sale barn mixed chicks

[thereseiam]

Hi all,

I mentioned this at the end of my last post, but thought I'd start a new topic to keep the two threads separate.

I just picked up a box of 12 mixed chicks that contained 3 silkies, 4 white cochins, 2 black cochins, 1 buff orp, and 2 silver laced wynadottes. There was nothing to indicate their age, and they are all very small, but do have feathers, except the silkies, who are tiny and only about half furred/feathered over.

How warm of a temperature will these guys need? Are the feathered ones good to go out into a separate area from the bigger hens out in the barn, or will they need to be kept in the house for a bit yet? I assume the silkies, who look younger (not just smaller, but younger as well) should stay inside for a couple weeks?

Thanks for any suggestions or words of advice. Also, is anyone willing to look at some pics and see if they might have a guess as to age?

At what point is it possible to start to tell the pullets from the cockerels? They are straight run, so with my luck I just ended up with a dozen roosters. . .

Therese

 

[PunkinPeep]

I'm sure we can all take a guess. Post pictures!

 

[thereseiam]

Okay, here are some incredibly crappy pictures of some of the chicks I drug home from the sale yesterday--apologies in advance, as I took the pics through the (very dirty) tank glass, as no one was home to hold them for me, and the lid that hubby rigged for me was too heavy to lift by myself in order to clean the glass on the inside.

Any guesses as to age?

Are the silkies that much smaller because they are younger or because they are silkies?

One yellow chick is supposed to be a buff orp, which is a standard sized chicken, but that one is the same sized as the cochins and the wynadottes--aren't cochins and wynadottes banties? Is there such thing as a bantie orp, or is that one just younger?

Also, when can I tell pullets from cockerels?

Thanks!

 

[PunkinPeep]

well, as you said, the pictures are a little difficult. and without actually being able to see the entirety of the birds.....breed is hard. i was going to look at the buff orp, but i couldn't see the whole thing.

i believe there are bantam buff orps by the way. so maybe you got one of those.

my guess to their age, based on what i could see if their feathering, is 3-4 weeks. that's a guess.

cute birds.

edited to add: sometimes you can distinguish gender by wing feather and tail feather patterns of growth. i'm sure that's different by breed. and it's easier if you have several of the same breed to compare and notice consistent patterns in.

if you can get side, overhead full body, and head shots of each, it will be easier for the experts to make educated guesses as to gender (and probably everything else).

 

[Kittymomma]

Hi,

I'd agree with maybe 3-weeks. It's hard to tell, post more pics when you can. If it were me I'd keep them inside or under a heat lamp for a little while yet, unless it's really mild where you live. As far as bantam buffs I don't know, but I do have full size wyndottes. Did they sell them as bantams or could you have mostly full size babies? Sure are cute! I miss when mine were fuzzy, but not the mess they made. Hmmmm, Kinda how I feel about my kids.