Raising Chickens to Hens for the first time! (Maryland)

[bruceha2000]

DD1 names the chicks. At least with ours there has always been at least some little difference between them. As they age the differences increase. It helps that we get only 2 or 3 of a given breed in a batch we order. I expect it would be harder if you got a dozen of the same breed (or as in the case of Sex Links and Easter Eggers, non breeds ).

I would advise you to not name them based on what they sound like as chicks. "Peep" (2012 Cubalaya) should have been named "Sqwark". And Trill (2017 Barnevelder) should have been named "Nasal Honk". Well maybe not THAT but that is what she sounds like now, certainly no trill to her voice any more. None of the other birds were named after their sound, the EEs have always been named after Greek goddesses of mythology. Andromeda, Persephone, Eos, Athena, Penelope, Cassiopeia.

 

[Peppercorngal]

I’m always hatching but always forgetting when they’re feathered

Usually about 6 weeks they are pretty much fully feathered. You may get a runt that is not but if they are cold they will "pile up" together and keep one another warm.

 

[Peppercorngal]

When do you name your chickens (those who do) meaning at what age can you tell them apart? Sorry I'm bored and out of questions for right now.

(I get my first chicks in April!)

I name my chickens according to their personalities. You can tell them apart in the way they act. My curious girl is named Sadie (my Mom's name for me when I misbehaved), Ethel is my name for the runt, etc. I spend a couple of hours a day out in the chicken run in a chair just watching them and talking to them.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Are you suppose to close the door to the coop at night thats connected to the closed in run?

I do not close the door from the enclosed run into the coop. I usually only do that when I need to leave the coop door open for cleaning. I close it to keep the chicks in the run and out of the coop.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Are you suppose to close the door to the coop at night thats connected to the closed in run?

If the run is enclosed and safe from predators why close it? I leave mine open all the time. The chicks can decide to go out or stay in, they figure it out rather quickly.