Can anyone help age these chicks?

[Pandalover82]

We "rescued" 8 chicks last week and were told they were 3 weeks old. The lady who had them couldn't manage them so we collected them and in to the brooder they went. They came with there mother who today had enough so there now under a heat lamp but don't seem to be under the light much. They seem large and well feathered for 3 weeks. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Hopefully you can get some photos posted of them as that would be needed to begin to help you with aging them.

 

[icemanabk]

If theyre within the first week, they need to keep around 90f. Though by time theyre three weeks old they can deal with 80s and a little lower. My setup i just keep moving the light further up as they got older and checked with a no contact surface temp gauge to see the temp. Though rule of thumb is if theyre all huddled directly under the light, theyre cold. If they avoid sitting under it, its too hot. You can get a no contact temperature gauge rather cheap from a hardware store.

 

[donrae]

If they're three weeks or older, and been raised by a broody hen, they're not going to be under that light hardly at all. Pretty much only at night, or for quick warm-ups during the day. They've spend the last 2 weeks mostly out from under momma, so they're well acclimated to ambient temperature.

Depending on your daytime temps, and how feathered they are, I'd only run that light at night for the next couple weeks, then wean them off.

 

[shortgrass]

If they're three weeks or older, and been raised by a broody hen, they're not going to be under that light hardly at all. Pretty much only at night, or for quick warm-ups during the day. They've spend the last 2 weeks mostly out from under momma, so they're well acclimated to ambient temperature.

Depending on your daytime temps, and how feathered they are, I'd only run that light at night for the next couple weeks, then wean them off.

X2

I have a 3 week old, raised by broody, almost fully feathered, and I don't have a light. He manages to puff up and find warm spots if he need to.

Little guy still snuggles with mom at night, but it is well into freezing here in CO, so if something were to happen to mom, I would probably plug in the lamp. But I only have the one, where you have enough that they can snuggle if they do get chilly, but as long as they're feathered and already acclimated from mom, they should be A-ok.

 

[Pandalover82]

Thanks for the replies. Hopefully the picture has uploaded

 

[aart]

3-4 weeks looks about right by the look of the feathers of the 2 cockerels in front.

 

[Pandalover82]

Thanks for help. How do I tell which are cockerels?

 

[aart]

Thanks for help. How do I tell which are cockerels?

The red in the combs and one has wattles growing already..... at that age, pretty sure they are males.
Females don't show that much comb/wattle color that young.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

3-4 weeks looks about right by the look of the feathers of the 2 cockerels in front.

X 2 on both counts