Have had chicks about 4 hours. Resting under lamp, not huddled, quiet. Is this OK?

[gander007]

Thanks guys. I am checking them like a psycho. Every half hour or more. Everyone seems OK. These guys were hatched on the 10th or 11th, I got them at a farm. so they are almost a week old. Do chicks have a pecking order at this age? One of the yellow ones is being a jerk to the chipmunk-lookin' one! (might be a buff orphington picking on a partridge wyondotte, not sure). I keep checking to make sure it's not constant. So far it is not.

Sounds like you have your brooder set up correctly and everything is going fine ...

And yes they have a pecking order at that age and it sounds like it has started ...

Keep up the good work

 

[Peggy O]

Yikes! How horrible and sad for you. So sorry ShockValue.
I have the top to a dog crate, wrapped in chicken wire, ratchet strapped over the top of our tub, then two baby gates 3 feet apart, sealing off the bar in our kitchen that they are behind. I also have dogs, but they are elderly and so far have not even noticed that there are chickens in there. When we go out we roll the portable dishwasher in front of all that, for additional dog deflection. My cat is VERY interested. She is currently residing in the laundry room, even though I am pretty sure she is too fat to make it over the baby gates. We only let her out into the kitchen 100% supervised. I am really scared of pets making a meal out of chicks.

 

[tmulleady]

I have had my babies for 5 days, they are about 2 to 3 weeks old now. I also have a duck that we got at the same time. Maybe one of you can help me. The duck and chicks were in the same tub but all of a sudden my duck is mean to the chicks (to the point it bloody the wings of the smallest chick). Every time we take them out in the yard the duck starts pulling the fluff out of the babies. Any ideas why or how to stop this? The duck is my granddaughters Easter present and I would hate to have to get rid of it, but I can't have it killing my chicks either.

 

[Peggy O]

I am no expert, but the farm I bought chicks at raises ducks as well, and they advise not to mix the two because sometimes this can happen.

 

[tmulleady]

Dang! I hope he outgrows this or they get big enough to fight back or I am going to have one disappointed granddaughter.

Thank you for the info.

 

[gander007]

I have had my babies for 5 days, they are about 2 to 3 weeks old now. I also have a duck that we got at the same time. Maybe one of you can help me. The duck and chicks were in the same tub but all of a sudden my duck is mean to the chicks (to the point it bloody the wings of the smallest chick). Every time we take them out in the yard the duck starts pulling the fluff out of the babies. Any ideas why or how to stop this? The duck is my granddaughters Easter present and I would hate to have to get rid of it, but I can't have it killing my chicks either.

That is a water foul trait to pull the down off of each other ....



These guys did it and do to this day that is why the only roosters with tails
have their own coops ...




Same flock 4 years later ....



Newest guys





Bob & Aflack