Compare the two Rhode Island Reds
The chooks are 3 months old now. This week they started saying brock brock instead of cheep cheep, and they have developing crops and increasing appetites. In addition to the grower pellets they are mowing through my kitchen scraps and processing garden waste like a dream. I’m in love!
Why don’t more people have backyard chickens?
Now the concerning part. Of my five chooks I have two Rhode Island Reds. Hatched on the same day, I was expecting them to look fairly similar. Unfortunately one is bigger, and has a *significantly* bigger crop. I’m concerned, and my dad (who works in the egg industry) is too.
My potential rooster
I think my she is a he.
There are more problems with this that I can count, but to start with – roosters are against my council regulations. If this clucker turns out to be a rooster, it simply can’t stay. Luckily the farm I bought the chooks from offer a sexing guarantee, so they should *ahem* replace my rooster with a hen of the same age.
I hate to think of the fate that befalls my poor little guy.
Here’s hoping that my big girl is just a little ‘well developed’ for her age…
If it turns out well, then she may need to be renamed Bertha.
500m2 in Sydney 
Oh dear L, perhaps she’s just big boned? I’m hoping so anyway.
I’m not making the call just yet, but I haven’t heard from anyone who reckons she/he stands a chance 😦
They are very pretty and photogenic too – I have been planning a run, just have to persuade the partner that they are clearly essential – perhaps if I offer to cook the eggs with bacon he’ll become keener…..That comb does look a bit too nice doesn’t it…..
Oh you have to be more persuasive! P took a lot of convincing, but even he thinks they’re wonderful now.
If it were my chook, I’d be renaming that one “Stew” :-). It’s good of the supplier to swap him for you.
Hehe Darren 🙂 They do offer a guarantee, so I sure do hope they swap him for me! I won’t count my chickens yet though, hey?
Well, J might get her wish yet to ‘eat’ her chickens.
No – I’m determined to get my laying hen in exchange! Free range (even organic) meat chickens are cheap compared to the price of a point-of-lay pullet.
Since P killed the fish over the weekend I think she’s a bit less bloodthirsty 😉
Actually, scratch that – I just asked her. She’d prefer to kill the rooster. What have I created?