First time with chicks... a bit confused...Lots of ?'s/pics

[akanalynnn]

Well I just had to move my two little ones ( a BR and a gold laced polish) into a new, taller, brooder because they were roosting on the edge every morning. I don't know why they never really went anywhere, unless they fell off (and they're on a counter, so it's a ways, lol). Anyway, they are now about 3 weeks old, and getting big fast.

My question is this... Do roosters grow a lot faster than pullets? The BR is supposed to be a female, and the polish is a 50/50 shot. Are BR typically a lot larger than polish? My BR is quite a lot larger than the polish, and is totally fearless. When I put her on the kitchen floor, and my dog approaches, she just flaps her wings and gives him several pecks on the nose, and he runs with tail between his legs. Also, she will stand up and peep and flap at my 12 week old silkie, who is much larger (though BR is catching up quickly!) Could she be a he? She's also had a comb since like 2 days old. This is her (?)

I've noticed the polish's wings sort of point downward, and body is more upright, like a bantam. \\

Also, I don't really understand how to make a waterer, and they keep spilling what they've got as they perch to drink.
Does anyone have pics of the mason jar waterer that I could make?

Thanks!
Here is polish

 

[Kessidy]

I have no answers but had to say that they are adorable!

 

[Jolyn]

My BR seem to be bigger than the rest of my girls who are the same age. I'm pretty sure mine are girls too.

Your chicks really are cute!! I love BRs.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Beautiful photos, what kind of camera do you have?

Not to mention, BEAUTIFUL chickies!

 

[chicknhawaii]

They both look like girls to me

but I'm still a newb...

THEY ARE SOOOOOOOOOO PRETTY!!!!!

 

[akanalynnn]

Thank you all.

Another ?

When do they STOP peeping (mine sound like they're screaming sometimes) and start clucking? My silkie, she buck-buck-bucks all the live-long day.

Oh, I've noticed that whenever someone posts pics which seem nice, everyone asks what kind of camera they have.

The difference as far as I can tell, is that the great pictures come from DSLR cameras, meaning they are basically the "old" style camera (you can manually adjust all the aperture settings, "film" and shutter speed). You can also focus manually if needed. It's the best of both the digital and manual worlds.

This is why in those really neat pictures, the birds really "pop", because if you open the aperture wide (a low f-stop number) it narrows the depth of field, meaning the background is very out of focus, so the subject really stands out. This is something that can only really be done with the DSLR cameras.

Sadly, they are expensive, but totally worth it. Mine is a Canon Rebel XTI.

 

[ticks]

roos tend to develop feathers slower than pullets

 

[augiedranch]

mine stopped doing the peeping them when they were 8 weeks old... humm

anywase u have some beautiful babies!!

golden polishs (is that what u have,, a golden polish?)

i have golden polishs and full grown they arent a large breed at all, they are small... so im pretty sure its normal for the br to be bigger than ur polish.

 

[ChickNLittle]

Barred Rock chicks that are hens have a white spot on the top of their heads. That is all I know. And yes, Barred Rocks are much bigger than polish unless they are banties, then they are still a little bigger.

 

[akanalynnn]

They have white marks on their heads??? I didn't know that! Now I feel better, as shes got a little splash on the crown!

Thanks a lot! Hopefully, she's a she!

When do chickens go thru their first moult? My garden looks like someone destroyed a down pillow due to my white silkie preening herself. Shes 13 weeks.

So are polish's basically Bantie size?