3 week old chick

[annanimal]

Sorry but I can't send a picture, I am waiting for my camera, I ordered it online, when I get it I will send you pics though!

 

[LittleChick12]

Oh ok. No worries. It will be nice to see someone else's chicks

 

[BLT79]

so thankful to find this post. We are in the same boat. We just picked up our 2 three week old chicks because their Momma ran off when a bear came around. She came back with a puncture wound and succumbed to her injuries. We were going to wait and take them at 4 weeks, but decided now would be better. She sat on 21 eggs, not all hers. And these were the only 2 to make it. Really hoping they are both hens so we can keep them together. They are also our first chickens and we love them already, as they seem to love us as well! Are pinky combs a rooster thing? So the momma that hatched them was a cuckoo maran. The only rooster they had was a RIR. We know one hatched out of a blue egg so def a RIR/Americauna mix. Other is a RIR/cuckoo maran or black star judging by her being all black with some white. can anyone tell if either of these are roos? Little nervous the brown one is a roo!


the black one also has yellow toes and slate legs!

 

[annanimal]

You can try the link above, I don't know if anyone will reply there but it is worth a try : https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/15/what-breed-or-gender-is-this !
Hope it helps, how is their mom now?
They are both really cute, congratulations!

 

[Didymus]

I was also told that you should never have just one. I have four and they stick together like glue. If you don't want 2, then why don't you find a home. It should be easy because it is young. Best of luck!

 

[annanimal]

That is why I got my second one and like you said they stick together like glue!
I don't think it will be easy to give it away. I mean you have already had him/her for three weeks, I could never give mine away now...

 

[LittleChick12]

Yeah im totally attached to my little one. Even if its a roo i don't think i can let it go. Keep trying to introduce go to the other chickens to help it socialise but its taking time and caution.


Blt79, i don't know much but i have been reading a lot of posts lately no this website. At 3 weeks its a little early to sex your chicks. Some breeds can be sexed by their feathers. I don't know which breeds these are but you could look, although since yours are mixed it may not work. Roos supposedly have thicker legs, feather slower, and get pink in their comb much sooner. Roos also gets wattles earlier. Although some people say you can't reply on these tips, sometimes a pullet can show the samesigns. However, i would say a very red and growing quickly comb before 6 weeks is definitely a roo. From what i can red yours are as feathered as mine was at 3 weeks if not more, but i see yellow combs.

Hope this helps, this is just stuff i remembering reading when searching up myself. They look like they will be beautiful chickens though.

 

[BLT79]

Thank you all. Their momma died, which is another reason I don't want either to be a roo. I don't want either of them to be alone. I know you have to have at least two chickens together. I am not allowed roosters in my town. The brown one is a rir/americauna mix. We will just wait and see. We will be adding to our flock soon, eggs in incubator at friends house. They have so much character!

 

[LittleChick12]

Someone did say you can neuter your roo but i doubt anyone will go that far. But if you do its meant to stop them crowing.
I hope they're both pullets for you. They definitely do have a lot of character. My little one is so funny!

 

[BLT79]

thanks so much LittleChick12! I googled neutering a rooster and of course found a discussion on this topic on backyard chickens! It only costs $30-$40 per bird. So now I will call all my local vets. I just hate to separate these two after everything they have been through, not to mention, if I do have to get rid of one do to it being a roo it would leave the hen all alone. I don't need fertilized eggs and I don't need the big beautiful plumage of a roo. I just really want to keep these two together.