So I just ordered 6 Malay chicks. 1 rooster and 5 hens! I'm excited! Anything special I need to know? Thanks guys!
Malay Chicks!
- Thread starter LindseyM12
- Start date
If you got them from a hatchery, the best I can say is prepare for the worst. They might not actually be purebred Malays, might not grow as big or act the same or even look the same.
But beyond that, true Malays are a very different breed from normal chickens. You'll need wider perches for them, set quite low, and not too high of protein in their diet. If by chance you do get more than one male, watch them as they mature. They will very likely fight once sexually mature, and might fight to the death. Otherwise they're SUPER pets, and super foragers as well as amazing moms. Their size tops most any other breed, and their height makes it especially easy to hand-feed them when walking around. They're not very cold-hardy though, but will handle snow and frost if they have a good coop.
Now, again, if you got hatchery stock there's no saying what they'll be. They might just be a longer legged version of a normal production layer, who knows. Ideal Hatchery used to sell true Malgache Games, didn't like their fighting tendencies nor broodiness nor poor laying, so they crossed in Turkens and Australorps, and ended up with today's product of some weird looking naked-neck, nothing like the original gamefowl.
But beyond that, true Malays are a very different breed from normal chickens. You'll need wider perches for them, set quite low, and not too high of protein in their diet. If by chance you do get more than one male, watch them as they mature. They will very likely fight once sexually mature, and might fight to the death. Otherwise they're SUPER pets, and super foragers as well as amazing moms. Their size tops most any other breed, and their height makes it especially easy to hand-feed them when walking around. They're not very cold-hardy though, but will handle snow and frost if they have a good coop.
Now, again, if you got hatchery stock there's no saying what they'll be. They might just be a longer legged version of a normal production layer, who knows. Ideal Hatchery used to sell true Malgache Games, didn't like their fighting tendencies nor broodiness nor poor laying, so they crossed in Turkens and Australorps, and ended up with today's product of some weird looking naked-neck, nothing like the original gamefowl.
- Thread starter
- #3
Yikes, that doesn't sound good... I got them from Ideal. I guess I'll just wait and see!
Small, weak, and nothing like true bred malay. I've raised malay stock from Ideal in the past. Good soup birds.
- Thread starter
- #5
Ok
Thanks for the info.
Sorry, just giving you my experience. They may make great pets if you are hands on with them as they grow.
When you get them in, give them a dose of poultry vitamins in their water for the first few days. Be sure to keep them warm and dry. They are pretty fragile.
When you get them in, give them a dose of poultry vitamins in their water for the first few days. Be sure to keep them warm and dry. They are pretty fragile.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #7
At least I know what to expect, and I have vitamins and a heat lamp ready, they should be fine
- Feb 11, 2013
- 19
- 1
- 26
do you have any pictures of them? if you do please post some 
i previously got a male and female from ideal and would like to see how urs look
i previously got a male and female from ideal and would like to see how urs look
I'm looking for a decent malay roo I live in sanford nc
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