The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Dizzycow on July 19, 2011, 10:43:30 am
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A couple of questions about my Cream Legbars.
Firstly, one of the little girls has no tail. Has anyone come across a chicken without a tail before? I'll post a piccy later.
Secondly, I have two different age groups, the older ones roost in the rafters of a shed, the little ones seem keen to do the same. Are they known for not wanting to sleep in a hen house?
Thirdly, when do they lay? I've mentioned this before, but my older batch are around 29 weeks and I don't know if they're laying or not!
Advice welcome.
Ta!
:wave:
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Re: not knowing if they are laying, pick one up, turn her on her back, and see how many fingers' widths you can fit between her 'pin bones' - you'll feel the pointy bones sticking out either side of where the egg comes out. If you can get three fingers' widths, she's laying. Otherwise there's not enough room for an egg to pass, so she's not laying yet!
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I bought some 14 week olds in, must be around 22 weeks now. Only one of those is sporting a tail - oh, and the cockerel of course. Others do not appear to have tails. Have also got some I hatched, but cannot tell re the tails yet.
My older ones go back to their shed at night, but can be a bit flighty at times......seem to prefer sleeping on the floor at the moment.
Looking on the hopeful side, I would expect pullets to be laying at around 22 weeks plus, although realistically its usually a couple more weeks.
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Thanks for that! I can't catch them to check for the width, flighty indeed! Pesky birds!
:wave:
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I've had a chicken with no tail, its often caused by the tail feathers being continually pecked out when they are young. The tail feathers sort of give up growing. She lived till a ripe old age though :)
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http://www.araucana.org.uk/breed_standards.html (http://www.araucana.org.uk/breed_standards.html)
have a look at this some araucanas have no tail :wave: also blue egg layers :chook: :chook: :chook:
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Rumpless! That's what she is, poor thing.
I suppose it must be something genetic, her three siblings all have tails, she looks a bit odd. Like a quail.
Thanks!
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Hiya, Just to say that the wee Legbar fellow we got from you slept in the hen house of his own accord, right from day one. I think the allure of 15 bloke-less ladies inside was just too much temptation for him! ;D
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Excellent. His brother sleeps in the rafters! Mind you, we need to do a cull of the chaps......