Chicken Update - They Fight Like Boys

Closeup of a brahma mix hen in Costa Rica
Brownie in the nest box.
Blondie began laying eggs so I knew her days of being a mother were over. She was reunited with the adults. Brownie was the first to pick a fight with her, but Blondie quickly let her know she still has superiority in the pecking order. 

Two young brahma mix cockerels.
Brahma mix cockerels, the one on the right was in question.

Up until this week I was hopeful one of her young ones was a girl. One of our workers looked at them and told me they were both cockerels. I showed him how I thought one was a hen. I'd seen her make a hen vocalization. I thought the dark feathers on her neck were a hen pattern. However, some things seemed male to me like the comb and how they play fight like boys. The determining factor was me hearing the little rooster crow, it's a boy! Three hatched this year and all were roosters! Oh well, this forced me to increase my knowledge about chicken breeding and nutrition. I may try again at the end of this year.

Brahma hen in Puriscal, Costa Rica
Grey Neck

Meanwhile, the flock seems healthy. They are laying 3-4 eggs a day. Mini went broody, but I was able to persuade her out of that by locking her out of the coop (where the nest boxes are) two nights in a row. 

Outdoor sink for raising chickens.
Chicken sink station.

The old sink from the Alchemical Lounge was uncovered during the great clean-out last month. I found a home for it by the chicken palace. I am very happy to have a work station to clean out the chicken feeders and waterers. I had been using a faucet which worked, but was awkward. The new set up is a big improvement.