OMG I found stray chicks!!! Age? Breed? What now?

[lazy gardener]

How sweet is that? Has it been raining in your area? Usually, it rains dogs and cats. So, it's unusual, but not out of the question for it to be raining chicks and, (this is for @duluthralphie) ducks. Even sweeter that you had a broody who was ready, willing and able to take on Mama duty.

 

[Kale Chips]

Hi there! Your chicks are so cute! I am so glad you rescued them and it is so cool that your hen adopted them! I just got Silver Laced Wyandottes as well as some Golden Comets and while I am EXTREMELY inexperienced, I can say that they look VERY similar! The Wyandotte looks just like the ones I have and the golden one even has a visible comb like mine! I guess we will have to wait and see but those are my predictions!

 

[Duckstail]

Great job! Honestly that's a better find then finding 20 bucks on the street imo!! You got two nice chicks and a cool story now!

 

[Allie Grace Sanders]

Love this!

 

[ellie62706]

kinda weird they were walking on the side of the road, but lucky you found them, they are adorable!

 

[Dawnclucks22]

Thank you!!

Oh fun, I don’t have a Wyandotte in my flock!

Ok here I go, googling pictures of RIRs and ISAs to see if I can tell the difference...

ISAs tend to be lighter in color, some have white feathers here and there. You’ll get to know the difference eventually. (My RIR is on the far right)

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Where on earth did they come from lol

Not earth, Heaven!

 

[treslilbirds]

Trying that image again...View attachment 1349393

Oh my heart

 

[RodNTN]

Trying that image again...View attachment 1349393

This story is so sweet! And that picture! So cute

 

[bruceha2000]

Great job! Honestly that's a better find then finding 20 bucks on the street imo!! You got two nice chicks and a cool story now!

More like $40 with shipping!

I’ve read some folks saying keeping the brood separate for several weeks, but I’ve also read some folks just let broody hens raise their chicks loose with the rest of the flock. I don’t know what to do! Any suggestions?

I have had 3 batches, the 2nd two were raised out in the barn with the adults. The first of those was raised from the age of a couple of days by Zorra (one of the then 3 Y/O hens). NOTHING got near her chicks. The last group self raised for 3 weeks before Zorra decided she would be their nanny. The littles figured out that all the adults went south from the coop (converted stall in a barn) and never went north - into the 2 alpacas' area. The boys didn't mess with them and the adult hens sometimes chased them. Not a hard decision to go north. After a couple of weeks they found the alpacas' always open door and were foraging outside.