Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: slowef on May 27, 2007, 21:29

Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: slowef on May 27, 2007, 21:29: 2 of my Light Sussex keep facing off to each other, raising their feather collars and sort of peck fight, is this a lady like behaviour.

I bought them as 3 POLs they don't make any sounds to suggest them being boys it is more like a cluck but still not fully developed sound wise. I think they are about 10-14weeks old but cannot be certain, they are very large and have long legs and are lean rather than comfortably soft and fluffy like a hen should be?

I do not want cock birds!!
thanks
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: Aunt Sally on May 27, 2007, 21:47: Oh dear :shock: Do you have a picture :!:
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: slowef on May 27, 2007, 22:00: I will take one weather permitting tomorrow. They have grown so fast and could eat for England, greedy birds. Think they will have to go as I don't like them really. :-(
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: richyrich7 on May 27, 2007, 22:44: Quote from: "Aunt Sally"
Oh dear :shock: Do you have a picture :!:

Ohh dear I think I get the picture :wink: hope your an early riser :lol:

seriously it does not sound like very lady like behaviour mine are a mob but not with each other.
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: slowef on May 28, 2007, 06:37: I thought I was ok as someone mentioned that a cock bird had a split comb and mine are not split.

They run like crazy women and cluck about maybe they are at that awkward adolesence stage when they look neither chick nor chook!!

They eat masses but don't gain weight just seem to get taller. They were bullied by my hen because she had chicks and wanted all the pickings for them so now they think its the thing to do, although the chick of Yummy (Gucci) has learnt from her mum that its ok to fight for what you want and has no qualms about fighting them which maybe makes them as they are.

Maybe they are just all crazy!!!
:oops:
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: Aunt Sally on May 28, 2007, 09:20: Quote from: "slowef"
someone mentioned that a cock bird had a split comb

What do you mean by a "split comb" :?:
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: babe on May 28, 2007, 09:36: hi slowef, was just wondering if Yummi is still sitting on any eggs and how she's getting on. k x
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: slowef on May 28, 2007, 10:38: Quote from: "Aunt Sally"
Quote from: "slowef"
someone mentioned that a cock bird had a split comb

What do you mean by a "split comb" :?:

If the comb looked like it was in 2 parts it was a boy and single comb a girl, don't know who posted this to me? I sat with them this morning forgot to take the camera up with me but when it stops raining will go and take photo's, one is def rosey and the other 2 make a wierd noise neither cluck nor doodle, confused so am I :-)

Yes Yummy still on the eggs but not so many as she started with. I am letting her keep up till the date is passed, next saturday is H day so will wait till then and hope.
thanks for asking
xx
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: Aunt Sally on May 28, 2007, 10:56: I still don't really understand what you mean by two parts :?

This is a light sussex hen

(http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/a/a5/300px-Light_sussex_hen.jpg)

and this is a light sussex cock

(http://www.norfolkrarebreedscentre.com/DSCF1204.JPG)

The comb is much larger and more developed in the cock but is only in one part :!:
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: GrannieAnnie on May 28, 2007, 12:04: I don't understand about a split comb either, never heard anyone else mention it, but my girls are all definitely girls. They still fight like cockerels and several of them sit on the backs of the others as if trying to 'mate'. Maybe they are some of the like we hear who can't make up their minds if they are hens or cockerels,

Perhaps they are both, like snails??
Title: light sussex
Post by: cornfed on May 28, 2007, 17:38: light sussex are generally really placid birds i have found, fully grown cockerels will live togethor in the same pen as i have a friend who has three males and half a dozen girlies all living happily.
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: slowef on May 28, 2007, 18:06: These are the Terrorists!! Not a very good one as they kept running away. Like I said most Sussex are nice mine are just mad.
(http://shutter01.pictures.aol.com/data/pictures/10/003/7F/F9/39/13/mMbRft5kznwXtDYHQOBNfvRBJsdvSoHS0300.jpg)
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: psipower on May 28, 2007, 18:54: Hi slowef. I started with some 4-5 week old chicks (hens) and during what you might call their 'adolescent/teenage' weeks they displayed this behaviour towards each other - before settling down to be 'proper' hens.
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: richyrich7 on May 28, 2007, 19:57: Beautiful looking birds Slowef, that's the breed I want to get next.Anybody know what colour eggs they lay?
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: Aunt Sally on May 28, 2007, 20:04: Cream to light brown Richy :D
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: richyrich7 on May 28, 2007, 20:18: Thank you Aunt Sally
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: Aunt Sally on May 28, 2007, 20:25: Handsome birds aren't they. They have a very good temperament and will lay through the winter. They are good as meat birds too ( although Aunty would never admit to telling you that ) :lol:
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: richyrich7 on May 28, 2007, 20:29: :lol: , nice to know they lay through the winter, I assume you mean without artificial lighting.
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: Aunt Sally on May 28, 2007, 20:30: Is far as I know Richy
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: richyrich7 on May 28, 2007, 20:34: Sold !! will have to wait until after the holidays though. :wink:
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: Aunt Sally on May 28, 2007, 20:34: Amazing what you can find when you take the trouble to look.

I've just fount this site:

http://www.poultrymad.co.uk/chickens/sussex.html

It's got some really good breed information. :D
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: richyrich7 on May 28, 2007, 20:47: Thank you again :lol: yes it's amazing what you can find on the net I call it the "fount of all human knowledge", bit pricey though aren't they or is that me being tight? Think a trip to Melton market is in order :wink:
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: Aunt Sally on May 28, 2007, 20:49: Dear old Aunty is so fabulously rich that she didn't look at the prices Richy :roll: :lol:
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: richyrich7 on May 28, 2007, 20:51: Quote from: "Aunt Sally"
Dear old Aunty is so fabulously rich that she didn't look at the prices Richy :roll: :lol:

:lol: :lol:
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: Aunt Sally on May 28, 2007, 20:55: 11-14 weeks - £16. Munty would buy a crate of 25 for that :lol:
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: richyrich7 on May 28, 2007, 20:59: Thats what I thought. Might make a incubator and buy a dozen eggs and see what I get,and sell the cocks at market.
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: slowef on May 28, 2007, 22:38: Thanks they are quite pretty looking. Buffy is my fave though she is such a talker and so dainty and ladylike I want a dozen more just like her, she may not lay at the moment (having a rest, although she does that crouching thing) but I love her to bits and cuddle her all the time.

Egg colour, hmm I long to find out too, maybe soon if they are indeed girls :-)
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: slowef on May 29, 2007, 09:23: Is this picture more help to you to judge what sex they are please
(http://shutter02.pictures.aol.com/data/pictures/10/005/75/EF/4F/DC/vigo0wQ9vt4vuKz5z9h2kqaTPh3CPQEw0300.jpg)
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: Aunt Sally on May 29, 2007, 09:31: Their tail feathers are beginning to look rather ... ...masculine :?
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: slowef on May 29, 2007, 09:34: Ohh dear, I see a few roast dinners in the offing :-(
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: Aunt Sally on May 29, 2007, 09:37: Are the spur buds on the inside of their legs beginning to develop ?
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: slowef on May 29, 2007, 12:08: Don't know will have a look but not too sure what I am looking for, will have a look in my book to see if I can find out before I go looking.
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: alan42 on May 29, 2007, 12:41: look at the feathers on there necks if the end of the feathers are pointed there cocks if there round there hens.
alan
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: slowef on May 29, 2007, 18:57: Oh dear definately pointy feathers, ooowerrr not Mrs looks like Mr's blast. I am annoyed though as they were sold as 3 POL's but no comeback as I got them at auction!!

One is certainly sounding female though :oops:
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: mercury on May 29, 2007, 21:14: One is certainly sounding female though :oops:[/quote]

Why, does she keep nagging the other two :lol: :lol: :wink:
Title: Do girls do this?
Post by: djt on June 03, 2007, 00:09: i have 8 hens,all were POl 3 months ago,and lately had a few standoffs as a result of one or two of them being broody.Nothing serious,just birds that normally got on ok(3 of my bantams are sisters)suddenly squaring up tp each other