How old are these babies?

[NatJ]

I currently have this anxiety that some might turn out to be roosters which we won’t be able to keep. So when I was cleaning their box earlier I really tried to look at the colors. And in bright sunlight, a couple actually did look more pale yellow than golden/red…. Here are two pictures. Still looking like all hens?

Yes, they all look female.

 

[ninafe]

Thank you guys soooo much for all the answers. Really helped a LOT.

Another random question~ I started the chicken brooder with pine shavings per recommendation from the tractor supply employee (the same person that sold me the wrong chicken) and I noticed that as soon as I put the chicks in, they started eating bits of the shavings. They were still eating their regular food but it appears that they like the shaving JUST as much. So after lurking on this forum some, I saw a recommendation that says to lay down puppy pads for now to make the chicks learn their real food is the only food and then transition to pine shavings. I've had the puppy pad for the past six days and change it out daily. Yesterday I tried to put some pine shavings in and all the chicks just went berzerk. How I would describe them chowing down on the shaving is how I eat after skipping a meal and coming back from the gym and see hot Chinese food on the kitchen table.

Is this normal behavior?? Am I stuck with puppy pads forever? Would they die from eating too much shavings?

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Is this normal behavior?? Am I stuck with puppy pads forever? Would they die from eating too much shavings?

Are you using flake shavings or fine shavings?
If you are using fine, switch to flake asap.
Flake shavings are too large for chicks to ingest. Even flake shavings have some smaller bits mixed in, but not enough to be a problem.

Also, do Not use the "coffee grounds" bedding currently being sold by tractor supply. I read a thread just yesterday where a person said most of their chicks died soon after she added that bedding to their brooder. Ive seen other similiar concerns too. Caffeine is toxic to chickens, and wee chicks would be even more susceptible.

Having said that, billions of chicks have been brooded on various bedding types and survived just fine. It is perfectly normal for chicks to taste/sample their surroundings, and that includes their bedding. They are just like human kids in that respect. I am always amused when I see a new chick "sample" poop it sees stuck to another chick's butt. Followed immediately by the chick frantically wiping its beak back and forth on the ground. The chick's antics leave little doubt what it is thinking. "Ooh gross that was horrible I must remember to Never Ever eat that again!"

Chicks grow fast, and they learn fast too.

 

[RoyalChick]

Thank you guys soooo much for all the answers. Really helped a LOT.

Another random question~ I started the chicken brooder with pine shavings per recommendation from the tractor supply employee (the same person that sold me the wrong chicken) and I noticed that as soon as I put the chicks in, they started eating bits of the shavings. They were still eating their regular food but it appears that they like the shaving JUST as much. So after lurking on this forum some, I saw a recommendation that says to lay down puppy pads for now to make the chicks learn their real food is the only food and then transition to pine shavings. I've had the puppy pad for the past six days and change it out daily. Yesterday I tried to put some pine shavings in and all the chicks just went berzerk. How I would describe them chowing down on the shaving is how I eat after skipping a meal and coming back from the gym and see hot Chinese food on the kitchen table.

Is this normal behavior?? Am I stuck with puppy pads forever? Would they die from eating too much shavings?

I use the coarse size pine shavings (the white bag at TSC rather than the yellow bag which is finer).
For the first few days I cover it in paper towel. When that gets soiled I remove it and give them a bowl of chick grit and leave the pine shavings exposed.
Mine definitely peck at the shavings and run around with them in their little beaks, but they can’t really consume too much of it as the shavings are too big. And now they have grit it isn't the end of the world (I hope) if they do manage to eat some.
Mine are now 10 days old and eating constantly!

 

[ninafe]

Are you using flake shavings or fine shavings?
If you are using fine, switch to flake asap.
Flake shavings are too large for chicks to ingest. Even flake shavings have some smaller bits mixed in, but not enough to be a problem.

I have flake shavings but there are still bits and pieces. Per my observation, the chicks would really dig through to find bits small enough to eat and they are super dedicated. Once in a while they pick up a large piece and would immediately drop it and move onto find small bits again. The pine shaving I have looks like this~ is there a brand that has bigger shavings?

 

[ninafe]

For the first few days I cover it in paper towel. When that gets soiled I remove it and give them a bowl of chick grit and leave the pine shavings exposed.
Mine definitely peck at the shavings and run around with them in their little beaks, but they can’t really consume too much of it as the shavings are too big. And now they have grit it isn't the end of the world (I hope) if they do manage to eat some.
Mine are now 10 days old and eating constantly!

Our chicks are the same age ! Would you mind recommending a brand for chick grit??

 

[NatJ]

...a brand for chick grit??

Grit is just little rocks. Any brand should be equally good, as long as the rocks (grit) are the right size for the chicks to swallow.

Per my observation, the chicks would really dig through to find bits small enough to eat and they are super dedicated.

If they have to work that hard to find small pieces, you probably don't need to worry very much. Hunting for each piece will slow them down, so they cannot just gorge themselves on shavings and then decide it was a bad idea.

Once they spill some food in the shavings, some of what they dig up & eat will be food instead of shavings. (I do not suggest that you dump food on purpose for them to find, because chicks always spill plenty on their own.)

 

[RoyalChick]

Our chicks are the same age ! Would you mind recommending a brand for chick grit??

I just got the TSC brand - Dumor. A 5lb bag has lasted me two batches of babies. They don’t seem to use a lot of it before they go outside and presumably find their own.
Here is what I got.

 

[RoyalChick]

Grit is just little rocks. Any brand should be equally good, as long as the rocks (grit) are the right size for the chicks to swallow.



If they have to work that hard to find small pieces, you probably don't need to worry very much. Hunting for each piece will slow them down, so they cannot just gorge themselves on shavings and then decide it was a bad idea.

Once they spill some food in the shavings, some of what they dig up & eat will be food instead of shavings. (I do not suggest that you dump food on purpose for them to find, because chicks always spill plenty on their own.)

Yes that. One of mine digs it out of the feeder and the others dig for it in the shavings!

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Per my observation, the chicks would really dig through to find bits small enough to eat and they are super dedicated.

You are right that chicks are super-dedicated little diggers. I've always wondered what they expect to find at the bottom of their brooder. An escape tunnel? A hole to China? The answer is surely a secret known only by chicks.