making light of it. Hope all goes well for you.

 

[cuwiar]

Hello Derculees...don't think the pic attachment has worked?? Only commenting cos I'm looking forward to seeing them! :mrgreen:

 

[Derculees]

Hello Derculees...don't think the pic attachment has worked?? Only commenting cos I'm looking forward to seeing them! :mrgreen:

Thanks Cuwiar and nice of you to comment. Don't know what I'm doing wrong ? 05

have just seen the pixel count max - 850 wide and 600 high = 510,000 pixels

mine were 493 " and 706 " = 348,058 pixels

ah well, I'll try and reduce height

 

[chrismahon]

Hi Derculees. Nice picture and very tidy garden. Bet they can re-arrange it for you.

Don't think he has had the op yet. Has to convice the NHS that he can cope with life as a girl and not want to change back later. If successful, then the tax payer foots the £15,000 operation bill !!!!

 

[cuwiar]

They're lovely! And the double headed one is a rarity!! :lol:

We wanted a speckledy but settled on our slightly neurotic Barred Rock, lovely looking though!

 

[Marigold]

They're lovely! And the double headed one is a rarity!! :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

-what Dr. Doolittle would have called a Pushmepullyou!

 

[Derculees]

having bought a
barred wyandotte 15 week old chick on Saturday

I'm a bit puzzled at the age of your 'chick' - was 15 weeks a slip of the finger for 5 weeks?
By 15 weeks she'd be nearly out of the grower stage and rather big to share a rabbit hutch with another one!

Trying again to send pics

 

[chrismahon]

Soo sweet. But only look about 10 weeks old.

 

[Derculees]

Hi Derculees. Nice picture and very tidy garden. Bet they can re-arrange it for you.

Don't think he has had the op yet. Has to convice the NHS that he can cope with life as a girl and not want to change back later. If successful, then the tax payer foots the £15,000 operation bill !!!!

It must be the father who gets up at that time in a morning, as the She/heila son would need
every bit of beauty sleep he can get, ooooh! wicked. You could say £15,000 is more than a 'snip' !!

Perhaps the father is secretly working on this noise strategy to not only get at you but after
5 years of peace without his son wants, him out of the nest.

As for the front garden, luckily, well established heathers can survive the chicken gardeners, as they
are not very edible, I've just to shovel back the peat from the lawn to the beds. They walk themselves
from the back, (having wrecked the OH's annual bedding plants), to the front garden and return, they don't
need me as a guide anymore.