Help with mine too please?

[trish4prez]

I bought these one evening last week and was assured all are Barred Rock pullets about 20 weeks old. He even put one back because it was a cockeral. Due to work schedule, I didn't really see them in daylight or for very long until yesterday. The tail feathers seem to have been pulled out or trimmed. They are lighter than any of my other hens (one of my older hens is in one of the pics), and about the same color as my roo. Please tell me I've just forgotten that hens are light?? What do you think, please?

Thanks for your input!

[jungle]

What do you know about this person? Have you ever purchased from him before? Do you know anyone else that has purchased from him? The main reason I ask is that, based on the little information provided, it would seem you bought birds from someone you do not know, in the dark where you could not see them very well, have not been around to watch for any signs of illness or excessive fighting, yet put them with the rest of your birds. I am not trying to scold but honestly, worrying about the sex of the birds is really the least of your concerns. Whatever caused the tails to go missing likely does not have a good reason and should have been the first red flag. Apparently healthy birds can carry a wide range of health issues that can sweep through your flock once mixed with them. It is hard to tell from the photos as they seem to have a fog over them but, to me, they look younger than 20 weeks. They also very well could be young cockerels but not having any idea of the lineage and true age it is hard to say. I wish you luck with them and hope you do not have any health problems down the road.

[trish4prez]

Thanks for your concern, but no, they aren't with my other birds yet. I have them penned seperately from my small laying flock, but with my two 'retired' hens.

I do not know the person I bought from, but was referred to him by a friend who bought from him a couple years ago. He said he received the chicks (vaccinated for Mareks) in mid-May from McMurrays, and fed chick starter until a couple weeks ago when he switched over to layer crumbles. The birds are very friendly, eat well, and get along well with the two older hens. I'll call today and inquire about the tail feathers though.

Thanks for the response.

[Evy]

Originally Posted by trish4prez

Thanks for your concern, but no, they aren't with my other birds yet. I have them penned seperately from my small laying flock, but with my two 'retired' hens.

I do not know the person I bought from, but was referred to him by a friend who bought from him a couple years ago. He said he received the chicks (vaccinated for Mareks) in mid-May from McMurrays, and fed chick starter until a couple weeks ago when he switched over to layer crumbles. The birds are very friendly, eat well, and get along well with the two older hens. I'll call today and inquire about the tail feathers though.

Thanks for the response.

Putting young birds in with old hens could be a major part of your problem. They can be more territorial than a cock & the missing tails may be a sign of that.

[Dondoyle26]

If you purchased the birds and they were in a small cage or coop with many chickens for an extended period of time that could be the cause of the missing tail feathers you can see on a few of the pics they were clearly ridden by a rooster. I don't think its anything to be overly concerned about. Give them some time they will come back.

[jungle]

Perhaps being kept in a cage that confines movement to the point that all of the bird's tails feathers are rubbed off may be considered of no concern to some, however, IMO it is horrible poultry management and I can only suspect that other husbandry problems would likely exist as well. A tail does not rub off in a matter of a couple days. Those birds would have to have been kept under those conditions for a long time. After looking at the photos more closely I think I can see saddle feathers on some of the young birds. Have you had a chance to look for those yet? I am thinking that the rough state of their backs is not from a rooster treading them but rather from picking beahavior among an overcrowded flock. That too would fall in line with the rubbed-off/picked-out tails. I'm sorry but I think this guy saw you coming and was able to dump a lot of extra cockerels.

Richard

[Dondoyle26]

just out of curiosity how much did you pay for these ?

[trish4prez]

To answer some of the questions/concerns...
When I arrived to pick up the birds they were in a 12 x 12 ft area in a dirt-floored barn with probably 20 other barred rocks approximately the same age. He had different breeds in different areas of the barn. I didn't see any outside runs, but the sun was already down, so visibility wasn't great. I paid the going rate of $10 each (for pullets). I've seen them for as much as $20 in this area once they start laying. I transported them home in a crate, but other than choosing to sleep in the crate for the first few days, they were out in the building and run during the day.

I'll just wait and see if they start crowing to determine what sex they are. Thanks for the comments.