New chicks

WhiteTiger · **Joined:** Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:01 pm **Posts:** 15

We have 11 new chicks with us.. They hatched at our rental house which we hand in the keys tomorrow so we caught them and brought us with us because we don't know when the new tenants move in and didn't want to leave them there with no one looking after them. We left heaps of food out for the other chickens hoping they'll be ok because we had no where to put them at our new place so we had to leave them. Being snake season and we had a BIG snake problem at that house, we couldn't leave these darlings. We have them in a rabbit cage with some hay and wood shavings and some food and water. I guess I really have 2 questions.

1) what type of chickens are they?
2) is there anything special I need to do for them other than food and water?
Oh and maybe how old you think they are.

Thanks!

johs · **Posted:** Tue Jan 22, 2013 11:28 pm

Very cute White Tiger. No idea what kind they are but I would say they're less than a week old. They will need heat at this age.

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

very cute.

Here is H&H's chick care info.

Hens and Hobbits wrote:

1. Ensure that mum and chicks are safe and secure from other adult poultry and predators in their own accommodation.

2. Keep an eye on mum making sure she is attentive and interested in her chicks. I don't know if feathered mums also suffer from post hatching depression and decide to abandon their chicks or they are wired for motherhood.

3. Make sure that the chicks have access to food at all times and have at least two small feeding stations in different parts of the brooder/nursery available so all chicks have access to feed, this will also encourage them to get out and explore their surrounds. A medicated high protein chick crumble is advised to promote healthy growth and prevent coccidiosis.

4. Also a fresh, regular supply of water in shallow waterers(so they can not drown in it), again I like to have two waterers available. It is amazing just how quick they soil their water, so best to change the water at least twice a day. Water bound bacteria can also spread disease rapidly in young chicks. You will find you have to to start raising slowly high each week of ground level, so they are not using their waterers as a toilet! Make sure that the water is not under direct sunlight or if in a brooder the heat lamp.

5. Vigilant hygiene of the brooder/nursery is of utmost importance, like all babies chicks poop a lot with mum's droppings it can emit a strong odour, this may lead to respiratory infections. It is debatable what the best litter for the brooder/nursery is, make certain if using wood shavings that they are non toxic, chicks like all young are very curious and will eat anything. Keep clean by changing the soiled litter at least once a day. It may help to lay newspaper down first then the litter on top, it makes changing the litter an easier task as all you have to do is roll up the newspaper.

6. Keeping the brooder/nursery out of drafts and also being well ventilated with fresh air. Chicks need warmth, a clean dry area and fresh air.

7. Make sure that they little bottoms are clean as they can "paste up" with their droppings sticking to their vents, and their poop then can't pass. Just wipe their fluffy tushes with a warm damp face washer to clean to area.

8. Keep an eye out for coccidiosis (parasistes that live the the chick's guts contracted by contaminated droppings of infected birds)common symptoms - blood in droppings, ruffled feathers, droppy head and wings) common in chicks 1-4 months, hygiene once again is of utmost importance and reduces outbreaks.

9. Wait at least until the chicks are fully feathered before you let them outside. Make sure that they fully are supervised. Also they will be older and a bit more resistant to picking up diseases.

10. Hopefully the chicks will stay with their mum until they are fully feathered, there will come the time when she or they will want to leave the nest.

Good luck and enjoy this amazing experience!

NB: Always have a Plan B

Katy · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2013 5:43 am

They are so cute congt334

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

They are cute and very young 1 week at best

Petite Pullet has answered well

As to breed – they need to grow a fair bit first but there is at least 1 that is going to have the Partridge pattern when he grows up – yes that one is a boy (cockerel = juvenile rooster) = the one with the darker brown on his head and neck facing away from the camera
The one to the left on its own and the one similar to it = either Partridge pattern females or Crele pattern females (pullets = juvenile hens)

What do the parents look like did you ever take pictures of them?

Katy · **Posted:** Fri Jan 25, 2013 6:40 am

Its amazing you can tell a male so young I have trouble even when they are much older

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