Chicks flying?

[cairopd1069]

I have 24 two week old chicks, Buff, RIR and Wyandottes. I have them in a brooder that is 24" deep, 4'x4' with a screen door on top. The last couple of days they have been having a contest to see which one could fly the highest. If not for the door on top, they would be able to fly out, as they have flown up and hit the door and lamps several times. Is this normal? They can't be trying to escape, they have all the feed, water and heat they need.

 

[X2Farm]

That sounds about right! I've got some that were trying to fly at 4 days old! Very vigorous chicks!!!

 

[Judy]

Actually, I think they are trying to escape when they do that, as they want to explore, and find somewhere new to peck and scratch. Check to see if it's hotter than they want; I would raise the light and see what happens. I never could keep a brooder as warm as they recommend because the chicks would get as far away from the heat as they could. I have 5 chicks about the same age but in the coop with their mama and no heat. They will stay out in the coop, not under mama, for at least an hour straight (that's as long as I want to take the cold!) Try a slice of cabbage or something to see if it will keep them occupied. Your brooder will be pretty small for them in about 2 weeks.

 

[jomoncon]

My little RIRs started trying to fly at about 10 days old. At 2 weeks old, I had to cover the brooder or I would have had 8 little chickies running around the house!

 

[cairopd1069]

They have plenty of room, right now, to get away from the heat. I have two lamps, side by side, on since it has been getting down in the 20s at night. I have them in a storage shed, that is 12x28 and is draft free. I may turn one of the lamps off during the day and see what happens. I think they are happy, it is fun to watch them. If one jumps or flys, they all start doing it. They come to the front of the brooder when I call them, but they still want let me handle them very much. I am trying to get my coop, 8x8, finished in the next few days as I have seen that their activity is picking up. I will probably try to adopt some of them out, I had to order 25 and I think that will overcrowd my coop and run.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Sounds like a plan! I'd say you have a while before they feel overcrowded in a coop and run. If it turns out you have many roos at all, you'll definitely notice it when they are teenagers, somewhere around 14 or 16 weeks.

You have to train chicks to want to be handled, and frankly, I usually don't bother. If you want to, try getting down to their level (so they don't think you are a hawk) and putting a little feed or treat in your palm, then just waiting for them to come to you. I've done that much and they did, eventually.

 

[gryeyes]

They're rambunctious little things, aren't they?

When I brooded in the bathoom, I never kept a lid or cover on the makeshift, Rubbermaid brooder(s). I liked watching them learn to fly and perch. It was only my bathroom, easy to clean up adventuring chick poops. Sometimes I would open the door to a chick standing in the middle of the bath mat, looking at me looking at it.

I cheered 'em on when they learned to make it to the edge of the brooder and perch there, talking to me while I ... Used the bathroom for its intended purpose. They'd come sit on my knees, some times.

I've caught them peering at their reflections in the chrome sink faucet.

I thought it was so cool when they would turn around and jump/flap BACK into the brooder on their own.

But I am a little different.

Now that I brood in a ginormous brooder in the shed, and it has screens and various hatches, with solid or screened covers, they don't get that kind of practice. Now and again, one will jump up through an open hatch as I fill feeders, which is cool. I haven't had to chase one down that decided to escape, yet.

 

[k.anderson3454]

Whenever I see my chicks, i can forget every problems that I am feeling. they just make me smile.

 

[wood&feathers]

I swear the little fuzzballs with only the sketchiest of primary flight feathers fly better than the adults. They weigh nothing and bounce and flap like gravity doesn't exist.

 

[chick4chix]

They love to test out their new skills- I had to put a bird net over my brooder and it was 36" high on the sides.
You might want to put a perch in the brooder- one at about 5" high and maybe another one at 10-15 inches high. Then they can practice jumping up on the lower one and flying up to the higher one- it takes some skill to land- but they get it done PLUS it prepared them to learn to roost. It also gives them something to do, is good exercise for their feet, and prevents boredom. I used a small wooden dowel from the home supply store and drilled it through the sides of the brooder. There are different diameters- start with a small one then work up a couple of sizes while they are growing.