Raising Rainbow Dixies

[Staciewoeste]

There is not a lot out there about rainbow dixies, so I thought I would post about raising ours. We brought the girls home today. We ordered 8 females. One died in transit from the hatchery, so we only brought home 7.

When we got home and put them in the brooder box, we noticed one wasn't walking normal. I researched it and determined it was club foot, so we put a homemade boot on it. She began walking better. Hopefully in a day or 2 it will be better.


These little chicks are already showing their personalities. One tht we named Reba is a pushy little girl. Speedy runs around a lot and dozy sleeps a lot. The girl with the club leg is Natalie. We have not named the others.

Our brooder box is a 3.5' x 2' bin. We have a heat lamp and for a little while we are using puppy pads. We got them for free and have a lot. We end up changing them a lot. Good thing we are working at home now because of Covid19. Our son built them a roosting bar out of connects. Some of these chicks already have little feathers on their wings. I will include pictures later.

 

[Staciewoeste]

I noticed tonight that the pushy little chick, Reba, was often time sleeping alone while all the other chicks were snuggled together, is this normal? If she wasn't so pushy, I would feel bad for her.

 

[Staciewoeste]

My brooder box with the chicks in there shortly after we brought them home. They are messy little birds. I am using puppy pads that I got for free. Good thing because last night they spilled there water...the pads did a good job absorbing it.

 

[Staciewoeste]

This is day 2 or 3

 

[Staciewoeste]

Natalie, the chick with the club leg died. We put a boot on it and gave her B complex. She also developed pasty but which we cleaned off. She was eating and drinking some but she just didn't grow. She was smaller than the others. I think she was born with something wrong with her. The others are all doing well. They are about a week now. Dozy, who sleeps a lot has started growing little tail feathers, she is definitely the most mature in growing feathers. Reba, who is more dominant, and we are wondering if she may be a he, has diahrea. I am not sure if that is a concern or not. She is eating and drinking fine. They seem comfortable moving around, so I don't think it is with heat. We will keep watching her. A couple are getting curious and try to jump to get out, but the wall is too high. Soon we will have to cover it or we will be looking for chicks in the morning. We have finally named all the chicks: Reba, Nova, Dozy, Dixie, Bee and Fuzzby.

 

[Staciewoeste]

Week 1 picture of chicks sleeping. We still have the puppy pads in there, but they enjoy playing in the bedding underneath when I change their pads, so I may let them go in the bedding soon or maybe put the bedding in top of puppy pads so I can still change it easily. They are starting to roost on top of the feeder and I found one on the roost bar my son built out of connects

.

 

[casportpony]

How are all of your chicks doing?

 

[Staciewoeste]

The girls have grown fast. This is them at 8 weeks. We moved them out to the coop at 4 weeks with a radiate heater. They loved the extra space and jump flying around the yard. We kept them in the coop for the first week then opened the door to the run. They go to explore the run for another week. We bo open everything up and let them free range. They free ranged right into our garage and laid down. They live the space. After I feed them they follow me, it is cute. They are good chickens. Are cat was scared of them, but she is now getting more comfortable. They are great chickens so far...great with the kids.

 

[Staciewoeste]

The girls have grown fast. This is them at 8 weeks. We moved them out to the coop at 4 weeks with a radiate heater. They loved the extra space and jump flying around the yard. We kept them in the coop for the first week then opened the door to the run. They go to explore the run for another week. We bo open everything up and let them free range. They free ranged right into our garage and laid down. They live the space. After I feed them they follow me, it is cute. They are good chickens. Are cat was scared of them, but she is now getting more comfortable. They are great chickens so far...great with the kids.

Sorry for all the typos...wrote this on my phone.

 

[SilverLacedFarmChik]

I have a couple of Dixies as well, they are real mellow. Really nice birds. Their names are Bethany and Chestnut. Sorry for the crappy pic, lol. Bethany is in front, Chestnut is to to her left. The one in back is Kuzco (some of our hens have ‘guy’ names, whatevs), she is a Black Star.