Got new chicks, first time from the mail! :O Story inside

[thistlewick]

Beautiful! I would just add that if they are eating the grass they need chick grit, and in fact ... not sure I would put grass in there at all at this age. I'm a worrywart tbh and I would worry about long strands of grass blocking the crop. After they've had access to chick grit, I start mine on dried mealworms, they LOVE them. It's what I use to teach them to come to my voice. But always remember to keep treats to a minimum, mostly they need their chick starter for balanced nutrition.

They're adorable, enjoy!

Oh, they get grit from the soil - that's how chickens get grit in the 'wild' and its not a problem. This isn't their first grass and I put grass in with my other chicks from day 2 and then fully outside at 1.5-3.5 weeks (I have a mixed range older flock) and on grass, eating grass, bugs and what have you. I've never put out grit. They're fine.

Grass and soil is what they are *meant* to live on.

 

[2ndTink]

I should give a little shout out to the Blue Laced Red Wyandotte girl that we got on the same day as the Marans and Buff Orpington. She's never been anything but fantastic and has been part of the bunch immediately. She's braw and hearty and is doing well.

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None of the new chicks have names but two;

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Georgina, giving me the side eye. But we named her that after she is just like Curious George. ALWAYS peeping up at us when we visit.

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Pepper, because look at her head.. LOL

So adorable!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Oh, they get grit from the soil - that's how chickens get grit in the 'wild' and its not a problem. This isn't their first grass and I put grass in with my other chicks from day 2 and then fully outside at 1.5-3.5 weeks (I have a mixed range older flock) and on grass, eating grass, bugs and what have you. I've never put out grit. They're fine.

Grass and soil is what they are *meant* to live on.

You're right if they're out on soil, of course! For the first three weeks mine are in the house so I have to provide grit. I have cats so I'm a little more protective of them until they're a little bigger.

 

[thistlewick]

You're right if they're out on soil, of course! For the first three weeks mine are in the house so I have to provide grit. I have cats so I'm a little more protective of them until they're a little bigger.

The grass I put in is on a clod of soil so they peck at that and get little pebbles and what not. I always always always try and read up and what to do before doing something.

Someone here gave me the idea to do it with our older flock (they are 5-8 weeks old now) and they loved it so much while they were in the brooder we did it for this batch

 

[Some Old Guy]

The grass I put in is on a clod of soil so they peck at that and get little pebbles and what not. I always always always try and read up and what to do before doing something.

Someone here gave me the idea to do it with our older flock (they are 5-8 weeks old now) and they loved it so much while they were in the brooder we did it for this batch

The clods of dirt in the grass roots seemed like a good idea to me, when my birds were little. I had chick grit, of course, but the stuff is sterile. Since there was a problem with pasty butt, I knew that I wanted to introduce the babies to local bacteria, in addition to raw unfiltered honey, and raw unfiltered vinegar. The little guys went for the dirt and the roots before they ate any of the grass or weeds!

 

[The Coop Crew]

Right?! I mean, I LOVE THEM ALL, my older girls, they melt my heart when I go outside and they see its me they all come RUNNING and how could I not LOVE them for that. I go and sit with them a little bit almost every day and honestly, they are the best.


I think, though, if I thought of them as pets (like my ragdoll Cat) I'd end up cooping them instead of free-ranging, because of the safety... but I am determined to free-range because they will be part of our pasturing system. Rotational grazing, etc.

So while I LOVE them dearly, I may indeed lose some along the way as we go and I am just going to have to deal with that when and if it happens. I'll be okay!

I understand that 100% ! We can’t let ours free range here unfortunately but I do let them out several times a day under supervision. You can still love them as uhmmm “far off pets”? we need a name for this type of “pet”!

 

[heatherbell2]

Unfortunately the little one did not make it

The other weak one did and is doing well. Fingers crossed.

Make sure you call the hatchery & report a loss! Most hatcheries will credit you. Just send them a picture of the dead ones or weak ones.

 

[thistlewick]

Make sure you call the hatchery & report a loss! Most hatcheries will credit you. Just send them a picture of the dead ones or weak ones.

Oh we didn't bother, they had sent an extra and it was that one. Also, it wasn't quite DOA, but only almost. It lived for a day or so, then passed.

All other chicks are doing well, but that TINY Maran is still TINY for 2 weeks. Slow grower but her behavior is 100% spot on normal. They are all fully outside (in a small tractor, the one I used for my slightly older flock) and really loving it. Will try and get some pics of them soon!

 

[heatherbell2]

Oh we didn't bother, they had sent an extra and it was that one. Also, it wasn't quite DOA, but only almost. It lived for a day or so, then passed.

All other chicks are doing well, but that TINY Maran is still TINY for 2 weeks. Slow grower but her behavior is 100% spot on normal. They are all fully outside (in a small tractor, the one I used for my slightly older flock) and really loving it. Will try and get some pics of them soon!

Some hatcheries have a 3 day guarantee on survival of the chick

 

[thistlewick]

Update!

They are all doing fine, except that tiny Maran is REALLY exceptionally tiny for 2 weeks. BUT she behaves completely normal and in fact, is quite brave and robust and has loads of personality.

She is the one in the circle here.

They had their first free range time with the big girls (and our Cockerel Sarge, you can see his feet inside their tractor)

They received pecks from our Jersey Giants (who are not pictured) but our Starlight Green Eggers and our Easter Eggers LOVED them and were quite happy to monch away with them running about.

It was a heavily supervised exploration and they received only a few pecks, no one was hurt and it was about 15 minutes only. I was mightily impressed.

Not sure what to think about the smol Maran. Hope she makes it! She's feisty!