Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ValerieJ]

I love the names. Little darlings!

Thanks. I've been out to check on them twice already and we just put them out there an hour and a half ago. Not sure I won't be seeing them all day anyway.

They weren't taking to the sweeter heater right away, so we put up a black ceramic heat lamp for a supplemental source, and shortened their space a bit, until they are a little more situated. Last time I was out there, 5 minutes ago, they were cheeping sweetly and laying under the sweeter heater.

I keep thinking I'm hearing them in the house. This is going to be a long night!!!

 

[bgmathteach]

We'll have to see! I imagine he'll be here for a month or so before the guy is recovered from his back surgery enough to think about a 3hr drive

oh, perfect! 3 months is just enough time to become perfectly smitten and not let him go.

Regarding age of introducing a rooster to chicks - depends on the rooster. Some will 'adopt' the chicks (think Branch!), some won't and they need to be bigger and able to run away. So..... Maybe try introducing them through the wire and see how he reacts ...but give him a couple of days to settle into his new home first!

 

[featherhead007]

I was talking to my feed store mill and they sell chicks too. Thing is, they get new chicks every Thursday, but the demand for chicks is so high that they can’t keep enough in stock. They usually sell out within one or two hours.
This chicken business is madness!
But they are getting White Leghorns in on Thursday.

 

[ValerieJ]

I was talking to my feed store mill and they sell chicks too. Thing is, they get new chicks every Thursday, but the demand for chicks is so high that they can’t keep enough in stock. They usually sell out within one or two hours.
This chicken business is madness!
But they are getting White Leghorns in on Thursday.

That was our experience! I was so surprised. I checked with 4 feed stores and ended up standing in line as soon as the chicks arrived at the store!! I was so happy to get what I wanted. Hope you get the white leghorns, if that is what you are wanting.

 

[Ponypoor]

2fer.....uniquely different looks for 4 different birdsView attachment 4070186left to right: Mera, Violet, Daisy, Whiskey

Hey I am having deja vue here - I feel like I have seen this before....

 

[Ponypoor]

I will ask tomorrow. The little coop has a big ventilation area above the nest box, but I was checking yesterday inside and didn't feel any drafts above the roost bar. Plus the nest box is very cozy if he prefers to sleep there.
I will have to go out and play with him so he doesn't get too lonely. Internet says the chicks need to be at least 10 weeks old before they can be introduced to him, does that sound accurate?

Well you know I throw mine out with the gang as soon as I can (if it's warm enough). One week old to two weeks old I am introducing them to the gang, by three weeks they are out all day long. I have lots of places to hide away for them, and I have multiple food and water sources. I generally don't have any issues, the chicks learn right away who to stay away from. Mr P and the other Roos pretty much ignore the chicks, but Mr P does dig in the straw and the chicks get right in there with the old girls to find goodies he digs up.

I would say you can start introducing them as long as its warm - oh and that's one thing makes it very easy for me, everything is indoors, makes it easy to monitor them and I can have warming stations for them. If you have a place that you can put the warming station for them so they can run and get warm you should be good to start intros.

 

[Ponypoor]

He was chocolate with a orangey gold face as a chick and kept getting all sorts of Whiskey colors as he feathered in. Also, until he got hit with the really bad frostbite, his comb was shaped like a crown.


Photo dump, Whiskey style

View attachment 4070384View attachment 4070390View attachment 4070391View attachment 4070392View attachment 4070393View attachment 4070394View attachment 4070395View attachment 4070396View attachment 4070397View attachment 4070398

Gosh he sure is eye candy

 

[SimpleJenn]

What are your temps? It cannot be that cold.

Generally close to freezing at night. Tonight is supposed to be 28°F but the rest of the week should be above 30°F.
If I was brave enough to seperate the chicks, the oldest are only a couple of weeks away from going outside themselves.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Well you know I throw mine out with the gang as soon as I can (if it's warm enough). One week old to two weeks old I am introducing them to the gang, by three weeks they are out all day long. I have lots of places to hide away for them, and I have multiple food and water sources. I generally don't have any issues, the chicks learn right away who to stay away from. Mr P and the other Roos pretty much ignore the chicks, but Mr P does dig in the straw and the chicks get right in there with the old girls to find goodies he digs up.

I would say you can start introducing them as long as its warm - oh and that's one thing makes it very easy for me, everything is indoors, makes it easy to monitor them and I can have warming stations for them. If you have a place that you can put the warming station for them so they can run and get warm you should be good to start intros.

I may take the older chicks out later this week, supposed to be 60°F. They can hang out in a dog crate for a half hour or so. The youngest need a couple weeks to de-fluff though. I'm not going to brood them in winter again, it's too cold to toss em outside to grow up and it's driving me nuts. I'm going to need to dust, and vaccuum, and wipe down, and dust, and so on and so forth.

 

[SimpleJenn]

oh, perfect! 3 months is just enough time to become perfectly smitten and not let him go.

Regarding age of introducing a rooster to chicks - depends on the rooster. Some will 'adopt' the chicks (think Branch!), some won't and they need to be bigger and able to run away. So..... Maybe try introducing them through the wire and see how he reacts ...but give him a couple of days to settle into his new home first!

Man, hubby says I'm not keeping this guy. I promise I will do whatever I can to get him across state!

And in three months when he's settled in y'all can quote this post and laugh.