First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[kekstrom]

So, we sped up the integration process... our younger chicks were doing so well out with the big chicks! I was pulling them out every night to put them back into their brooder. But every morning they were BEGGING me to take them out, so I took that as them LOVING being outside. And after observing them often throughout the day as they were free to mingle with the big chicks, I was confident that they were integrating just fine. A few pecks, but nothing that was worrisome.

So I am proud to announce that last night we pulled up out patio chairs, sipped some tea, watched the big chicks walk themselves into the hen house and hop onto their roosts. So we grabbed the little chicks, placed them inside the hen house, and shut the door. I checked on them once before 9pm, and once after 11pm. And all was well. The big chicks seemed undisturbed, and the littles huddled in a corner (like they do in the brooder). This morning, all happily clamored out when we opened up the coop. YAY! I am so grateful for it to have gone smoothly. The little ladies seem to know where they belong and how to steer clear of the big girls, with lots of hiding spots for them to get away, and they actually mingle well at times too!





Rose, our white EE shown here gave the little ones a certain cluck/chirp/cheep sound and the littles would back away. It was really cute to see them communicating and seeing Rose keep order.

 

[AmandaMBG]

Honestly I think they both could still be pullets. I had size dif like that in comb development with my Anconas. Pretty sure it's the color you want to look out for. And both yours still look to have peach flesh on their comb. Just a little flushing under the skin like mine get when picked up. Also, I'd look for red wattle development. I've got two bantams and a rooster all who had red combs and wattles by 5 weeks. 3 for the bantams. Meant to quote the original post btw.

Comparing the two, the first would be your cockerel, and the second would be your pullet. Thats a fairly obvious difference in comb growth. Here is my Lucy when she was 4 weeks old, and she is 99.9% a pullet (pending laying an egg... )

 

[keesmom]

What do you think of these two BO chicks. Pullets? or is one a roo? They are 4 weeks old.



Possible Roo. Ariel.



The other BO. Not suspecting Roo, but for comparison. This is Belle.

Both still look like pullets.

 

[kekstrom]

I think they ^^^ are right.... forget what I said, the color is important and I totally forgot to take that into account. Sorry! Still learning.

 

[athomas718]

Thanks!!! I will keep my eyes peeled this coming week.

 

[Jensownzoo]

Finally got to eat two of the eggs I just started getting from my January pullets...both were double yolkers and one was fertilized! So at least one of the boys knows what he's doing.

I also caved when I went into the feed store to get shavings...they had Narragansett turkey poults (which is the breed I wanted most) so I had to get three. They'll basically be lawn ornaments, but I do love the gobbling. Crossing my fingers for a tom and two hens!

 

[jessschlles4]

@kekstrom
Thanks for sharing. I've been working on integration myself and I still have one more new chick to add. Nice to see others are having success as well. Love the pics as well.

 

[mamatink7]

Okay people I need advice...
Have these 5 wk old chicks and trying to get them to come to me (to bring them in or to check them), it's a nightmare. One of the Aracauna is always the worst. Today she flew into an area I couldn't even see her at in the garage! I've tried every trick in the books and its not working. Most of the 16 came to me and the last several lured with string cheese.
HELP!!! (This was 1st day in real run area and spent 8 hrs out till tornado sirens, Thunder and lightening started.

 

[AmandaMBG]

Okay people I need advice...
Have these 5 wk old chicks and trying to get them to come to me (to bring them in or to check them), it's a nightmare. One of the Aracauna is always the worst. Today she flew into an area I couldn't even see her at in the garage! I've tried every trick in the books and its not working. Most of the 16 came to me and the last several lured with string cheese.
HELP!!! (This was 1st day in real run area and spent 8 hrs out till tornado sirens, Thunder and lightening started.

Be patient. You may have some that will never be easy to catch and others that are a cinch. I've noticed mine were really hard until this last week or so. They are 7 weeks old now and at 5 weeks they were still hard little buggers to catch. Ameracanas are typically not lap chickens from what I have heard. Ik mine aren't. Out of the 4 EE I've raised this year I've had one fly into my lap one time. The rest of the time they stay out of reach. Chickens also have their dif personalities within breeds. I have one Ancona out of 5 that is a lap chicken. Maybe don't give them as much freedom until they know where home is. Mine were in the coop exclusively for a couple weeks before they were let out. Now if I go towards them or they are spooked in any way they automatically run into the coop. Not all over the place.

 

[Jensownzoo]

Yep, it will be a pain until they learn where "home" is...then you can herd them toward it if they like to run from you or lead them there if they will follow. I have a set of both. The older girls enjoy their freedom so only a few will go in when I plop food down in the pen and the rest I herd in with the help of an arm-extending stick. The younger chicks mob me for food, so all I have to do is approach the pen with a bowl and they trip over themselves (and try to trip me!) to get there first. My only problem is that I have two goats who are enthusiastic about eating chicken feed, so I have to employ some distractions and timed pen entries to complicate matters a bit. Chicken-wise, everything is a lot easier at dusk because you've got their roosting instincts working for you.