We have made it to two weeks old (Pic Heavy)

[LilyD]

We got 20 Red Sexlink babies on the 29th of April and I am happy to say that we have made it to our next milestone. The babies are now two weeks of age and still growing strong. They have fully feathered wings and feathered tails and they are starting to get feathers on their backs as well. I think it's funny because a lot of them have spots where their feathers are starting to fall out to get ready for their new feathers. My son says they are getting into their ugly teenage stage. I still think they are cute though

Can't get enough of them. I think I am getting addicted.

 

[N&MSchroeder]

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Wildflower_VA]

They are still adorable! Another week to the so-ugly-they're-cute stage.

 

[GiddyMoon]

You know...they were right about the extra protein in the gamebird feed. I have one week old chicks with this much feathering. I would not believe it unless I saw it. They grow like 1/4" a day and over night you could see a massive feather difference. I was told this would happen..so much for the babies wasting the extra protein!


Your babies are adorable!

 

[LilyD]

Quote:
That is good to know. I am using the Purina Start and Grow with 18% protein but next time maybe I will try the game bird starter. Maybe it will give them a head start. My sister has 5 others from this same batch and they don't seem to be growing as fast. The only difference is hers seem to be growing faster in their ability to fly. Hers are flying up to the light already even though they are only 2 weeks. She is already thinking they need to move to a bigger coop area.

 

[GiddyMoon]

Quote:
That is good to know. I am using the Purina Start and Grow with 18% protein but next time maybe I will try the game bird starter. Maybe it will give them a head start. My sister has 5 others from this same batch and they don't seem to be growing as fast. The only difference is hers seem to be growing faster in their ability to fly. Hers are flying up to the light already even though they are only 2 weeks. She is already thinking they need to move to a bigger coop area.

I was told by a guy who raises chickens that all he used was gamefeed...and then I kept seeing people say to up their protein due to feather picking, etc..but that they wouldn't "use" over 22%..Well, now we know, that is wrong. My better half was only gone for 10 hrs and he came back and said..OMG..they are already bigger..1/4" of growth in wings and overall size per day. I had cute chicks for 2 days!! I thought I was gonna have fuzzies for a week..nnoooo by day 4 they had over an inch of wing feathers and their tail feathers are already almost an inch long too.

We had them in a big trough for 4 days..they outgrew it..they are now in that whelping cage in the garage..I kept 4 inside, the tiniest and the one that wobbles...some are like very monsters already...when they stretch their necks out, they can be 6" long!


I don't know if you can tell..they are just now one week old

 

[macadam8157]

Is that a spot or mark on that ones head?? lol

 

[LilyD]

Is that a spot or mark on that ones head?? lol

Alas the boys I got came with blue dots on their foreheads I fear that they might be scarred for life because they were marked at birth. Not sure why they thought they needed to do this since they are very certainly different from the girls who are much darker than the boys are.​

 

[macadam8157]

Quote:
Alas the boys I got came with blue dots on their foreheads I fear that they might be scarred for life because they were marked at birth. Not sure why they thought they needed to do this since they are very certainly different from the girls who are much darker than the boys are.

Thought they were being marked as roo's, just curious. You could always name him spot! lol

 

[LilyD]

Lol that boy got in the pictures because he is already my son's favorite. He will climb on his hand and roost and really seems to like to cuddle even at two weeks. So far he is the only boy that we know for sure is staying. He is such a love bug. I am not looking forward to choosing the other one. I told my husband I would only keep two roos but there are 8 in the bunch so some are going to need new homes