Commercial Blacks- Info and Pics! 2nd UPDATE..2 week

[axelsangel]

This the 2nd week i have had these commercial blacks

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Awww, yours still have their head spots! Mine don't . Now I can't tell them apart! Well, at least not by looking at them. Their personalities are completely opposite. The one my mom has claimed is VERY skittish and runs away. The other one doesn't run hardly at all when you go to pick her/him up.

Here they are today, they will be 6 weeks old on Wednesday.

Friendlier one, named Nymeria (which may change if she turns out to be a he):




The one my mom claimed, named Madison (again, will change if she turns out to be a he):

 

[axelsangel]

The only difference i can see in mine other than their head spot is the wings. One has more prominent barring than the other. As for their personality they are about the same, they are both some what skittish but they will get use to us. They don't necessarily run from me but they don't come running to me either. I went today and had to get 6 more chicks bc my dogs killed my older 6 a couple nights ago. I ended up getting a Dixie Rainbow...Im curious to see what she is gonna look like.

She is a little fluff ball right now




I just wanted to throw this pic in there also its too funny not to

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Hahaha look at her! What a funny position she's in!! And your new chick is adorable!

I am sorry you had to get the new baby because your dog got your other ones. How did your dog kill them? Were they chicks? I'm asking because I have a chocolate lab, and she trembles at the sight of the chicks...like she can't wait to sink her teeth into them. The older chicks are out in the coop and secure run, so she can't get them...but I'm worried about when it comes time to let them out and free range a little. I don't want her to kill them!

 

[axelsangel]

I have 2 German Shepherd and a black Lab and don't forget my over sized Yorkie...lol. They were 4-5 week old chicks and i had just put them outside in the coop and run about 3 days prior. They had started injuring one another pecking in the brooder since they were getting bigger with less room. My dogs (German Shepherds) ripped the galvanized steel wire cloth off in the corner and got into the coop/run and killed all six of them. I was absolutely hysterical bc a couple days before stray dogs came in my yard at 5am and killed my cat.

If you have a dog i wouldn't let them out to free range especially if your dog already shows signs of wanting to get a hold of them already. She will surely kill them in a heart beat without a second thought.

I went to blue ridge feed and seed and they had 9 different breeds in at the time with over 400 chicks. I got a black sex-link, red sex-link, 2 rhode island reds, a dixie rainbow, and a speckled sussex. They will definitely not replace the lose of my other babies but I had to get more since we had just spent $500 on building that coop. Now we have to put another $100+ to fix it and make it where the dogs can't get in it again.

I talked to Rick a BR feed and seed and he said that he will be getting guineas in soon. Not sure exactly when but i know you had said you wanted to get some.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Yea, he said to give him a call when I'm ready for the guineas and he'd mail them to me. Trying my best to get hubby on board with the guineas...he wants to get some because we have a HUGE tick problem here already, but he says we can't really afford them right now (didn't realize how much $ we would have to spend on the chicks we DO have...between the feed, bedding, two heat lamps, two bulbs, 4 water dispensers, 2 food dispensers, chicken wire for the coop, hardware cloth for the coop, electric used for the heat lamps...oh! and, let's not forget the other stuff like ACV with the mother, three containers of meal worms, three containers of plain yogurt, three big jars of applesauce, two containers of quick cook oats, bananas, strawberries, apples, raisins, grapes...and any other thing I decide to buy in order to spoil my babies rotten when it comes to treat time! And here I thought raising our own chickens would SAVE us money.

). Also, he's not real keen on raising another batch of ANY birds in the house...these last chicks STINK...and even though I have their brooder closed up in the spare bedroom, sometimes we get a whiff of them when the fan circulates the air in the house. That's what I get for using sand without sweet pdz. But last time I was at Southern States, the only bag was almost $20, I think 25 or 50 pounds, and I couldn't justify spending the money on something I would never use completely (there's no way I'd use that much). Plus, when I went, hubby had already complained about what I've spent on them already. So getting any new babies...whether they are chickens, guineas, quail, ducks, or peacocks...is pretty much out of the question, unless I can sweet talk hubby into letting me have more (darn chicken math!).

I'm not worried about my dog (Kalli) getting my chicks when I let them free range, except if my boys forget she can't come outside. That's my problem...I can keep her inside until the chicks get back in the run/coop, but if they are out and one of my sons forgets or accidentally lets her out, then my chicks are dead meat. I'm sorry your dogs got to your babies. And if stray dogs show up again on your property, don't hesitate to SSS (shoot, shovel, and shut up). I know if I see a stray dog, it won't be breathing for long. I'm a firm believer in protecting my birds...AND my kids...you never know if a stray dog carries rabies...or is aggressive towards children...and I won't take any chances.

 

[axelsangel]

We had the whole neighborhood sitting on their front porch with guns that whole week after they killed the cats. My husband had a chance to shoot them but if he by any chance missed it would have went into the house across the street so he didn't want to take that chance. Later that night one of the neighbors actually got a shot on one but she missed. They haven't been back since and i always have my hubby's .45 nearby just in case.

In stead of sand have you tried pine shavings that's what we use and i can't smell them. I have mine locked up in my laundry room with the door locked at all times bc i had to bring my female German shepherd in since she is getting ready to have puppies!

I would have a lot more chicks if i could but i am in city limits and not even suppose to have them yet. I go to the city hall meeting monday night for them to change the ordinance to allow chickens in city limits.

Oh and Tractor Supply has the sweet pdz 25lbs for $8.99.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Good for your neighbors! I'm glad to see you have so much support when it comes to those stray dogs!

I used pine shavings at first...but they got it so poopy that I had to change it a lot...and I don't like to waste money, and that's what I was doing. So I switched to sand. Cheap, easy to clean, and a constant supply of grit for the chicks. I didn't realize it would stink so much though. The closest tractor supply is about an hour away...so I'd spend the difference in gas.

Good luck at your meeting...I think EVERY city, town, and village should be able to have as many chickens as they want. I'm glad there's no limit here in my county. I can have a thousand if I want to...even if they are all roosters!

 

[axelsangel]

This is the 3rd week i have had these babies. They have really changed since i got them. Their head feathers are starting to come in and i can finally tell them apart with their chest and neck area looking so different. They got to go outside today with all the upgrades on the coop for security. They were extremely fascinated with the water nipples.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

I'll have to take pictures today or tomorrow so I can update on mine...but here they are a week ago (6 weeks 3 days old)...