It's not so much that I want advice...I want information

I bought two hens from a member and she threw in the rooster for free...actually I wanted a Cuckoo Marans Rooster and she said that I had to buy the hens ($25) each. I keep looking at the hens and wondering...is this normal? What is wrong with these hens? Hoping to post a picture of both and one of one of my original hens (Mattie, who survived the coyote attack)[img][/img]





Mattie:

I think that I should have asked for some pictures first. I saw them on a Sunday night in a rain storm and didn't have the heart to say no thanks. Any thoughts?

I`m no expert, but they look ok to me. The 2 center pics are lighter.... more like my roosters. my hens are very dark.

I am concerned about the first one. It doesn't seem to have a head.

Schipperkesue wrote:I am concerned about the first one. It doesn't seem to have a head.

I wondered about that, but thought maybe, if no head, no eat???? still lay eggs??? good chicken !!!

Mike the headless chicken lived for 18 months after losing half his head. Maybe the Marans hen will be famous too...

I don't think this is the information cuckoomama wanted, but I have to say, it immediately caught my attention too....

NO HEAD!

If you are referring to the condition of the feathers on the back they are being ridden hard and put away wet by a Rooster, hence the feather condition. Also one has no headfrom the looks of the picture.

Heather

...sure looks like she has no head. Every time I went to take a picture she turned around. What I was looking for was the way her back feathers are so prominent. Mattie (the bottom picture) is one of my original girls. She is a favourite of the rooster but doesn't look like the other two, and neither do the other three cuckoo hens. If this is alright then I can use them for breeding purposes, as they lay quite dark eggs.

Sorry for having a bit of fun at the expense of your hen in that first picture..
If you are concerned about the missing feathers on her back, Viczoe had the best response. The feathers no longer lie flat along the back because of those feathers that get torn out from males treading the hens.

I have 2 roosters in with about 35 girls and have found this only happens to a couple girls that end up the favorite of the rooster. On the other hand, I can put 4 or 5 girls in with Baykon, my project roo, and he'll tear the saddle feathers off them within the week. So, whomever comes out of his breeding pen, looks that way.

I was a bit cheeky wasn't I, bad me but that is what we call it around here. I never have this issue as my boys visit the girls on a every third day basis only during the breeding/hatching season With the exception of my Large Fowl who are with their girls all the time but are very easy on them.

Heather

The occasional visit is a good idea - less feather loss!