I didnt get pine shavings, I got pine bark mulch is that ok to put them on, yes I will put down paper towels also.
Chicks arrived Question
i think pine is OK, Molly will know...
got them settled in yet?
tf
L2G-
I think pine mulch should be fine with a big BUT. BUT I would take every precaution to keep it covered until they get to eating really well. Sometimes they will think the pine is food and eat it. I always put mine on Pine Shavings with an old towel to completely cover it . After about 3 -4 days I take the towel out. A few will start to pick and sctratch, but always go to back the the feeder for food.
Sheila
yea for the most part got them on paper towels for now in a galvanized wash tub. Got them some warm water. I think I will just lose 3 the other 2 are just not standing up. I have them off by them selves in a separate box with 2 more to help keep them warm. BOY is it noisy in here.
thanks, will get the pine in the tubs soon.
here they are
the second batch
AMAZING! they look warm, happy healthy!
how many batches? i see cresteds...
& i see lots of slate colored legs...
does Ideal have a chick ID on their web site?
doing the happy dance for Tia & her mom...
tf
This batch of 99 lost total of 4 was only suppost to get 95, still have 95 :) all crested. Or they are suppost to, some of the yellow ones dont have a top hat. I cant get the heat lamp off where it is right now DH will have to do that when he gets home, I have a space heater on them and they seem to be moving around eating and drinking and chirping. Next weeks order will be a pure surprise. Are these the type you can sex by them short and long feathers?
LOL, i don't know. didn't they hatch Monday? you would have to do it today. get another box to start sorting LOL have DH pick up zip ties at the hardware store... then just put ties on the ones you think you have sexed, left leg for male, right for female...
i have a min, going to look at chick poics, will find out what the yellow ones are. if you don't want them i will come and get them, they are liekly red somethings...
yea they hatched monday and the ones I have looked at not many tho have the long prickly feathers.
i don't see chick photos, and can't access their list, but i thought the crested included chanteclers for some reason, so those could be Red Chanteclers?
going to welp, i know they have pics...
tf
there is a htread here on feather sexing... hold on i have a link...
http://animalsciences.missouri.edu/reprod/ReproTech/Feathersex/index.htm
Yea Chanteclers are in the mix or so the web page said, maybe those are them, there really isnt to many, I was just curious. I did go to the site thanks, going to look at them now, really dont want to hold them to much.
Can I feed them scraps from uncooked veggies this early on. I have lots of squash, and egg shells, can they have them now? I have them on medicated crumble. They are loving that.
the only other food i would give them the first week is hard boiled egg yolks... they would fill up on scarps and not grow well...
btw, could also have Crevecoeur Chicken, they have fuzzy heads, but not apparent in chicks...
i haven't figured out my assortment yet, disappointed i didn't save that list... so i am looking on other sites, you and I may hve some old english crele, that would be cool, and silver seabrights, and campines, russian orloffs? they are in other assts, not sure of Ideals... well, you dont' have your non-crested yet, and i don't have my crested yet!
OMG... zip ties.... why didn't you tell me that before I went out and painted 29 chickens toes for id purposes?
UUUGGGHHHH
do I ever feel stupid now.. talk about not playing with your food.
lol yea. I do you dont. How about the deep dark brown ones. Not the redish they are brown. Pretty. Gold? When they get older I will be able to tell better. How does a yellow black greenish looking chick turn all white. They are so funny to watch, I'm having to scold one or two, bullies they are. I talk to them and they stop peeping and kinda cock their heads like what????? I have the radio to classic rock for them now. These birds will require Jimmy in the coop with them.
LOL frans. Mine all have the long feathers on the wings, so maybe it is to late or I got the whole lot of hens, How good would that be. Not with my luck. We are trying to think of a way in put some in with my moms 3 yr old birds. I told her maybe a few at a time, like maybe 5 with a roo once they get about 6-10 weeks old.
yeah, goo kluck with that. the only way they will be accepted is if you get them next to each other right away. like lock your moms chicks in the next stall...
fran, you know i can't answer quesitons you don't ask. also, it wasn't my idea, someone here, thinking silkiechick, told me to do that... of course it is no help for lack of numbers, but works till the bigger bands fit. i lost a chick the other day to the dog, who also ate the legs. once i did a head count i found out who was not there, glad i shot him as he had eaten more than one!
3 year old birds? Would think that flock is very established and won't accept new birds too easily. Try as tf said and put them in a separate pen next to the flock of older birds for a while till they get use to them. I think they would need to be almost the same size as the 3 year olds to be able to stand up to them.
MollyD
my two year old chickens readily accepted my chicks that were introduced in the henhouse at a young age. with wire between them for a while. not the same breeds or sizes either... size IMO won't affect acceptance. time will...
Well you should know. I hope I don't run into too much trouble next year when I have to bring in new ones here.
MollyD
at moms there is only 4 hens. They are real docile too. They will be next to the chicks but wont be able to see them.
hearing them is the first thing. they will get really curious. may even try to get in with them to care for them... once they can slaso see them, they will all get along in no time.
it is when you try to introduce them at an older age that they keep separate as a flock...
Have you guys ever fed spaghetti to your chickens? I did today. Paul bought the wrong kind so I broke it into smaller pieces and cooked it. Cooled it off with cold water and they went nuts for it! LOL Even the ducks tried it. The geese thought it was worms and wouldn't touch it.
MollyD
my DH spaghetti is so good we rarely have anthing left over, but they do like it. i don't break it up, i love it when a chick gets s long one and runs around thinking they have the world's record worm!
LOL that is to funny. I will have to remember that.
Yeah, my chickens go crazy for spaghetti also : )
and they LOVE my husbands rice...
Mine like any kind of noodle! I still think it is funny the way they will always chase the one with food in its mouth.......even though there is still plenty left to get!
Christy
if only the one with the big noodle would SHUT UP, he would not be chased. can't they learn to be like cats, and go hide with their meal to eat in peace?
LOL! tf you are sooooo right! I think that every time I throw them a few goodies and the chickens that end up with treats always chirp and run around advertising their catch. It's funny that they can't contain their excitement. Sometimes one treat will end up in ten different beaks : )
i guess they have to strut their stuff, crow about it, and gee what is that other phrase? ummmm,...
; ) Um I dunno, what??? (EG)
still looking thinking.... people start to brag on themselves and say something about blowing thier own horn, but i thought it was a chicken lingo thingy...
i'm really tired, just staying up for this rainstorm to pass, then go see how many asst bantam chicks i still have...
When DH gets home today they are either going to my moms or out in the barn. This smell and noise is for the BIRDS. We are after all not going out of town, we decided that we have worked to hard on the garden to take any chances. Plus DH said last night "Well I guess I need to get the coop built now." We may go get moms turken and see if she will mommy these chicks. She did hatch a couple a few years ago and she was a good mommy.
Dang it how to keep them out of the water, I tried putting the water on a plate to raise it up they jump up in it. They are going to drive me to drinking at 8 am. I have changed tubs 2 times just this morning. Got a heater on them right now to dry off and they are on some old towels.
Have you tried putting some stones or marbles in the water? Might have to use bigger ones or a bunch of little ones, but if they try going for a swim anymore, they shouldn't really be able to get their whole body or even feet in very far, but can still get their beaks in for a drink. We had the same problem with keets and the marbles worked really well.
Christy