New Faverolle Flock in Cleveland MO!

[Dsearle]

Hello! New Chicken Flock here! Bought 15 straight run Faverolle chicks from Heartland Hatchery here in Missouri about 3 weeks ago. Chicks are growing nicely I believe. No real issues as of yet. Have lots of cool feathering starting now- they are so different. Will be cool to see how they all feather out!
Believe we have about 5 cockerels and 10 pullets so far. I’ve read a lot of post here before registering, and love the advice and help from this community!

I have only four real questions at this point.
First is their beaks… about half have a little bruise type coloration about half way up from the tip of the beak. Wondering if this is “normal” as I can’t seem to find any mention on the web about a disease or sickness related to the spots.

Second question is diet: I have them on medicated chick starter 24/7. I added a “chick stick” treat thing that hangs in their brooder which they just now at 3 weeks started showing interest in. I added a little chick grit in a separate bowl which they peck at occasionally. I’ve tried to offer freeze dried meal words, fresh blueberries and strawberry tops, dandelion weeds with a little dirt attached, a wiggly earth worm - all of which they are curious about but really don’t eat. Should I be offering these things at their age or should I be offering different things entirely?

3rd question; bedding. I use a puppy pad with hemp grass on top. I pile the hemp grass under their roosting bars and they love to scratch and scatter it but after they poop, it kind of clumps and sticks to their feathery feet. I keep adding more hemp each day until I have to dump it all and start over about every 3-5 days. Should I just use pine wood shavings or a pellet bedding or some kind? If you have better suggestions I am open to all. Hemp is dusty and they flick it outside the large dog kennel I am using as a brooder

and finally last question: dust baths. I bought what I thought was chicken dust bath but it’s an insecticide I guess so I haven’t used it yet. I’ve been shopping for actual chick bath dust but don’t see it at either farm and feed store by me. Do you all make your own? I do have food grade DE and wood ash from our fireplace indoors. Can I make my own with those two things or do I need sand or something else. And if I can mix my own- what ratio of each is suggested? Or if you have bought ready made stuff- can you share it with me?

Wow! That is a lot , I know! I hope some of you can help me out with some of it! Lol.
thanks in advance y’all!

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Answers to most of your questions should be available in the links below:

• Great go-to resource - Articles
• Space requirements
• “How to...” guides
• Raising Baby Chicks
• Find other BYC members nearby using the links in my signature, below (turn your phone to landscape to see them).

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[Dsearle]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Answers to most of your questions should be available in the links below:

• Great go-to resource - Articles
• Space requirements
• “How to...” guides
• Raising Baby Chicks
• Find other BYC members nearby using the links in my signature, below (turn your phone to landscape to see them).

Best wishes

Pork Pie

Thank you so much!

 

[Offshoreorca]

Welcome to BYC!

Do you have a colour of the "bruising" - it could very likely just be a pigmentation (like horn coloured beaks).

Faverolles are awesome! I have four hens in my flock and have heard great things about the roosters too!

Usually you would only feed chick starter (you don't need grit with most chick starters, but you do need it if you feed them anything else). Just be careful that there is nothing they can get caught up in their crops and also make sure to limit any treats. The things that you mentioned shouldn't harm them with grit provided. Avoid any sort of cut grass.

Pine shavings work great for me. As mentioned, dusty isn't good!

And lastly, I use a mix of wood ash (make sure it's only wood that was burned) and peat moss with some dirt. DE can cause respiratory issues if not used carefully and wood ash provides the same fine particles needed to suffocate external parasites.

 

[janiedoe]

Hi, welcome to BYC!
1. I think the thing on their beaks is probably the flare where the nostrils are.
2. I'd never give earthworms because I've read that they carry gapeworms (idk if this is true). They probably are eating grit but it takes chicks a long time to make a perceivable impact in the amount left. Treats are fun, but it's like feeding a toddler fruitloops; if they eat too many they won't get enough nutrients from their "real" food.
3. Dusty is never good. They have sensitive respiratory systems. I use pine flakes with no problem.
4. I use dirt from the run in a cat litter box with no additives.
Best of luck with your new flock!

 

[sourland]

Hello, and welcome to BYC.

 

[Dsearle]

Welcome to BYC!

Do you have a colour of the "bruising" - it could very likely just be a pigmentation (like horn coloured beaks).

Faverolles are awesome! I have four hens in my flock and have heard great things about the roosters too!

Usually you would only feed chick starter (you don't need grit with most chick starters, but you do need it if you feed them anything else). Just be careful that there is nothing they can get caught up in their crops and also make sure to limit any treats. The things that you mentioned shouldn't harm them with grit provided. Avoid any sort of cut grass.

Hello and thanks for the reply! The bruise shows light grey or just a darkish smudge on their beaks in different shapes and opacity- if that makes sense. I just thought they should have creamy colored beaks at this age (3 weeks) before they change to the reddish color so I wondered if they just bruised it fighting- seem to like to stand up tall and kick each other a lot lately, lol. I can try to get a couple pictures if you think it’s anything to be concerned about. Thank you again for the reply and advice!

 

[Dsearle]

Hi, welcome to BYC!
1. I think the thing on their beaks is probably the flare where the nostrils are.
2. I'd never give earthworms because I've read that they carry gapeworms (idk if this is true). They probably are eating grit but it takes chicks a long time to make a perceivable impact in the amount left. Treats are fun, but it's like feeding a toddler fruitloops; if they eat too many they won't get enough nutrients from their "real" food.
3. Dusty is never good. They have sensitive respiratory systems. I use pine flakes with no problem.
4. I use dirt from the run in a cat litter box with no additives.
Best of luck with your new flock!

Thank you! Ok. I’ll switch the bedding to pine flakes and leave off with worms until they are out foraging on their own.

 

[Dsearle]

Hello, and welcome to BYC.

Thank you!

 

[orloffer]

Welcome to BYC, Dsearle! There is so much to see, do, and learn here!
1. I'm not sure about the beaks. It is probably normal, but you can upload some pictures if you'd like.
2. You don't need to offer them too many treats at this age. It's good that you are giving them chick grit though.
3. Some sort of wood shavings is probably better and less likely to stick to their feet. I tried hemp bedding for my quail once and it caked onto their feet with their droppings.
4. Normal dirt / soil works great for dust baths, as long as it isn't treated with anything bad for chickens. Sand baths are amazing as well, as long as the grit is large enough. It the sand is too fine, it becomes very dusty and will likely be inhaled in large quantities. For chicks I used sand in a plastic tub with a lower rim around the front so they could get in and out easily. I have also tried large shoeboxes.