[chooknewbie]

ok, so you must have missed my and my questions by now so here are a few to break myself back in...

Chicks will be two weeks old on sunday. When do i start changing things?

For example, they are messy lil things where poop is concerned, so want to change whats on the bottom of their home from newspaper to something else a tad more absorbant... is dust extracted softwood bedding ok or will it bother their breathing?...if not any other suggestions please as they are starting to get little balls on their feet despite my cleaning them out every day.

When do i need to reduce the temperature in the broody box?

When do they need to change their type of food? on chick crumb at the moment.

this will do for starters... if i dont reply to posts straight away its cos i am having some problems with Firefox and havent got it sussed out yet. :evil:

[Aunt Sally]

I've moved this post to the hen house for you chooknewbie.

[Vember]

Hi Chooknewbie

I change newspaper every other day or as an when really, i stay on newspaper till they a bit bigger than 2 weeks usually 4.

Mine stay on crumbs till between 4 & 6 weeks old

Normally reduce the broody box by 3 deg c each week, I imagine you have it at about 35 now if you've not altered it??
Start reducing that as of now me thinks.

Are they still in your house? if yes defo drop temp as they'll take longer to feather up if they stay too warm too long

Hope that helps a bit

Sarah

[chooknewbie]

thanks aunty....wow...head rush!....quick trip!...lol

Cheers Vember... yeah, they are still in the house, their wings have all feathered up nicely....cheeky lil monkeys dont half flap about and try flying when they get half a chance!

Is food readily available the best way to go? thats what i have been doing and they sure are hungry lil souls!!

Marbles out of the water ok now??

[Vember]

Ye I always let them eat what they want chick crumb wise, and yup marbles out of water

Glad they are feathering up ok  Do you have a small run you could put them out in if it's really nice?? They'd prob enjoy that

Will we be getting more photo's ?

Sarah

[chooknewbie]

oooohhh....are they ok to go out even tho they havent feathered up??? i didnt think they could go out yet? I have an old rabbit run. you know, the triangle jobs...would that be ok??? hmm...might be a mare getting them out without losing one or two tho...lol....fast little devils!  can they eat anything else yet? presuming grass ok if they can go out?

[Vember]

If it's dry & sunny they'll be fine for half an our or so

I wouldn't leave them all day yet though.

Put their teddy in with them, if they start snuggling up to that it's time they came in

If they were with thier mum they'd be out and I've always done it on good days never done any of mine any harm,

Short grass will be fine for them to pull at and they'll try an catch flys etc.. they'll love it an so will you

Just don't let em get cold or wet

[chooknewbie]

scuse the mess....paper clean this morning...honest!!  :shock:  :shock:



such a pretty boy/girl....shim...ummmmm??

[chooknewbie]

hah...now Vember....you are having a laugh arent you...*L*...dry weather...warm!!.... shesh... i cant remember last dry day we had!    
would love to see them out in the garden .. cant wait for that but then dont want to rush them either (to full grown)...*L*...enjoying them being little...

[Vember]

Aaaah they're beauties

It's impossible to tell sex wise  :evil:
 I thought my Buff Orps were 11/12 weeks old and have been eagerly awaiting noises to confirm sex, but when I checked theys be only just coming up to 10 weeks!!

The problem with them is the females also have quite large combs making me finding out impossible until I hear a cocka doodle doo, as no real signs with feathers yet

[Vember]

hah...now Vember....you are having a laugh arent you...*L*...dry weather...warm!!.... shesh... i cant remember last dry day we had!    
would love to see them out in the garden .. cant wait for that but then dont want to rush them either (to full grown)...*L*...enjoying them being little...

 :oops:    It's been lovely here today real warm  Sorry  

[chooknewbie]

dont think they would like being posted...lol.... despite going to good weather!

still going with the assumption that they are RIR's....there is two or three that have the white chest, one, that is really dark, and the others are pretty much a similar golden/red/brown all over...

Their combs are all very similar at the mo....tiny...lol

[Lemon]

are the chicks from eggs from your own girls or did you buy them?

surprised they're dark - I thought chicks were mainly yellow coloured with maybe a few dark markings?     I've a lot to learn with chickens

[chooknewbie]

Hiya Lemon,

I got the eggs from a farmer friend of mine, he gave me 10 as the eggs from my ladies werent doing anything...(later came to realise that the ladies were beating up the poor fella so had to rehome him) 2 were dud, 2 didnt hatch, and the 6 i got are gorgeous *S*... have to admit i was expecting lil yellow fluffy things too! I was told the eggs were a mix or marans, RIRs, and sussex... but all chicks look to be the same breed...(i think...)...  

[Kate and her Ducks]

Can't help with any of the questions but lovely looking chicks