Help! I have to pick my chicks tomorrow! How do I choose good ones?

[guesswhatchickenbutt]

The Feed Store just called and my chicks are in.

I want to rush right up there and get them, but I am going to wait until tomorrow so it can be a family thing.

I'm getting a BO, a BR and an Americauna (she assures me it is, but if it's an EE, I'm fine with that too).

So... what do I look for in a chick? They're seperated by sex and breed so I know I'm going for girls in the above breeds (hopefully I end up with girls). I know she's got a hundred of each of the breeds so there will be plenty to choose from.

Besides looking for clear eyes, a straight beek, straight, healthy legs and an otherwise alert chick - is there anything else I should look for?

How about coloration? Is there anyway I can look at the BR chicks and figure out how much barring they'll have? and the Americauna (or EE) - is there anything related to coloring I should look for?

I'm beyond beyond excited and wish I could get them today, but my husband really wants to go and so do the kids, so I'm being a good mom and waiting until tomorrow. Sigh - it's such a long way away.

Any help is appreciated!!!

 

[Jenski]

You can also check:

size - equal to or larger than hatch mates. Runts can be cute, but they sometimes suffer from health problems.
breathing - no raspiness, no open-mouth gasping
discharge - no discharge from eyes, nostrils, mouth
general behavior - when they are running in the brooder, watch for perky chicks that are inquisitive and move around OK. No limping!

Very young (under 5 days) chicks will sleep a lot, sometimes stopping in the middle of what they are doing and falling down for a nap. This is normal. However, they should also get back up and run around like they never slept within a short period of time!

Good luck, and enjoy your chicks!

 

[hennypenny9]

Other than making sure they look healthy, as the other poster mentioned, I would just go for it!

Second thinking it will make you crazy! And this is coming from a person who stared at the oranges for like five minutes before choosing some at the grocery store.

 

[Foxhound lady]

some more advice pick the ones that comes to you, not away from you. Mush easier to deal with as adults.

 

[guesswhatchickenbutt]

THANKS for the great advice!!!

Any thoughts on coloration???????

Is there a way to tell which BR's will have more barring than the others? Or is it a chick-crap-shoot when it comes to this sort of thing. I'd love one with dramatic barring, but I'd love a messy looking one too, of course.

And the Americaunas - any ideas on chick coloration with relation to adult coloration there???

 

[chookchick]

Good luck! I hope the chicks aren't flying out the door like they are here--get there early! The EEs ("ameraucana") are so cool, I like all the colors. The chipmunky ones seem to have a lot of all over feather "lacing" when adult. I have one that was black with just a rust tinge to her, she is turning into the most beautiful chick with a lot more light color in the neck, breast area. The light color ones with a hint of color also turn out lovely if you like a lighter colored chicken. Get a range!

 

[Jamie821]

I raise ameracaunas and the prettiest ones I have when they were chicks were the lightest in color with the most different colors on them. The dark ones are pretty but the light colored have more colororation.