New to chickens and not sure as to what i have!

[Redsweetness2020]

Make sure they have a BIG space to live, and several feeders and waterers. Also have a few things they can go under or behind (maybe a small table, a bale of straw, a piece of plywood leaned against the wall so it's like a tunnel-- see what you have available, because the chickens are not too picky.)

That way one male can get away from the other if he wants to, and the hens can get away from both of them if too much mating happens.

And you might want a second pen right next to the main pen. If the males do not get along, or if they are bothering the hens too much, you can put one or both males into the second pen for a while. With wire mesh between them, they can still interact so they are not lonely, and do not feel like strangers if you combine them again later.

(And if you do not need to put the males in the other pen, you can use it for a broody hen or for raising chicks. There are always lots of uses for another chicken pen!)

Super Helpful! Thank you so much! Having roosters was not in my plans at all and it is making things a bit more flustrating but...i am grateful for all this advice! I usually try to have things in order but I am finding this adventure has a lot of different variables.....loving the challenge though!!! Again thank you!

 

[Grandmas Coop]

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

Welcome to BYC.

 

[NatJ]

Having roosters was not in my plans at all...

For future reference:
if you buy bantams, you will almost always get some males. Bantams are typically sold straight-run (=unsexed), so it's normal for about half to be male.

The larger chicks can be available as sexed pullets (females), sexed cockerels (males), or straight run (unsexed).

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to the pulse beat of the poultry community, BACKYARD CHICKENS

 

[Redsweetness2020]

For future reference:
if you buy bantams, you will almost always get some males. Bantams are typically sold straight-run (=unsexed), so it's normal for about half to be male.

The larger chicks can be available as sexed pullets (females), sexed cockerels (males), or straight run (unsexed).

Well the atwoods around here cant label anything right. The bin I got my bantams from all said pullets on them. So I thought they were all hens and then we had them a bit longer I thought the #3 was the boy. Lol I looked and all articles for juvenile sexing and it said something about neck feathers and saddle feathers would be long skinny and pointed...hens would be fatter and rounded. So you see my misconception..lol but you are an awesome source of knowledge! I need to come spend a few days at your coop! Lol. I am gonna post some more pics of my full size chicks in a couple days but one of them is kind acting like the bantam boys....lol

 

[NatJ]

Well the atwoods around here cant label anything right. The bin I got my bantams from all said pullets on them. So I thought they were all hens

This seems to happen to a lot of people: wrong labels on the bins in the store. And because the individual chicks do not have barcodes on them, the computer cannot tell you correctly either

neck feathers and saddle feathers would be long skinny and pointed...hens would be fatter and rounded.

That is generally true after about 8 to 12 weeks of age. But all chicks get female-shaped feathers at first, so you have to guess from comb development or else wait a bit longer.

I am gonna post some more pics of my full size chicks in a couple days but one of them is kind acting like the bantam boys....

You already know the store had one label wrong, so I think it's very reasonable to distrust the others!

Depending on how many males you end up with, you might consider eating some of them. Home raised chicken can taste very good, even when it comes from small chickens (like bantams.)

 

[Redsweetness2020]

All right time for picture updates! Lets see if your guesses are still the same for these three!! Boys, girls, and what kind of chickens do I got? Lol. All I know is they are so pretty!

 

[drumstick diva]

You can post your photos (with age at time of photo) at "what breed or gender is this," for more replies.

 

[ronott1]