Choosing my flock: need tips please!

[Kristin153]

Is your coop built yet...I'm assuming you don't have other chickens?

No other chickens, and not yet, but I have general plans.

 

[Kristin153]

Kristen, what's your general location? If you put it in your profile, it will be available so folks can give region specific advice. If you are brooding them in your house, they can be off heat all together by 3 weeks of age. By 4 - 5 weeks of age, they can be in their coop. I would move the whole lot of them out to the coop, and keep them till they are 7 - 8 weeks old. Then, you should have a reasonable assurance of choosing the PULLETS you want to keep.

Chicago area, and yes they are inside currently

 

[Kristin153]

Kristin, you realize your timing is lousy, don't you? That's meant as a joke, your timing is what you have to live with.

Where are you? What kind of weather will yo have in 3 to 4 weeks? It is quite possible the chicks can go to the coop when you leave. You should have plenty of room to lock them in the coop and not let them in the run. What size is your coop? That could solve one problem.

If you can set up their water so it doesn't turn over, a one a day visit should be plenty. If they have food, water, and the poop doesn't build up too much they should be fine with one visit a day.

3-1/2 weeks will be pretty young but if you post individual photos showing a profile with legs and posture we may be able to at least tell you certain ones to not keep at that age. I'm sure we will not be able to tell you which ones are definitely pullets but maybe we could at least tell you a few to get rid of to improve your odds of keeping pullets.

Maybe this project is too ambitious for me right now. I'm embarrassed to admit I have no coop ready. I have plans for one, but it is not set up. I'll talk to my husband about it. Maybe I should send all the chicks down with my dad. Thanks for all the help.

 

[aart]

Maybe this project is too ambitious for me right now. I'm embarrassed to admit I have no coop ready. I have plans for one, but it is not set up. I'll talk to my husband about it. Maybe I should send all the chicks down with my dad. Thanks for all the help.

Yeah then you can build the coop, and he can come back in a month with just the pullet chicks

Don't feel bad, many face this dilemma.
Few noobs realize how fast those chicks grow,
and how messy they can be inside the house.

Funny twist on an old saying, when asked...
What came first the chicken or the egg?.....answer is The Coop!

 

[Beer can]

Maybe this project is too ambitious for me right now. I'm embarrassed to admit I have no coop ready. I have plans for one, but it is not set up. I'll talk to my husband about it. Maybe I should send all the chicks down with my dad. Thanks for all the help.

Don't fret you can always just throw together something temporary while they are young and work on the more permanent. Especially if you don't have to worry about predators.
A old dog house or cheap plastic one, large plastic tote, or a plastic 55gal barrel sideways with a hole and fill in level with bedding works for a temporary coop for a small group of young birds. And a small roll 3x25' of chicken wire and a few cheap t-posts works for a run.
I do this about every yr with youngsters until they're quick enough to go into one of the big coops.
But I don't worry about predators, they mostly shy clear away from our place. And I say a good prayer