Getting chicks soon but I have a few questions!

[Lady Chickadee]

I've had chicks before just not day old chicks and not so many of them. My chicks are being shipped from cackle on Wednesday and will be here by Friday.

I'm very excited but like the title says I have a few questions.
1. I've heard of people using stuff to tell there chicks apart like painting there toe nails and putting bands on there legs but I was wondering what the best thing to use is?
2.I got 10 bantams(5 Porcelain d'Uccles and 5 mille fleur d'Uccles.)I read a book on chickens and it said that since this breed has so much feathers on its feet that you have to put sand in there coop? They will be free range and I don't mind to put sand in there coop but is there any certain kind you have to get?
3.I will be keeping two d'Uccle roosters. I've read that the d'Uccles are a friendly breed. Is this true? I wanted to have friendly roosters since my other roosters are so mean and we are getting rid of them today because of that.
4.I've also read that sand is a good thing to use in the brooder or to use in half of the brooder. Is it a good thing to use?If so why?

Thanks,
Lady Chickadee
(For more on what I'm ordering, check out my BYC page.

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[dianaross77]

1. I used colored plastic zip ties from Home Depot as leg bands to tell my girls apart. Just leave them loose enough to allow room to grow and clip them off and replace them when they start to get tight.
2. I believe most people use the washed play sand for their coops.
3. I don't have any d'Uccles but have heard that they are friendly. Some roosters are just naughty by nature and the breed has little to do with it. The breed will give you a starting point for personality but you can get a chicken that proves to be the exception. It is important to make sure your roosters know you are the boss.
4. I have heard of people using sand in brooders too. They use a cat poop scoop to sift out the yucky stuff. I used pine pellets in mine and was happy with that. When they first come home, you'll want to use paper towels or rubber shelf liner (not newspaper) to line the brooder until they know what's food and what's not. While it's perfectly safe for them to eat a little sand, you don't want them to fill up on it and not food.

good luck and have fun!

 

[Lady Chickadee]

Okay, thanks!