What were your worst mistakes when you first started?

[BY Bob]

I’m sorry @Celticdragonfly, my post above may have come across as rude, which it was not meant to be. After seeing the post following mine, maybe I read your post wrong. I thought your post was asking how “not to get attached to the chicks,” which is impossible for me. I get attached to every single one that’ll let me. So my answer was to “not get chicks.”

Maybe you did mean “how to not get males.”

Truly I’m sorry.

I also read that as getting too attached before you knew what sex they really were. A situation that occurred to me just this year. Don't be too hard on yourself. Assuming that we read it correct, your response was quite funny and made me giggle. If not, I don't think it was that mean spirited. I would hope they would understand you meant no offense.

 

[Mimi13]

I also read that as getting too attached before you knew what sex they really were. A situation that occurred to me just this year. Don't be too hard on yourself. Assuming that we read it correct, your response was quite funny and made me giggle. If not, I don't think it was that mean spirited. I would hope they would understand you meant no offense.

Thank you.

 

[Blooie]

I’m sorry @Celticdragonfly, my post above may have come across as rude, which it was not meant to be. After seeing the post following mine, maybe I read your post wrong. I thought your post was asking how “not to get attached to the chicks,” which is impossible for me. I get attached to every single one that’ll let me. So my answer was to “not get chicks.”

Maybe you did mean “how to not get males.”

Truly I’m sorry.

I also read that as getting too attached before you knew what sex they really were. A situation that occurred to me just this year. Don't be too hard on yourself. Assuming that we read it correct, your response was quite funny and made me giggle. If not, I don't think it was that mean spirited. I would hope they would understand you meant no offense.

I just love common courtesy!!! Bless you both. Might not seem like anything out of the ordinary to you, but you’re setting an example showing what BYC means!

 

[Celticdragonfly]

Don’t get chickens?!?

Yes, I meant how do you not get attached?

Mimi's right on target there, I think.

As it is, my daughter is upset at the prospect of trying to rehome a possible cockerel with any of the local FFA kids she knows in high school who live outside of city limits and have more livestock - she says they talk about their chickens as if they were nuts and bolts, and says yes, they're livestock, but that doesn't mean you can't still care! I understand.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yes, I meant how do you not get attached?

Well mine are pets but after my first round of chicks I realized they're not pets the same way that a dog might be (at least mine aren't) and that losses early on aren't that unusual, so I made it a point to not get too attached early on after that.

Second round of chicks, we didn't name them for 2 weeks and didn't really handle them much either. They were raised outside. Surprisingly they didn't end up any less friendly than the first group that were raised inside and handled regularly.

 

[BY Bob]

Yes, I meant how do you not get attached?

Mimi's right on target there, I think.

As it is, my daughter is upset at the prospect of trying to rehome a possible cockerel with any of the local FFA kids she knows in high school who live outside of city limits and have more livestock - she says they talk about their chickens as if they were nuts and bolts, and says yes, they're livestock, but that doesn't mean you can't still care! I understand.

I grew up considering them as nuts and bolts. Tell your daughter I still took very good care of them and my flock lived long natural chicken lives. They don't have to be a pet to be their best chicken selves and live their best chicken lives. In fact you could argue the a rooster needs real responsibility to live his best life.

I know how hard it was to let go of our rooster once we got attached. I wish you the best. I know it would've been better if we had dealt with it right away. Best of luck.

 

[cmom]

If anybody knows how to avoid that, let me know.

With many breeds, the females tend to get their tail buds before the males do, so if you see a little tail starting to grow, there is a good chance it is a female. There are probably exceptions.

 

[Mimi13]

Well mine are pets but after my first round of chicks I realized they're not pets the same way that a dog might be (at least mine aren't) and that losses early on aren't that unusual, so I made it a point to not get too attached early on after that.

Second round of chicks, we didn't name them for 2 weeks and didn't really handle them much either. They were raised outside. Surprisingly they didn't end up any less friendly than the first group that were raised inside and handled regularly.

I know exactly what you mean about subsequent sets of chicks.

My first little flock had names immediately and pictures galore. The second set had names within a week and pictures to boot. With the third set, a couple were named and a few pictures taken, only because I hatched them. In the fourth group, some have names, but I don’t think I’ve taken any pictures of them, bless their hearts. I still love them though. I’m glad I only had two children. I might have forgotten about the third and fourth child.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I view them as livestock and not lap pets. It helps. Most importantly, don't name them because eventually you'll have to eat all the extra boys.
All my birds are numbered. Originally I used numbered legbands colored for the year of hatch but they kept losing them. Beginning this year, I've been wing banding them.
With up to 100 all black birds, naming is virtually impossible anyway.

I do continue to take pictures.

 

[cmom]

When I had my first flock around 50 years ago I was in my 20's and didn't name the birds. At that time we relocated due to work and had to get rid of the birds. When I got my next flock I did name the birds but over time as I have added to my flock I only name the special ones and most of the males. Now I have way too many (around 400 with chicks) to name.