BCMs are growing fast.

[tracecom]

I decided to move my comments about the chicks hatched in this thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...h-black-copper-maran-eggs-may-28-2014-join-up to here. The 10 chicks were two weeks old yesterday, and made their first trip to the yard. They had a blast. When it warms up more, I'll put them out again today and take some pix.

 

[tracecom]

I took the chicks outside again today, and shot a few pix. The chicks are inside a trap I made several years ago to catch pigeons, and the camera tended to focus on the the trap instead of the chicks, but here they are anyway.

The first two show my cat, Jack, who is a notorious hunter of squirrels, voles, lizards, rabbits, and...yes...birds. So far, he has not seemed aggressive around the chicks, but I don't trust him yet. I was hoping one of the chicks would give him a good peck on the paw, but not so.

 

[Wantaraisechick]

Nice pictures. BCM's are some fast growers. At least compared to some I've raised. Black and blue roosters have been a head above the rest starting at about 4 weeks old.

 

[tracecom]

Nice pictures. BCM's are some fast growers. At least compared to some I've raised. Black and blue roosters have been a head above the rest starting at about 4 weeks old.

Thanks. Today, I moved them into the new (still unfinished) coop, complete with a new feeder and waterer. They took to it right away. In fact, I think they are playing with the waterer...using it like a shower. Here's a photo that shows them in action, but at times there will be as many as seven or eight under the water bucket, pecking at the nipples like crazy. There are only three stations at the bucket feeder, but so far, no squabbles. When one is eating, sometimes another will poke his head in, and the first one will pull out.



That's James looking at the camera; I am pretty sure he is a he. He is the largest of the chicks and the most assertive. His comb is growing rapidly, as are his wing feathers, but he has no tail feathers.

I also put in a low roost pole. So far, I have seen one chick jump up on the pole and walk the length of it, but I don't know at what age to expect them to begin to roost on it.

The funniest thing is that I put a piece of vinyl flooring in that is light blue with lots of darker spots embedded in it. The chicks scratch the litter out of the way, and try to pick up the specks in the pattern.

Strange as it seems, the low tonight is supposed to be about 55 here (north Mississippi,) so I put a 50 watt heat lamp in one corner. They are already in the habit of sleeping bunched up together, so I expect they will gather under the heat.

 

[QueenBubbles]

So adorable!!

 

[tracecom]

So adorable!!

Thanks. Adorable isn't a word I use very often, but they certainly put a smile on my face.

This morning, they seem to have completely accepted the feeder. They will lean as far into the ports as possible, and eat like crazy. For the most part, they have figured out that the spots on the floor are not food, and they don't peck at them much any more.

The waterer is a different issue. The wet spot underneath it is close to three feet in diameter; it's not doing any damage because of the the vinyl floor covering, but I don't want all the bedding in the coop to be wet. I have never used nipple waterers before, so I don't know if this is a normal situation or not.

As far as I can tell, there is no leakage from the bucket. All the water on the floor seems to be from the chicks pecking at the nipples, and the resultant water being scattered around. My questions are as follows.

1. Is this normal and I just have to find a way to contain the splashed water, or will the chicks learn to use the water as it's released?
2. If it's normal, how is the best way to deal with it? Maybe a splash pan under the waterer? Or should I reduce the number of nipples from three to one?

I noticed that James (the largest chick and the one that I am convinced is a cockerel) doesn't like any of the others to walk on the roost pole. He runs at them and pecks them until they get down. Playing "chicken psychiatrist," I wonder if it's because they are taller than him when they are on the pole, and he is jealous.

The smallest of the chicks is the one who was hatched a day later than the rest, and seems to be emotionally needy. She is the one most likely to come to my hand, peck at my fingers, and let me stroke her gently. I call her #10 because she was the tenth chick to hatch. My wife says I need a better name for her.

All things considered, they are very happy in the new coop.

 

[QueenBubbles]

James looks a bit like my Australorp with the funny eyeliner face. I agree with your assessment that he is jealous of anyone being above him on the roost. My BSL will get up on my hand or arm first and then Lorpy gets all chirpy and has to fly to land on top of her - not to the side or anything civilized, just has to displace her.
I kind of like 10 for a name. Like Seven of Nine (Star Trek geek here), but she is 10 of 10. Perfect! Haha

 

[tracecom]

Here's a new picture taken yesterday. The chicks are still growing and seem healthy; they are 3 1/2 weeks old here.



This is only seven of the ten; the other three were in "time out" at the other end of the coop.

 

[tracecom]

I am convinced that at least four of my BCM chicks are males, which would leave six females. My goal is to have 9 hens and one rooster, but I don't necessarily want all the hens to be BCMs. So yesterday, I bought three RIR chicks. I picked these three out of nine the guy had available, all of which were hatched about the first of June, which would make them seven weeks old. My BCMs will be four weeks old tomorrow. Not only were the three I picked the smallest of the nine RIRs, but they were the three that looked most like females to me.

What do you think? Destined for the nest or the freezer?

 

[tracecom]

#10, the name I have given to the last of my BCMs to hatch, is becoming my favorite. I believe she is a she. When I go in the coop, she is the first to come and greet me. She wants me to waggle my fingers in front of her, and she will gently peck at them. Then, when I open my hand, she will step in and climb up my arm. Yesterday, she climbed onto my shoulder and sat there for a while. She doesn't like for me to pick her up by grasping her; she wants to be in control. Just like my wif...never mind.