First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[Jensownzoo]

These guys are so skiddish. I wish I had more time to spend with them. The male Australorp seems to be the only tame one. Did anyone else's chicks go through a phase of being super jumpy but turn into sweeties?

Definitely. My second batch of chicks this spring have just now decided that I'm not going to eat them...and they all decided that at once! Now
whenever I go i to their pen and sit down, I immediately have a lap full of chicks, chicks are competing to perch on my arms and shoulders, and a few enterprising souls fly onto my head! They're around 6-8 weeks old now. I do have some younger chicks in that same pen who do not join in the "mob" so maybe it's a confidence or experience thing?

 

[yoda47]

These guys are so skiddish. I wish I had more time to spend with them. The male Australorp seems to be the only tame one. Did anyone else's chicks go through a phase of being super jumpy but turn into sweeties?

Both of my RIRs were skittish at first. Now (a week later) the one tolerates being picked up, and the other one will perch on my hand while I walk around.

 

[AmandaMBG]

That's good to know. My ducks have been doing the same thing. Running from me to the point I have to almost chase them to get them in the coop at night. I'm looking forward to a day where my chickens at least don't want to run away screeching lol!!

Definitely. My second batch of chicks this spring have just now decided that I'm not going to eat them...and they all decided that at once! Now
whenever I go i to their pen and sit down, I immediately have a lap full of chicks, chicks are competing to perch on my arms and shoulders, and a few enterprising souls fly onto my head! They're around 6-8 weeks old now. I do have some younger chicks in that same pen who do not join in the "mob" so maybe it's a confidence or experience thing?

Both of my RIRs were skittish at first. Now (a week later) the one tolerates being picked up, and the other one will perch on my hand while I walk around.

 

[tumalochick]

I moved my babies (the 5wk old younger 9 EE's and red leghorns) out to the coop for their first night outside. They've been in the garage with no heat lamp. It was supposed to be about 40F for a low and when I woke up and checked on them, there was frost on the ground and it had gotten down to 30F! I felt so bad. My older BO's and Australorps had gotten down off the roost and piled up with the babies on the floor! Usually they peck and chase the babies a bit to show them who's boss when they're all together. I was so surprised and happy about that!!! Here's a pic of the babies tonight, and one of the older chicks roosting.

 

[WildIrishRose]

Awe! Sweet loves!!! <3

 

[mamatink7]

My husband has been out of state for work since before the chicks arrived. He hasn't even been home for 24hrs and he has already called me the crazy chicken lady

oh well lol

SAME WITH MINE!!! He said that on the way home from the hatchery yesterday. Then he said I thought you were getting 24 (wahooo).

 

[16 paws]

We got our babies today and I'm so nervous to let them stay in the garage all night alone! I know they are well protected but I still worry the light may fall, somehow the cat will get them or just something bad. Please tell me I'm not crazy.

Also how well do they sleep with the light on all night? Our garage is pretty warm, 85ish as of now, we are supposed to have a cool front come in tonight. Do I need to have a light on all the time or just when the temps drop??

I just tried the mama heat pad brooder and I brooded them right in the coop with it. It is a wonderful way to keep them. Just look it up and see how to make one. My chicks just loved it.

There's a thread about "Mama's Heating Pad" on the BYC site, and also mentioned earlier in this thread I believe. It describes how to warm the babies with a heating pad instead of a lamp. So no fear of the lamp dropping, and it's dark during night hours. I don't have my chicks yet, so I haven't experienced it yet, but many people seem to like it. Until I get my own I sure am enjoying everyone's pictures and tales!

Works great and if you have older chickens you can brood your babies in a dog crate placed right in the coop. That way they can all be acquainted early on. Much easier to transition them into the flock later.

I have been lurking for awhile so I figured it was time to introduce myself. We got our baby chicks about 2 weeks ago from Rural King, a local feed store, and so far they are all doing well. We have 2 Americaunas, 2 Silver Laced Wyandottes, 2 Rhode Island Reds, and 2 Buff Orpingtons. This is our first experience raising chickens and I am most worried about one or more of them turning out to be roosters. In Indianapolis you can only have one Rooster and I am very worried about our neighbor who always complains about our dogs. I can only imagine how he would react to a rooster crowing.

I love this site and spend all my idle time here learning as much as I can about raising my babies.

Wendy

Try not to worry too much. If one turns out to be a roo you can re-home him. I used craigs list to that when I had one or two too many.

 

[andrea2chicken]

SAME WITH MINE!!! He said that on the way home from the hatchery yesterday. Then he said I thought you were getting 24 (wahooo).

haha my hubby calla me the same thing cause I talk with em a play with em. Treat em like kids haha

 

[Blooie]

Thanks for mentioning Mama Heating Pad. I'll never go back to a heat lamp, and right now I have 9 chicks being raised outdoors in the run. It snowed a bit yesterday morning and has been rainy and in the 30s all week. They are thriving!

I'll provide a couple of links just in case anyone wants to take a look.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

There are a couple of videos of my chicks under their MHP outdoors, I think on page 4 of the thread, and then a few pages later again. I tried to get them on video at least once a week until they weren't using the pad and had been evicted into the main run and coop with the big girls, at around 4 weeks

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/yes-you-certainly-can-brood-chicks-outdoors

This is my outdoor setup. Nothing more than a dog run, Mama Heating Pad on a frame, and some straw. Easy, easy! @16 paws I'm so glad that brooding outdoors was so successful for you, and like you, I love it!

 

[mamatink7]

How can I tell which is my black australorp vs black copper maran? Today picked up 4 BA and they gave us 1 maran they hatched (either blue or black copper maran). I know easy way is find the one who doesn't match the rest but it's more difficult than that...
Thank you