chicken's for the first time

[peanut]

I have thought about having chickens for a couple of years. Thursday I bought 29 two week old chickens. I don't know what kind they are but there seems to be three or four different breeds. I am keeping them in a large dog pen with a heating lamp. They seem to be doing great and I am reading everything and learning as I go. I have three questions.
1. How do I tell the hens from the roosters?
2. When should I separate them?
3. How long will it take for them to quit being so afraid of me?

 

[justusnak]

Peanut.....as far as hens from roosters.....they will be about 8 weeks old....or so, before you can tell them apart. You will know by the roosters haveing larger combs on the top of the beak. If you want them to " warm" up to you....hand feed them a few treats, say every other day. Maybe some hard boiled egg.....mashed up....just dont over do the treats, as they need the vitamins and nutrients in the feed. Why do you want to seperate them?
congrats on the new addition to your family. Got pics?? We love to see new babies!

 

[peanut]

I will want to separte them before they start laying so that we may get some eggs. I am working on getting some pictures. I am not sure how to work the digital camera.

Yesterday was a warm day so I took them outside and let them loose in the run. Got several good laughs at them fighting over a worm that was found. Rounding them back up was a bit harder. Today I will be working on the coop that will house them once they get big enough. This site has really great ideas and lots of information. Thanks to all who have contributed.

 

[marie_martin]

Hi, I am pretty new here and to chickens, and one of the first things I learned is that you don't have to have a rooster for your hens to lay and you don't have to seperate the roos just so you can eat the eggs. Even if they are fertile, if you collect them each day, there wont be any babies in there. You don't have to worry about that. What other reason would you have for needing to seperate them?

Good luck with your chicks.

Marie

 

[peanut]

Did not know that you could eat the eggs if they were fertile! Thanks for the info.

 

[marie_martin]

As long as you collect them each day and put them in the fridge or keep them at room temp but not warm, they will be fine. Or so I have been told.

Marie