First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[mamatink7]

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.

thank you for reassuring me. Before they'd be in a smaller run area so much easier lol. They love to be held, not like when put back and climb up to shoulders too. I just thought they'd be easier to come to me. Practice makes perfect I guess. Heck they aren't in coop yet, just brooder in garage. Wanted to let them out for nice day. Grr

 

[AmandaMBG]

Lol another reason to not get goats!! Just more complications. My husband wants some and I think he is crazy. Keep telling him until he is here all the time and they can be his pain in the butt no goats

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.

 

[mamatink7]

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.

thank you. That's great ideas. Just a work in progress I suppose. I just got really worried when she got back behind things I couldn't move.
Should I split the 16 5wk olds for outside time until it works with all of them; like put half out in morning then all in for an hr then other half out? I hate splitting up unless injured or sick (these 3 are ones that were being pecked by austrolorps last wk)

 

[Jensownzoo]

thank you. That's great ideas. Just a work in progress I suppose. I just got really worried when she got back behind things I couldn't move.
Should I split the 16 5wk olds for outside time until it works with all of them; like put half out in morning then all in for an hr then other half out? I hate splitting up unless injured or sick (these 3 are ones that were being pecked by austrolorps last wk)

They make puppy play pens that have zippered net tops and removable bottoms. I used one of these to get the chicks some fresh air and scratching in the grass time before they were feathered out enough to move outside full-time. It's an idea for these outings...or you could cobble something together out of fencing to keep them more confined (and easier to catch). At five weeks, they're probably getting close to getting kicked out?

 

[Jensownzoo]

Lol another reason to not get goats!! Just more complications. My husband wants some and I think he is crazy. Keep telling him until he is here all the time and they can be his pain in the butt no goats

My goats are SO much trouble! Mostly involving jumping over fencing. They are awesome though...a lot like dogs, but with the benefit of keeping the perimeter brush-free. I have two Nigerian wethers who are very people-oriented so if they don't see people, they tend to go looking for them...

 

[mamatink7]

They make puppy play pens that have zippered net tops and removable bottoms. I used one of these to get the chicks some fresh air and scratching in the grass time before they were feathered out enough to move outside full-time. It's an idea for these outings...or you could cobble something together out of fencing to keep them more confined (and easier to catch). At five weeks, they're probably getting close to getting kicked out?

Ohhh yes most definitely!! Almost all fully feathered BUT our coop isn't done quite yet. Hubby is truck driver so can only work on it when he's home and it's either been extremely hot or horribly stormy while he's home. This weekend we should be able to finish it. No way to keep them inside it-if you get my drift this past weekend we were able to put together a temporary run-not dug into ground but stakes and hardware wire is up so they can go out at least.

 

[pinebarrens]

I think our Speckled Sussex girl has hurt herself somehow This morning when I went to let them out, she was lying in the straw on the floor. It looks like she is in a good bit of pain. She hobbles slowly after the flock and lies down as soon as she gets where she was going. She isn't limping or favoring either foot. When I offered her food and water, she did eat and drink a small amount. The other chickens are not picking on her at all as far as I can tell. We are worried about her but not really sure what to do. I couldn't find any sign of injury or illness when I picked her up and looked her over, but I'm not exactly what you might call an expert.

I just went out to check again. It's getting on towards dusk and she went into the coop with the others. She is on the floor again, not on the perch. I don't know if I should fetch her into the house for the night or leave her there??

 

[magicstorm]

Try post a new thread in the illness section of the forum. There are a lot of people that are experienced that will answer. Because it is a new thread it will show up to more people than posting here. This is what i did when i had a chick end up with subcutaneous emphysema. I am sorry to hear your hen is having trouble, i am inexperienced also so not much help.

 

[kekstrom]

@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.

You are welcome! I was prepared for it to be a long process and also possible a bad one. So I was more than pleasantly surprised at how easy it was and how quickly they 'worked their issues' out.

 

[kekstrom]

My goats are SO much trouble! Mostly involving jumping over fencing. They are awesome though...a lot like dogs, but with the benefit of keeping the perimeter brush-free. I have two Nigerian wethers who are very people-oriented so if they don't see people, they tend to go looking for them...

Bahahaha. Social butterflies.