Lavender Orpington Thread

[annmichele]

Since this is our first time with chicks (we got our other birds as teenagers), do these look between one and two weeks old? Last Saturday when we got them, the small, local hatchery said they were about a week old.

Thanks for your help!

 

[OrpieLover31]

He is doing just fine! Good Luck with your new chicks!

 

[OrpieLover31]

AWWWWWW! They are so adorable! They look like they could be between 1 or 2 weeks old! They are really pretty

 

[annmichele]

Thanks!!! They are a kick! Growing very well and providing lots of entertainment for us!

From your experience, how soon can you tell if they are roo or hen?

Thanks!!!!

p.s., OrpieLover31, I see you are in Gig Harbor -- my best friend lives in Port Orchard!

 

[OrpieLover31]

I can normally tell if they are hen or rooster, when you can easily see how much bigger or smaller the comb and waddle are! Although strangely this time I was able to say what their gender was when they were four days old! All I did was look at the eye color and see how quickly the feathers were growing in! About the eye color... All I did was see if any of their eyes were more of a blue or a brown, If its blue then its probably a boy, if it brown then its probably a girl! And if you want to look at their feathers all you do is look and see whose feathers are growing quicker, If the feathers are growing quicker then its probably a girl! But sometimes these ways aren't very accurate. If you give me some better pictures of each individual chick then I can try guessing what they are for you. And nice to know that your friend lives in Port Orchard! Does your friend have chickens too???

 

[annmichele]

Oh thank you so much for what you said! I *really* was suspected two of our five chicks are girls (Henny and Penny)....they are smaller and their feathers have come in faster, especially their tail feathers! Their combs are smaller and their heads are more narrow. I will take some good pics tomorrow in the daylight. Now the issue is what to do with 3 roosters! We have 10 ladies now, coming up on one year old (4 Buffs, 3 RIRs and 3 possible Isa Browns). I would really like to have one rooster and the two hens in with them....hopefully they will be accepted when they are a bit bigger!

Any advice and suggestions would be welcome as far as how to integrate them into the flock.


Yes, my friend in Port Orchard has chickens too! She inspired me to get mine!

 

[OrpieLover31]

Well, when I get a new chicken I usually just put them in the chickens coop for a day or two. But you should wait when they are about the same size as the other to join the flock. They will get pecked. But that is just part of it. If they all go to one chick and just peck it then take them all back out and wait a day or two and try it again. And just keep doing that until they are accepted into the flock. They will still peck them some but that is just part of the process. That is how they establish the "pecking" order.

 

[Coupe]

I hatched out LO over the winter...they are pretty big now..but my one hen just dosnt grow..she is half the size of the other girls..do chickens get runts? Lol

 

[OrpieLover31]

I think she might be a runt.... If chickens do get runts... But she also might not be getting all the right nutrition! Its important to check up on her and see if she is eating much! You might want to give her some extra food. I like feeding my chickens bread, spinach, apples, and some other chickens treats at Wilco. And also look to see if she is getting "bullied" by the other chickens! She might not be able to get to the food.... only when they are not looking. Good Luck!

 

[annmichele]

Would love to see some pics if you can! Especially the little one! Does she just look like a mini version of the others? What was their hatch date?