HI newbie with questions

[schmoo]

I am a new chicken mom! I am so glad I found this website!
We (my 9 year old son and I) are having a blast and the chicks are doing great. I purchased them from a local feed store along with all my supplies.
I have 4 hens and one rooster (so far) I am getting more tomorrow. I waited because I wasn't sure how I'd do as a chicken mom. ITS SO FUN!
I am quite sure the guy said the hens were Arucanas. I took a photo -does it look like the rooster is a RI red? Also how old do you think they look? The rooster is so tiny. and will it be okay to put 5 more hens a week or so younger than mine in with them? Should I get another rooster or just one? They will not be eaten -just raised for eggs and pets. I know I didn't need a rooster, I got him because they are funny and pretty. Sorry for all the questions I am just SO new at this. Thanks for any help.......heres my babies -the roosters named tiny LOL and the BIG hen on the ground is named BIG mama

 

[Arklady]

schmoo said: I am a new chicken mom! I am so glad I found this website!

***welcome to byc forum***
So glad you are having fun!

I have 4 hens and one rooster
***You have at least 2 roos and possibly three***

I am quite sure the guy said the hens were Arucanas.
***looks like he doesn't know his chicks you have either Australorps or Barred rocks and one Ameraucana (the ameraucana is the tan one)***

I took a photo -does it look like the rooster is a RI red? ***You don't have a rir at all.***

Also how old do you think they look?
***They are different ages from say 2-4 weeks ***

will it be okay to put 5 more hens a week or so younger than mine in with them?
***Yes you can add chicks that are just a week or so older or younger and they should be fine.***

Should I get another rooster or just one?
***You have plenty for now.***

-the roosters named tiny LOL and the BIG hen on the ground is named BIG mama
***Tiny is a girl, and Big Mama is a boy!***

I hope that doesn't look confuzzeling but I figured it was the easiest way to answer all the questions.

Welcome to the world of chickens, they are a lot of fun.

Arklady

 

[schmoo]

Oh my gosh......you can imagine my suprise.

I kind of thought that guy didn't know what he was talking about OH NO! So HOW can you tell? I can't believe that little one is hen? Heres why. This was one of those feed stores offering "free" rooster chicks with feed purchase. So the guy charged me for 4 hens $2.00 each and gave me the tiny brown one "free" because I said I only wanted ONE rooster. oh man - please tell me how you can tell the difference -so tomorrow when I get more hens I know they are HENS. Thanks so much for your help.

I really don't think he did it on purpose -I'd hope

 

[tiffwilhelm]

Hi. I am new here too. I have four pullets that are about 8 weeks old (one of them is probably 6 weeks old). The little brown one in the middle likes like my Americana. The markings around the eyes that look like eye liner and the speckles on it look like my Sally. The little black ones look a little bit like my Australorp hen. I bought all mine already sexed from a small ranch and my Americauna from the feed store for a buck. What an impulse buy! If that one is an Americauna hen, she will have green eggs. My chicks started getting their little wing feathers like yours at about two weeks of age. But I am not an expert. I am learning as I go. Have fun with them!

 

[Arklady]

Oh and while I am on it. You have pullets/ not hens. Hens lay eggs yours are called pullets. The boys are called cockrels, till they start crowing and even then they are cockrels but juveniles until they start mating.

All of that starts by the time they are roughly 6 months old.

A roosters comb starts growing much faster than a pullets comb, many times the pullets comb not doing much till they are 4 months old. By then the cockrels have a huge gorgeous comb while the pullets have a short yellow pinkish comb. When the pullets comb is bright red she will be ready for laying hens and she is called a hen after she has started laying for 2 months.

The "guy" at the feed store is he young or old. He could have sold you five roo chicks its hard to tell with the youngest ones.

There are many ways that people tell you that you can pick for girls but the best way is to order from a hatchery, pullets only. Then you know you have girls. It may cost a bit more but you know you have girls. Or just keep buying until you have what looks to be enough girls and cull or put down the boys. I don't like putting them down either but sometimes thats what you have to do. The ratio for hens to roos is 10 hens to 1 rooster.

Yet again I say... Welcome to the world of chickens, and their frustrations.

Arklady

 

[schmoo]

I called the place I got them from and asked where they "order" the chicks from. Then I proceeded to call the hatchery.

The lady there looked up the order she sent to the mill on the week before I got my chicks. She said the black ones are Australorps and they had only sent pullets in that breed and she wasn't sure about the little brown one. So we shall see. I hope thats the case. I don't have to worry about getting cockrels tomorrow because she told me he ordered ONLY pullets.

thank goodness......... Thank you so much for your help and the right terminology. I had no idea.
I told you I was new!! LOL I'll post pics of the new babies tomorrow.

 

[Lipkis]

Welcome to chickendom!

My mom and I got chickens the day before Easter. I'm realy not sure what possessed her to buy chickens but we're sure happy we took them! We have so much fun raising them and its so much fun to just watch them do anything!

We just have three girls.


Good luck with having little boys running around. We wanted a rooster but our neighbors would kill us! (Crowing boys+Suburbia=No)

I really hope that you and your son have a great time with them.

 

[SarahF]

I am a new chicken mom too...I have 5 pullets and they are supposed to be all Barred Rock, but I have one that looks different and is growing slower than all the rest. she looks JUST LIKE your pullet 3rd right on the box...what kind is she? please let me know if you know! thank you!

 

[schmoo]

Sarah -you are asking the wrong person LOL The lady on the phone said she "thinks" its an Australorp so maybe that'll help.

Well after reading things on this website and some books from the library, I decided to start from "scratch" so to speak. I found out my 5 chicks are not debeaked or vaccinated (I know I'm so bad for not knowing these things until now) I would like to start out right and have these things done.

So I have a neighbor who would love to have the chicks I have as they are, whether they are boys or girls doesn't matter to her. Since I'm not sure I would hate to find out much later that I have 4 roosters and one hen.

I called the hatchery which is only 50 miles away and placed an order for pullets only, that are debeaked and vaccinated. What a relief, I am so lucky I don't have to have them delivered. I can't wait. I'm going to pick them up tomorrow. I'll post picks of the tinys tomorrow. Thanks again

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Is there a reason you're debeaking them? What vaccines did you order?