[iwantchicks]

hi everyone
im looking to start keeping bantam hens (hopefully 4) in the spring.
ideally i want them from 1 week old. i know they have to be in a draught free box with a heat lamp but for how long? when can they go outside into a propper coup?
what temperature do i keep them out?
sorry bit clueless

[Bonniebean]

Hello and welcome! As a newbie chicken keeper myself can I ask why it's so important to have week old chicks? It is likely you will end up with more males than females in which case you will either have to get more or despatch the cockerals and maybe only have one or two hens.
Starting with POL hens at least cuts out the added cost of raising from young chicks and quite possibly reduces the likely problems you may have if you've never done this before.
There are lots of experienced people on this site who can give good advice, but the more research you do will help to know what you would be taking on, not only for you but also for the chicks sake!

[Chookster]

Yep BB's given sound advice I think.  If you really wanted to have chicks for the experience and grow them on yourself, you could look out a breeder or someone to hatch out an auto sexing breed.  I do this for people on occasions. Not sure where you are but what about apart from on here looking in the practical poultry magazine and also the free ads sometimes advertise farms etc more local to you that breed poultry etc.  If it's their business they'll be enthusiastic to support you just as people will on here. 

They're a good bunch on here you know 

[iwantchicks]

thanks for the advice, you're right everyone is very helpful!
i was hoping for very young chicks for the experience of raising them from such a young age. i was hoping to get them from week old as opposed to hatching them myself as i hoped you would be able to sepereate the girls from the boys at this age and therefore avoid the dreaded disposing of the cockrels problem!!

[IMOmimey]

Welcome,    You dont say wherabouts you are. Very few people hatch this time of year, I might be able to point you in the right direction if you are local

[Chookiechook]

Some breeds are sex linked but if its not those breeds you are interested in  then theres  not really any easy way to tell the difference

[IMOmimey]

Notoriously difficult to sex are Silkies (could even be 16wks old before certain hen, certain cockerel usually round 12-14 weeks), similar if not older are Araucanas.

Pekins can start showing changes at around 6 weeks. Vorwerks have always kept gender a secret from me!!!.

salmon faverolles and Barred plymouth rock you can sex as soon as true feathers start to appear, 10days old ish. 

Cream legbars are true autosexing, - I have 4 at one week old, out of 12eggs, 6 were light in colour with the characteristic yellow patch on head definite males, 2 are dark, almost black stripe and NO yellow patch, definite girlies, and 2 of the silly things are lighter than the girls, but do not have the yellow patch, so could be either?? I will know when they start growing feathers...males are much lighter with lots of grey.

Some hybrid crosses are autosexing...boys white, girls brown. 

The list really is endless, but thats all I have personal experience with. Hope that helps a bit though.

[hillfooter]

It's unusual to come across someone whose breed preference is determined by the ability to sex at hatch (or shortly after) most people want particular breed characteristics such as appearance, temperament, egg production etc.  However if the fascination of raising chicks is your priority then you need to find a breeder of sex linked chickens where the sexes have different markings at hatch.  

As you are only looking for a few chicks you really need to find a hobbyist/ enthusiast pure breed breeder who's prepared to sell you a few at this age.  Hybrid breeders often produce sex linked chickens but their focus is on producing them in commercial quantities for commercial returns and they aren't going to be interested in supplying you with a small number of sexed chickens other than as a favour.  As there's virtually no margins in selling such young birds in tiny quantities you aren't likely to be able to buy any at this age from a retailer either.

So find an amateur enthusiast locally who is willing to supply you with a few that are excess to their personal requirements.  Such birds will almost certainly be pure breeds,  Someone who breeds Cream Legbars would be top of my list.  Someone who frequents these pages who is local would be ideal and they could advise you if you have questions.  

In the mean time do some reading / research on raising chicks and the equipment you'll need which is minimal and mostly can be made or improvised cheaply if you are are a moderate DIYer.  The feed you'll need is chick crumbs and growers pellets and with so few birds being fed for such a short time it's not going to be very cost efficient buying it in small quantities and probably not using it all.  Buy a good book on hatching and raising chx say the Katie Thear one on Hatching which will tell you all you need to know.  Katie Thear has also written another dealing with "Getting started with chickens" which will tell you all about keeping once they are mature.  These aren't very expensive and are available on Amazon and will be invaluable as handy references.

Best of luck
HF

[iwantanallotment]

I would totally discourage a newbie from buying chicks.
Not because of any personal prejudice, but because so much can (and often does) go wrong.

JMHO from bad experiences of my own (and I'm not a newbie) - but I would always recommend birds of no younger than 15 weeks as a good start.

Hillfooter raises many important points that I would also echo.

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