Sex Type Thing

My good neighbor can sex chicks! I am in a freakishly good mood over that one. (and yes, the title is a STP reference)

Yesterday the good neighbor brought over some of his bannies, some more of the blacks and a Speckled (black and white checkered board looking) I confronted him on the reasoning he uses to give us certain birds "their color isn't right". Ok It wasn't really confronting in those accusation type terms, it was more of "are you breeding them for show, because you have said over and over, these don't have the right coloring. You keep giving us the bad color" and then a giggle. (Hey I giggle) From there the subject went to roosters.

I have heard of this, but have never meant anyone that admitted to it, but the good neighbor gets um...rid of the males very early. My rooster prejudice must have grown as of late, because the first thing out of my mouth was. "You can sex them!?!" OH Happy happy joy joy! I explained that we have tried and failed multiple times at this sexing thing. We have followed the instruction on various ways of sexing, yet don't seem able to do it. I asked if he would show me how. The reply I got was, it takes an eye.

Then I asked if I could have his unwanted roosters so that we could caponize them. He asked why we do that. Well we don't yet, because of the sexing issue, but we will because they get fatter quicker and butcher younger. MEAT! He agreed to bring the unwanted over.

And before you ask, no I am not worried about the thieves stealing the bannies. They don't seem interested in them, only my nice fat standard meat birds. I only have two of those left and have kept them out of the locked pen because they seem to be able to escape up into the barn rafters, keeping out of the hands of thine enemy. The good Neighbor thinks that someone is stealing his hay. People across from me called last week, their ducks went missing. I need to ask another neighbor if he feels anything is missing. We will catch whoever is doing this.

They are calling for 1-3 inches of snow this weekend, blowing snow. So I might just stop by to say hi, around here. I don't think I feel up to marching around in the blowing snow, maybe it's just me.