New 2 Week Old Rhode Island Red Baby Chicks...Does anyone know???? I'm new at this!!! :)

[RIRedLover]

Hi! My name is Jen. I have 14 2 week old baby chicks that I bought from a hatchery.

They seem all healthy and they eat and drink just fine. But I was supposed to receive all females. I have one who seems a little confused. She likes to try and mount the others. They are all trying to fly and really enjoy flying and landing on one another. They have become very noisy and a little aggressive with one another. I do not currently have a in-fared heat lamp, maybe should I try that? Am I doing something wrong? I have them in a HUGE water trough (like a horse size) with safe screening on top and a good self water system and feeder. And did I possibly get a rooster with the one who seems "confused"? They're VERY friendly with me...just not very tolerant of one and other at times. I appreciate any body's input!!! Thank you all in advance!

 

[Melinda35]

At two week,s if it is a boy, that is too early to be trying to mount for breeding. It sounds like they are either crowded or just bored. Can you put some sticks in there for them to jump up on? They do need a heat lamp still at two weeks.

 

[laura877]

Take a look at the comb of the one you think is a rooster and compare it to the others. Is it as feathered out as the others.? Does it stand more upright or carry itself down low and hunched over like a hen? I've been getting pretty good at sexing chicks this way. Are you keeping them in a rubbermaid watering tank? Do they look like they are getting crowded? As far as flying around, thats normal.

 

[RIRedLover]

They are in a BIG metal trough like what horses drink out of..I measured it for you.. it's 55 inches long, 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep. So for 14 I think they have good enough room...maybe not though.Good point! I'll check on the the chick and see!Thank you so so much for your help!!! You all are WONDERFUL!!!!!!!

Thanks again..Jen

P.S If you think that what I have them in is too small..let me know. I'll do whatever I can to make them happy! I currently have chip bedding for them and I keep it SUPER clean!!! But any more tips I am VERY open to!!! thanks again!!!

 

[elida]

HELLO IHA VE TWO RHODE ISLAND CHIKENS BUT THEY KEEP L
AYING EGGS ONE BY ONE BUT WONT KEEP THEM WARM THEY JUST KEEP LAYING I ONLY WANT BABY CHIKENS BUT THIS CHIKEMS WONT KEEP WARM THE EGGS WHAT SHOULD I DO???????

 

[cafarmgirl]

HELLO IHA VE TWO RHODE ISLAND CHIKENS BUT THEY KEEP L
AYING EGGS ONE BY ONE BUT WONT KEEP THEM WARM THEY JUST KEEP LAYING I ONLY WANT BABY CHIKENS BUT THIS CHIKEMS WONT KEEP WARM THE EGGS WHAT SHOULD I DO???????

First of all, welcome to BYC. Second, you might get more and faster responses if you start a new thread, this one is fairly old. And sometimes folks get snippy if you post on their thread and change the subject if it's an active discussion!

Now, regarding your hens, many hatchery bred hens do not go broody very often, if at all. They are bred for production, to lay an egg every day on and on, not so much for going broody. Of my hatchery birds the only one's I've ever had go broody for me were my Buff Orpington and my Golden Sebright hens. My Rhode Islands and barred rocks never have, they lay an egg and off they go. So until and unless one of your birds decides to brood you are out of luck. Unless you want to get an incubator and try hatching the eggs yourself. Also, this may be a dumb question but you didn't mention a rooster. I assume you have one?!

 

[elida]

Hello thanks for responding am kind of new to this website
as regarding my hens and like you said they lay eggs and off they go and yes they their rooster and as for the eggs i have 13 eggs already but idnt know what todo with them???????????????????? should i put them back or do i put them in a cubanator like you said and put them a big lamp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i dont know that much of chikens i love animals i just barely got them and thank you for responding me

 

[heatherkh]

Elida, you should go to the Incubating & Hatching Eggs section of the forum for more information about hatching out eggs. To hatch out your own brood you either need a broody hen (and if yours are laying eggs and not sitting on the next 24/7 they are not broody), or an incubator to do it yourself. You'll know if one of your hens goes broody - they stop laying eggs, spend 90% of their time on the nest and when they do walk around they are puffed up like a turkey making a cluck-cluck-cluck noise. Good luck!

 

[elida]

WOW THANK YOU SO MUCH GUYS ALL THIS ANSWER MY QUESTIONS

 

[CAjerseychick]

They are in a BIG metal trough like what horses drink out of..I measured it for you.. it's 55 inches long, 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep. So for 14 I think they have good enough room...maybe not though.Good point! I'll check on the the chick and see!Thank you so so much for your help!!! You all are WONDERFUL!!!!!!!

Thanks again..Jen

P.S If you think that what I have them in is too small..let me know. I'll do whatever I can to make them happy! I currently have chip bedding for them and I keep it SUPER clean!!! But any more tips I am VERY open to!!! thanks again!!!

Rule of thumb is 1-2 square ft for chicks-- so you actually have room for 12 chicks-- It wouldnt hurt to go alittle bigger... and at the very least put some branches and grass in to amuse/ distract them....