New chicken mama here, and I've been reading everyone else's threads to learn from all of you. I have six chicks, coming up on 5 weeks old, 4 different breeds. They are outside during the day, but I still bring them in at night - the coop isn't finished yet but hopefully this weekend.
One of the chicks is far bigger than the others, and I"m trying to figure out if it's just her breed (she's an austra white; the others are golden-laced wyandotte, columbian wyandotte (they seem a bit smaller than the others) and an Americauna (so they said - she doesn't look like the pictures of Americauna's I've seen online - she's tufted, but a charcoal grey color.)
Anyway, the Austra White is quite aggressive - she chest bumps, pecks the other chicks' butts (she reminds me of how my two daughters pick on each other!) and sometimes even jumps on top of the others. Is that just her establishing that she's the top chicken, or could she be a rooster? How do they sex chickens and could I tell by examining her?
Also I've read that preventing boredom helps - I never knew chickens could get bored, but watching them, they do seem to like it when a bug flies by, or someone gets a worm and they all go chasing around. What kinds of things can I put in the pen to keep them entertained?
ps I've been blogging about them and posting lots of pictures at peepcluck.blogspot.com.
thanks!!
One of the chicks is far bigger than the others, and I"m trying to figure out if it's just her breed (she's an austra white; the others are golden-laced wyandotte, columbian wyandotte (they seem a bit smaller than the others) and an Americauna (so they said - she doesn't look like the pictures of Americauna's I've seen online - she's tufted, but a charcoal grey color.)
Anyway, the Austra White is quite aggressive - she chest bumps, pecks the other chicks' butts (she reminds me of how my two daughters pick on each other!) and sometimes even jumps on top of the others. Is that just her establishing that she's the top chicken, or could she be a rooster? How do they sex chickens and could I tell by examining her?
Also I've read that preventing boredom helps - I never knew chickens could get bored, but watching them, they do seem to like it when a bug flies by, or someone gets a worm and they all go chasing around. What kinds of things can I put in the pen to keep them entertained?
ps I've been blogging about them and posting lots of pictures at peepcluck.blogspot.com.
thanks!!