Started pullets?

[Percheron chick]

He was probably tussling with other cockerels thus the rough feathers. Now that there is no competition for the top spot, he has to turn his attention to be hens and assert his superiority. Don't worry about only swapping out the one. They've only been with you for 2 days. There's no doubt that he is a cockerel so don't let him tell you he isn't. Pick a replacement that looks most like your pullets if you are unsure. He won't swap again.

 

[Robotmomma]

He was probably tussling with other cockerels thus the rough feathers. Now that there is no competition for the top spot, he has to turn his attention to be hens and assert his superiority. Don't worry about only swapping out the one. They've only been with you for 2 days. There's no doubt that he is a cockerel so don't let him tell you he isn't. Pick a replacement that looks most like your pullets if you are unsure. He won't swap again.

Thank you. I really am starting to think I made a bad decision buying from him in the first place. I hate when I don't listen to my gut. As soon as I saw his set up, I had a bad feeling. Now I see worms in their poop. Wish I could just take them all back now and start with chicks so I can handle them nicely. These ones are scared to death of me. I don't know how I am going to catch any of them.

 

[Percheron chick]

You have turned their world upside down. You should expect them to ve skittish for now. Give them their space and let them settle in. Buy a bag mealworms and they'll be your best friends before it is finished. In a week, go ahead and deworm them. Check them for lice too. They'll be fine.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

You have turned their world upside down. You should expect them to ve skittish for now. Give them their space and let them settle in. Buy a bag mealworms and they'll be your best friends before it is finished. In a week, go ahead and deworm them. Check them for lice too. They'll be fine.

X 2

This seems like one big disaster to you right now because you're in the middle of it and feeling very frustrated and overwhelmed by it all --- but this whole situation is entirely "fixable" and, at the end of it, you'll be surprised at just how un-disasterous it really was. Socializing your new friends won't be all that hard, they are actually quite easily manipulated as they are highly food motivated little buggars. Right now you are this new, scary thing - once you are no longer "new" you can stop being scary as well, especially if they start to associate you with the arrival of choice bits of treat. The more they see of you just going about your business the more you will become just another part of the scenery. Take a book and set out near them reading, read aloud to them- talk/sing while doing your chores - take every opportunity to make the sight and sound of you completely ordinary to them.

 

[Robotmomma]

X 2

This seems like one big disaster to you right now because you're in the middle of it and feeling very frustrated and overwhelmed by it all --- but this whole situation is entirely "fixable" and, at the end of it, you'll be surprised at just how un-disasterous it really was. Socializing your new friends won't be all that hard, they are actually quite easily manipulated as they are highly food motivated little buggars. Right now you are this new, scary thing - once you are no longer "new" you can stop being scary as well, especially if they start to associate you with the arrival of choice bits of treat. The more they see of you just going about your business the more you will become just another part of the scenery. Take a book and set out near them reading, read aloud to them- talk/sing while doing your chores - take every opportunity to make the sight and sound of you completely ordinary to them.

YAY. Thanks you two. Ol Grey Mare and Persheron Chick. Made me feel better. Thank you thank you thank you!

 

[Robotmomma]

One more thing, you all are feeling pretty good about the other two being pullets?

 

[Percheron chick]

The black one absolutely. The EE is giving off mixed signals. The feathering is classic female but it has extra stout legs and some odd tail feathers. I would put that chick 2 weeks older just based on size. I still say pullet.

 

[aart]

I'd say EE is a pullet also....comb way too small and pale for a cockerel.

 

[Robotmomma]

The black one absolutely. The EE is giving off mixed signals. The feathering is classic female but it has extra stout legs and some odd tail feathers. I would put that chick 2 weeks older just based on size. I still say pullet.

I had the same feeling about the EE. I asked about the ages too because she is so much bigger and I thought those birds were smaller as adults than the other two breeds and he was just kind of blase about it and said the other two might be more like 8 weeks... He also told me the feathers missing from the barred rock were from moulting... so I don't know what is wrong with me...

The EE has started shaking her head a lot in this odd way.

 

[Percheron chick]

Just swap the br out and be done with him. Study the comb of the black pullet and only choose a replacement that looks like that. You won't get another do over. If you really want a br, the pullet will have less definition between the 2 colors. The white is grayer. Her legs will have a black wash on the front and the comb will look like the black one's.