Ok here comes some stupid question from a novice

[Mom2Cool]

Hi all, I've been hanging around this site for at least a year on & off reading along preparing for when I'd gotten the nerve to try this chick thing and well here I am having bitten the bullet so to speak.

Ok so here's a little background on what I have along with a couple questions. I had decide to just go through a local person who had some Black Australorps & Barred Rocks & so I'd gotten 2 of each. They all seem healthy though I don't mind saying this being a first experience with chicks they on occasion will give me a start when I see them sleeping because I swear some times they sleep with their necks stretched out & face down & look like when I'd lost my pet canary! The first time I caught my breath & thought "Ohmygosh it must have gotten too cold"? It was fine ladies but it was I who needed my heart restarted!

Ok so here's the couple questions 1. The Barred Rocks are SO look alikes I can't tell them apart & reall I can't tell the other 2 apart either but I'd noticed the other day that some time they will be sleeping with 3 huddled and then one off on it's own. I don't know if it's always the same one but it's always one of the barred rocks that's off on it's own. So the question does this mean something? Is this 1 being pushed out of a flock or is this one of an opposite sex? Or does it not mean anything?

The topic of what sex comes next. Is there a way to tell yet? I keep hearing about combs & such and I don't know which end is what. Now ask me what the withers are on a dog & I can tell you but I'm a fish out of water with these chicks and so I thought perhaps it's time I start asking questions instead of just reading along. If at some point I were to put up pics would you all be able to tell?

I'd also like to introduce myself & say thanks to everyone who comes here and posts and shares all the info you all do. You have no idea how many probably come here and read without ever posting & yet leave with a wealth of info from you all! I know I've been reading along for a LONG time!
Well sorry so long & thanks in advance for any info.

 

[debbyluvschickens]

 

[redhen]

LOL..Mom2cool...when you described them sleeping with their necks strecthed out....i have done the SAME thing!!

..and still do...

....nice to meet you!..Wendy

 

[Mom2Cool]

Quote:
LOL well thank heavens I'm not along! We'd gone to a feed store yesterday to get some thing for the used coop we have & there they had some guenie hens (sp?) anyway I went over to look and I thought "OhmyGod they've got 2 dead chicks in there!" Ummm no they didn't the little sweeties were just dead out asleep. LOL And I imagine like you I'll always get a start when I first see them sleeping like that. Especially when they're basically *on their faces*.

I'm a bit of a animal lover with all animals though I didn't think I'd be as fond of chickens as I think I'm becoming. They're here in the family room right in the hub of everything and they're pretty animated at times. They can be real roudy at times too. They get real crazy at night (why do babies always pick nite time to get roudy?) but I think it's because of the bugs that fly around the light that's above them. Anyway they just go CRAZY running all over & this goes on for SOME time then they'll all just crash out asleep at some point and during the day they're active but I think night time the bugs have them really going.

I imagine that since no one said "OHMYGOSH the one sleeping alone has this illness........." that means the on it's own is normal too? Ok so I have to admitt I feel much better when I come to this forum and I see I'm not the only nervious "mother hen". LOL It's rather calming and so thanks all.

Oh & sorry for the ramble I think I waited too long to speak here now & I have this weird need to say everything I've been thinking. LOL

 

[LynneP]

Maybe that little guy to one side is warm enough and the others appreciate each other's warmth- assuming that baby is normal in other ways.

Wait a couple of weeks, you'll be shocked at how big they are.

 

[ibpboo]

Welcome!
I think the one sleeping of on its own just means it needs some space sometimes. Its probably fine, may not even be the same one always.

I can't remember how long it takes to start telling if they are roos or hens, but I am guessing month or two or three,

You'll have so much fun with them!!

 

[d.k]

* Wow!! You've been lurking for a whole year??? That's amazing self-control!!! I think I was on maybe 1O minutes after I found the place? PROBABLY LESS, haha. Welcome, and, many happy chickees!!

 

[Mom2Cool]

They are fun to watch but my word there are times I'm completely calm about it all and then other times I'm thinking "HOLY COW they're gonna kill each other, is that one sick, is this ok, or is that ok" etc. etc.

Some times I'll be reading along here and think "oops I haven't seen that yet or I didn't know I was suppose to look for that & then other times I'm frantically looking for a question answered & normally it's always being asked or has just been asked. LOL This is a very reasurring place actually.

ibpboo yes I figured they all seem to be eating & drinking and I do watch for them to do so etc. & I don't know that it's one or the other chick that goes off by itself. Then I'd worried the other day that maybe the rest were too chilly & that's why they're huddling.... LOL there always seems to be a "omg" & have you all noticed how many threads start with that "omg"? LOL Anyway they seem fine & can be too cute. Originally I was using a plastic storage bin as a brooder for them & they kind of out grew it in a few days/a week. So then we'd moved them to a new animal cage that has a solid plastic bottom with the top cage like w/a cage like lid. That was like a week ago and so I was thinking that with the cage maybe they were chilly because air could flow through =ing a draft & so I'd pined up a towel around the sides. The other day I'd started taking it down so I could see them and well we've been having a heat wave etc. So a couple nites later they wre doing that huddle thing & so I thought since it was night time maybe they were getting chilly & I go to pin the towel back up and they were all up cranking their necks to see over the top of it..... LOL it was too cute.

Frankly I'm wondering if they're not outgrowing this new set up now too though they seem to be at each other alot, but I'm not sure if they're really AT each other or if they're chasing bugs & tripping over each other to get to the bug. I swear one body slammed himself into the side of the cage last night trying to chase a bug through the bars. Earlier though they look like they're elbow to elbow and annoyed with each other. I'll have to see if I can figure out how to post a pic here so you all can see. I'd love some advice &/or to see what you all think.

And d.k. yes I've been lurking a year & really I'd been trying to *sit on myself* from making a impulse buy when I wasn't ready. I'd found this site several years ago actually when my son had wanted some ducklings & so I'd come to peek in etc. I've always known if I spend any amount of time here I'd be thinking "I have to have some" & I couldn't at the time really. The ducks were his & he really took care of them not me or well as much as a kid takes care of them & of course it was I who found this place etc. etc. LOL but I couldn't handle more than that at the time. Anyway so here I am now & frankly this could be dangerous with me wanting more. LOL

 

[Mom2Cool]

Ok I'll try to post this pic but I'm not sure I'm doing this correctly so just bear wtih me all. ok well clearly I need to work on this one. LOL ah hah finally. I just needed to actually read the instructions LOL and thanks for the directions helping me.

 

[ibpboo]

read this thread, oh, and before you download the pics, can you choose the resizing part to large or something smaller for us poor people on dial-up?!! thanks

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=504

well, i guess i mean 640 x 480 or smaller