What Breed and Gender, etc is this?

[MyDiem]

My brother and cousins found this chicken running around the basketball court near our house and was almost run over by the other players. They took it home and so here I am, left with a chicken. Can anyone help me identify the breed and gender of this chicken, and maybe what age? And any pointers, what to feed it? I've been feeding it rice and couscous, but does it need more protein in that? My dad and uncles used to raise chickens back in the Philippines, but they're not giving me much pointers. Now I live in Hawaii. And, how often should I feed it? What should I have in it's cage? And what does it mean if it's chirping?

Sorry for all the questions, obviously I don't know much about chickens

 

[sevenbabychicks]

Kudos to you for taking it in! Yeah, at that age it should be eating more protein. Is there feed store near you? If so, go buy some chick starter. If not, hard boil some eggs and mix the yolks in with the cous cous and rice.

As for breed, I can't help you. Post some more pics when it's older and more feathered, please.

 

[MyDiem]

Thanks, still no thoughts as to gender?

 

[DanasChicks]

Hi MiDiem,

For starters, chirping is normal at this age. Most young chickens will chirp a lot if they are separated from it's flock or mother hen. If you plan to keep this chicken, I would suggest getting another one close to the same age, so it is not alone. Chickens are social and need a flock mate. It is not healthy for chickens to be raised alone. Another chicken will provide comfort and security for each other. They will eat together, keep each other warm at night, learn to communicate, etc.

I can't answer what breed it is, but it looks very pretty and appears a young pullet, which the name for a young female chicken, or young hen that is not laying eggs yet. I would guess by it's size and the new feather growth on it's head that it is around 5 or weeks old.

You can put a dish of water and a dish of chicken feed in it's cage. It's important to change and refill the water often. 1 cup of feed in a dish at all times so the chick can eat at will should be more than plenty at this point. You can also put dirt and sand or straw, wood chips, dried grass, leaves or a combination of things found outdoors for them to bed on and poop on. When cleaning out their cage, all the material can go right into your compost pile. You can purchase other items offered as bedding, but I suggest you stay away from pine shavings, as chicks sometimes eat it and cannot digest it. It will remain in their crop and they can die. You can find straw, wood pellets and other items for bedding at your local Feed store, if you go that route.

Many people feed layer crumbles for young chickens until they are anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks old. Once they get bigger, their beaks will be large enough to transition from the layer crumbles to layer pellets. Whole grains choices work well too. You will find a variety of poultry feed at your local Feed Store. In addition, chicks like fresh torn up grass from the yard, sprouted black sun flower seeds, or just the seeds, oatmeal, watermelon, any green leafy veggie, like lettuce or kale, berries, pasta, cooked rice, apples and tomatoes. I am sure there is a long list of things that they would eat, including meat, although I wouldn't recommend giving a young chick meat. Some people feed their chickens scramble eggs, raw eggs and yogurt mixed in raw oatmeal. When free-ranging chickens will eat a variety of grasses and weeds, bugs, worms, dirt for grit to assist with digestion, and I have seen hens running around with a small wild baby bird, mouse, rat and other small outdoor wildlife.

Chickens like digging in dirt. They will lay in it and fluff it up around their feathers to keep the mites and lice down.

At this age, this pullet should be able to endure warm weather temperatures without needing a heat lamp. It you were in a colder climate, I would suggest providing a heat lamp for additional warmth on cold nights. Straw used in the bedding will assist with warmth.

It sounds like you are caring for this youngster pretty well on your own so far. The best thing you can do for this chick is to provide it a soft towel kind of bunched up a bit or a small soft stuffed animal to put in it's cage for it to cuddle with at night until you are able to get another chick as a flock mate for it to grow up with.

I hope other than not knowing what breed it is, that I answering the rest of your questions.

Enjoy your new found family addition. Congrats!

 

[MyDiem]

Thank you so much! This really helped! I will be looking into buying another 'pullet'

from my local hatchery.

 

[fiberart57]

Young chicks shouldn't be fed layer feed, it contains too much calcium. Instead she, yes it looks like a she, about five or six weeks old, should be fed starter or chick feed. Some people switch to layer at 16 weeks or when they lay their first egg.

I feed Flock Raiser and have calcium available for them to choose how much to eat. I like the extra protein of Flock Raiser.
Mary

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Just wanted to add--this bird is way too old to worry about her eating shavings. Literally billions of chickens are kept on pine shavings and they don't die because of it.

I worry about day-old chicks eating shavings so I cover the shavings with paper towels for three days until they figure out what is food and what isn't, but this chick is about 4-5 weeks old.

 

[DanasChicks]

Yes, thank you for the correction, I mean starter crumbles.

 

[MyDiem]

Thanks everyone! Can anyone else confirm that it is a pullet? Because if it turns out to be a roo, I won't be able to keep it for too long because I don't think I neighbors would approve of a 5 am wake up call.

 

[vickichicki]

Congratulations on your first chicken adventure

I concur with the other suggestions offered for feeding and watering.

I can not offer a suggestion on breed, but we may be able to help you further once all the feathers come in.
From the photos you posted and guessing the age of the bird (IMO around 6 weeks) I am going to say pullet. Yet again, that will be easier to tell as they bird grows. Crowing can start at a young age for some, but by the time crowing happens you usual know whether you have a rooster or a pullet by that time.

If you need anymore help just ask. The site is full of wonderful people with helpful advice and suggestions.