I am a first time chicken owner. We brought home nine chicks this spring who are now ranging in age from 6-8 weeks old. We would like to let them range during at least a portion of the day, and would like to keep a rooster to help manage and protect them. So far, I am pretty certain that out...
Of the nine chicks that we brought home one is much smaller than the others. She is a sex-linked gold laced wyandotte and was the same size as her two "sisters" when they hatched. She seems to be just as active and hungry and busy as the others - just much smaller now as the others have...
No way this chick is a hen, right? He/she will be four weeks old this weekend. His/her BCM hatchmate has no wattles to speak of and a much smaller/paler comb.