Our first babies

[Croysdon]

We have added to our family. We have 6 Speckled Sussex chicks. They are so cute. We are excited to have chickens. They are about a week old. Brooder is set up and they seem to be doing great. Now we start building the coop.

 

[Tuhmu]

and good luck with all your poultry adventures!

Speckled Sussex's are super adorable with their little chipmunk stripes.

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

Congrats on the new babies too! If you need any tips and hints on raising your new brood, stop by our learning center here on BYC for good reads on all the aspects of keeping chickens. From building the coop and designs, raising your new babies, feeding your adult flock and keeping them happy and healthy...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center

Great to have you aboard and enjoy those new babies!!

 

[Croysdon]

Thanks. Our big concern is what to do if we end up with a Rooster. I don't think me or the hubby has it in us to do the unthinkable. We are attached ( I know it sounds silly, but we love all creatures). Is it possible to keep one and not end up eating a fertilized egg (my own childhood trauma)?

 

[TwoCrows]

Roosters will mate with hens. And I feel your pain of eating fertilized eggs! Lots of people do it. We did it as youngsters when we owned chickens. But I didn't give it much thought back then. You could always rehome him if you do get a roo in your bunch of babies. You could post an ad in our Buy Sell and Trade section in hopes of getting him a home from someone here on BYC. You can also chat with members in your states thread here on BYC and maybe someone nearby could take him.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Good luck with your new chicks! X2, if you have a rooster with the flock, he will mate with the hens, so you are left with either keeping him separate, or re-homing him. One thing, in non-incubated eggs it is actually not that easy to tell the difference between a none fertilized egg / germinal disc and a fertilized one/ blastoderm, lots of threads on BYC of people trying to figure out if their rooster is doing his job... blood spots and meat spots of various sizes will show up in eggs and a lot of times those are confused with a developing embryo.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

 

[drumstick diva]

some say if you pick up eggs promptly every day and put them in the refrigerator, embryos will not develop. I think I'm probably like you, I would not want to find any sign of one.

 

[gander007]

 

[Croysdon]

Epic fail on the part of the feed store. My Sussex are actually Golden laced Wynedottes. I am kind of bummed out. I wanted Sussex because I was told they were super friendly. I don't know about these birds. We looked them up online and they are beautiful birds though.