Newbie with several questions!!!

[ChickensAreSweet]

Good morning, all! I posted these questions in the wrong area (the intro section), so I'm now going to start a thread in the proper area. I'm sorry!!!

1.) My chicks are 2 and 3 weeks old. the older ones seem to be shying away from being held. Is this normal? Also, they like to peck at me now. The Jersey Giant actually pinched me pretty hard with her beak. What am I doing wrong???

2.) I switched over to an organic starter and they are all turning their noses up at it but will eat the original stuff (Nutrena?) no problem. I really need to get them switched over to this improved feed. Any ideas as to how I can accomplish this?

3.) Are mealworms okay for the chicks? I've read a couple of schools of thought on this. Some say go right ahead because that's what mama hen does... others say don't do it. My Jersey Giant, Golden Campine and White Orpington love to eat tiny mealworms. The others... not so much. I do provide chick grit with the worms.

4.) We are about to build the coop. Is chain link an acceptable run material, or do we need one with smaller holes?

and finally...

5.) My Barred Rock seems to be developing a comb. Is there a definitive way to tell whether or not it is a roo? My child is going to be more bummed the longer we wait to know because we cannot keep a rooster where we live. Sigh... this is one of the sweeter large chicks.

Many, many thanks, in advance!!!



Ana

When a chicken pecks you, hold him down with your hand so he sits on the ground for a few seconds, and then let go. This teaches them that you are the top hen or rooster. Never allow a chicken to peck you without you showing them that you are the top chicken, as only submissive chickens would allow that to pass.

It is normal for them to be skittish. They become friendlier when they start laying. You can befriend them by offering treats as time goes by though. I don't worry about treats so much with the little ones though. Mealworms are fine, but they do look like their toes when they are tiny chicks and I did read someone say it started them pecking each others' toes. I only give them to older chickens.

The organic starter may be stale. Check to see if it is moldy. If so, toss it as moldy feed can kill chickens. If not moldy, then continue feeding it and just be firm that this is your feed, eat it. I feed organic mostly too. If you think it is stale, I would offer them some very short grass clippings to make sure they are getting fresh vitamins. Vitamin deficiencies in chickens are not pretty. I offer 1 inch or shorter clippings to chicks and 1-2 inches to older chickens (to prevent impacted crop don't feed long grass). Chicks of course shouldn't be fed stale feed but sometimes we just don't know how fresh it is and this is insurance IMO.

Chainlink is fine for a run, but here is the caution:
Owls and hawks (and raccoons) can pull a chicken through the chainlink. And this is NOT rare. I have had it happen to me, even. So line it with something like hardware cloth (I used chicken wire, but this isn't very strong and a raccoon can rip chicken wire as if it isn't there) to prevent this, along the bottom and apron it out or bury it to prevent diggers from gaining access.

A top to the pen can prevent hawk attacks (I use shade cloth on my kennel). If you want it to be predator proof, only 1/2 inch hardware cloth is predator proof (rats and weasels can get into larger holes than that).

So a raccoon can get through shade cloth or netting, but I don't have a predator proof pen, just a predator proof coop. So it depends on what you want. Some use dog kennel panels as a run (if you hang heavy knotted netting over it think snow load).

You can search BYC for hardware cloth apron for ideas if needed.

Keep your chickens until you are absolutely sure they are roosters...some hens will fool you and you will think they are boys until they lay an egg LOL!!! Especially if you are very bonded with them.

 

[Ana Robin]

When a chicken pecks you, hold him down with your hand so he sits on the ground for a few seconds, and then let go. This teaches them that you are the top hen or rooster. Never allow a chicken to peck you without you showing them that you are the top chicken, as only submissive chickens would allow that to pass.

It is normal for them to be skittish. They become friendlier when they start laying. You can befriend them by offering treats as time goes by though. I don't worry about treats so much with the little ones though. Mealworms are fine, but they do look like their toes when they are tiny chicks and I did read someone say it started them pecking each others' toes. I only give them to older chickens.

The organic starter may be stale. Check to see if it is moldy. If so, toss it as moldy feed can kill chickens. If not moldy, then continue feeding it and just be firm that this is your feed, eat it. I feed organic mostly too. If you think it is stale, I would offer them some very short grass clippings to make sure they are getting fresh vitamins. Vitamin deficiencies in chickens are not pretty. I offer 1 inch or shorter clippings to chicks and 1-2 inches to older chickens (to prevent impacted crop don't feed long grass). Chicks of course shouldn't be fed stale feed but sometimes we just don't know how fresh it is and this is insurance IMO.

Chainlink is fine for a run, but here is the caution:
Owls and hawks (and raccoons) can pull a chicken through the chainlink. And this is NOT rare. I have had it happen to me, even. So line it with something like hardware cloth (I used chicken wire, but this isn't very strong and a raccoon can rip chicken wire as if it isn't there) to prevent this, along the bottom and apron it out or bury it to prevent diggers from gaining access.

A top to the pen can prevent hawk attacks (I use shade cloth on my kennel). If you want it to be predator proof, only 1/2 inch hardware cloth is predator proof (rats and weasels can get into larger holes than that).

So a raccoon can get through shade cloth or netting, but I don't have a predator proof pen, just a predator proof coop. So it depends on what you want. Some use dog kennel panels as a run (if you hang heavy knotted netting over it think snow load).

You can search BYC for hardware cloth apron for ideas if needed.

Keep your chickens until you are absolutely sure they are roosters...some hens will fool you and you will think they are boys until they lay an egg LOL!!! Especially if you are very bonded with them.

Thank you so very much for all of this great info. What a friendly forum... glad to be here!