First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[lizdelc]

Now my internet is being cranky and can't seem to upload other pictures... grrr. Maybe later.

 

[Sassysouth]

My girls were out free-ranging this morning, had one in my lap in the swing and the other 3 started taking turns staring each other down, chest bumping and stomping on each other's backs. One poor baby got her feelings hurt and hid. I know it is normal, but makes me sad. Bunch of mean girls. Ha!

 

[AzaFarms]

Hello all! I am a newbie and have 10- one week old chicks. I got them in the mail from Cackle Hatchery and everyone seems to be doing really well. I have them in a stock tank with a red heat lamp on my screened in porch. I live in Central Florida and its 100 degrees everyday. Since day 2 I have been turning their light off during the day and turning it back on around 10pm. My question is can I leave the light off of them during the night as well? It is still in the high 80's in the evening and if I don't need the light at all they can move to a larger space in the yard. Most everything I have read on here has been about very cold climates. Any info on raising chicks in what feels like the Amazon, let me know!

 

[Jensownzoo]

Hello all! I am a newbie and have 10- one week old chicks. I got them in the mail from Cackle Hatchery and everyone seems to be doing really well. I have them in a stock tank with a red heat lamp on my screened in porch. I live in Central Florida and its 100 degrees everyday. Since day 2 I have been turning their light off during the day and turning it back on around 10pm. My question is can I leave the light off of them during the night as well? It is still in the high 80's in the evening and if I don't need the light at all they can move to a larger space in the yard. Most everything I have read on here has been about very cold climates. Any info on raising chicks in what feels like the Amazon, let me know!

At 80 degrees at night, I wouldn't use a heat lamp, but instead consider giving them a huddle box to help concentrate their own body heat. I've currently got week olds in a bathroom with the windows open--it gets 90ish in the daytime, but stays around 80 at night. They're doing fine without extra heat.

 

[anthonymichael]

Hello everyone. My hen went broody on 4 eggs. Three hatched. One died of a peck wound. One got sick and died on day 8, it never ate or drank food. The last one is healthy and 11 days old. It's the only chick. Should I add another chick or two for it? Would that be safe?

 

[AmandaMBG]

The one with the red comb in the second looks peach in the first. It could be flushing from the summer heat. From my experience with all three of my roos they do not go back and forth in comb color. Once they turned red they stayed red and i mean bright red. I also don't see wattles. Red wattles is a big indicator too. I have multiple hens with combs that get pretty red and I spent the last month going back and forth on a couple of them but pretty positive now they are all still girls because when it's cooler out and they are relaxed they turn peach.

Hey all! so.... I ran the numbers long before I ordered chicks. I knew I wanted a rooster, and that hatcheries have a 90% accuracy rate for sexing on a good day. I ordered 15 and was given one extra. This would mean that - in theory - I would likely have 1-2 roos. Now, I keep thinking I see roosters, and then I change my mind. I may be an over-thinker Here are some pictures of my flock. They were hatched 6/1.

 

[Buttercup101]

We have pipped! I repeat, we have pipped! Yayyyyyy... I'm so happy!

 

[Buttercup101]

Okay, we are on daytwo of lockdown, and out humidity is at 50%. Don need to Rais it, and if so, how do I do that without opening the inqubator? We have a little giant, and one chicken is pipping.

 

[MiniIndyRanch]

My first flock of girls are getting so big! They are still living in the horse barn though - DH got tired of building the coop on his weekends home from out of state business, and my handyman hasn't been able to work us into his schedule yet... Definitely should have taken the advice to finish the build before bringing the girls home!

 

[Buttercup101]

I feel so silly for posting so many times, but one of my chicks is panting in the incubator, and i don't know what to do! Please please help!!