Its now been two weeks since we bought our chickens home. It’s amazing how much they have changed and grown in two weeks. They have discovered every part of their enclosure, where as on the first day, when they were up one end they seem to forget the other end existed. They love to shelter or hide under the big shrub, they like to try to perch in the apple tree even though there is not room and also like to perch three in a row on the branch we put in. They have found spots to dust bath and the best places to scratch and forage and now enjoy pecking all the green plants and herbs we put in for them. They look very happy in their new home and keep us constantly amused and entertained.
This is the favourite spot to scratch for bugs
Dotty on the right has now filled out her back feathers
Dominiques have what’s called a pea comb, which is like a row of pink/red peas ending with a small backward spike. Pepper and Poppy are just starting to get the first pea of their comb where as baby Dotty has no sign at all yet. Pepper is also starting to change her sound from baby cheeping to a more grown up boc boc.
Pepper on the left has the first pea of her comb forming
I have e-mailed the farm where we got the chickens from and expressed my concerns that poppy may turn out to be a roo. I gave them the link to this blog, so that they could look at the photos. They say it is tricky, but that I could be right and to give it another few weeks to see for sure. I have said that I am in no hurry to part with poppy and would keep her until adult, but need to have a plan for the future.
It would be heart breaking to part with her but as I have neighbours very close either side of us, I know I can’t keep a roo. If she is a roo we hope to take her back and if they have more Dominique chicks, take one or two more. I keep hoping she turns out to be a hen after all, but in my heart I feel more certain each day that she is a roo.
We three feed together
Poppy on the right has a roo like tail
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Oh, gosh that tail does just get longer and longer. Doesn’t it? I TOTALLY feel your pain. I think someone first told me I had a roo at 4 weeks and I pushed it till 4 months before I finally accepted that fact.
I pray for the day when there is a magic worm you can feed your roo that prevents crowing. Now wouldn’t that be something?
They are three months now (Dotty only two and a half months). Dominiques have round, blunt tails, that’s the worry. I keep hoping Poppy is different and is just a hen with a long tail, but I know I am kidding myself. She behaves differently too. Poppy is such a beautiful bird. I will keep Poppy as long as I can and will have to be totally sure, but every time I look at her, I am more convinced.