Day two of having my chicks... issues...

[Savannah.Tucker]

We built a temporary run for the chicks since they are small right now. This is day two of having them and the second time in the run. I've noticed that two of my chicks(the biggest ones) are running at each other and flapping their wings. They chase the other small ones around too. I haven't noticed any waddles growing under the beak yet... could they be roosters or are they getting comfortable and establishing a pecking order? The red one sitting on the bowl and black one up at the front are the two that are showing this behavior.

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

They could be roos, but hens will do that too. Probably just pecking order stuff but keep watching, cause you may have two roos!

 

[Savannah.Tucker]

They could be roos, but hens will do that too. Probably just pecking order stuff but keep watching, cause you may have two roos!

I hope they are all hens, but I know it never guaranteed when they are this little. The New Hampshire red is my fave.

 

[andreanar]

I cant see much thru the screen but they are very young yet. All chicks display that behavior, my girls are still doing it at 20 weeks old. No worries unless they are causing injury or stopping some chicks from eating/drinking. If they are then you can just add another food and water containers so they can stay away from the bullys.

 

[andreanar]

BTW, the fav chick usually ends up being male!

 

[azygous]

They look to be around four weeks. They could be living in a coop now, with a full run to romp in. Maybe just a touch of heat at night.

Do you have older chickens, too? If so, you could begin to integrate them now.

As for your concern you might have a few cockerels in the bunch, look at the combs. Over the next week or two, the combs on cockerels will turn a subtle shade of orange, a precursor to turning rose-pink and then red by age six weeks.

The behavior you're seeing, though, is common among both genders, being normal chick exuberance.

 

[Savannah.Tucker]

BTW, the fav chick usually ends up being male!

Yeah, go figure. Always happens. Lol

 

[andreanar]

Yeah, go figure. Always happens. Lol

Yup always! Dang it!

 

[Savannah.Tucker]

They look to be around four weeks. They could be living in a coop now, with a full run to romp in. Maybe just a touch of heat at night.

Do you have older chickens, too? If so, you could begin to integrate them now.

As for your concern you might have a few cockerels in the bunch, look at the combs. Over the next week or two, the combs on cockerels will turn a subtle shade of orange, a precursor to turning rose-pink and then red by age six weeks.

The behavior you're seeing, though, is common among both genders, being normal chick exuberance.

I don't have older chickens. These are the first for our family. For the next week they will be in this run, we have a fenced yard, so by the end of the week they will have full run of it. We are making sure all areas are secure. As we have coons and fox here. We have them outside all day from sun up till bed time. I check on them at night in their coop. Lol

 

[andreanar]

4 of them look to still have chick down, instead of feathers. How are you keeping them warm enough?