Prolapsed vent - am I getting it right?

[AnnieR]

As well as waiting for my eglu delivery (and Miss Pepperpots)

 

I bought an incubator, brooder box kit and eggs for my pre-school.

 

Well Ive been watching the eggs carefully, for 21 days - and yesterday two white - with black speckles on their backs hatched, along with 4 golden / brown chicks!

 

The children were fascinated, and thought they were wonderfull......and so did the staff and parents!

 

I feel so proud! (yes I know it's daft!)

 

I am now wanting to keep two of the chickens - one white and one gold (as I AM their mummy) to keep my pepperpots comany.

 

So my nice neat plan of what chickens I'm getting/keeping has gone out of the window, I think I will end up with more than Ive planned for!

 

By the way does anyone know how to sex the chicks?

 

Annie.

[chocchick]

It depends on the breed. Some you can tell by colour, sometimes you can tell by feather growth. Sometimes it is a matter of waiting until they are old enough to start crowing. They'll need to be old enough before introducing to your older girls as they could get injured if they are too small.

 

Do you have any pictures? I love chicks

[Egluntyne]

What breed are they, any idea?

 

Have you read **this** article?

[Duckmomma]

Congratulations on your new arrivals

What a wonderfull experience for the children.

I see you live in Surrey, I am sure you have sorted homes for any excess chicks but just in case

I have always found Horton farm are happy to take any regardless of sex.

In fact I think they have dealt with a few schools over the years, the teachers purchase and hatch the eggs and return the chicks to the farm at a few weeks old.

[AnnieR]

Thanks so much for that Duckmomma,

 

I do have homes for the "girls" -

friends who live in Chessington, but not for boys.

I live in Ewell, so Horton Farm is right on my doorstep as you know.

( I hadnt even thought of them - even though we visit as a preschool every year!)

 

 

As for what breed they are, I'm still not sure, but Ive contacted the farm we got the eggs from and are waiting to speak to their livestock team.

 

Annie.

[Duckmomma]

Forgot to post this link

It's for feather sexing chicks, it might help

http://animalsciences.missouri.edu/reprod/ReproTech/Feathersex/index.htm

[AnnieR]

Thanks,

thats really helpfull

now to get them to keep still!

[debbie26pet]

Forgot to post this link

It's for feather sexing chicks, it might help

http://animalsciences.missouri.edu/reprod/ReproTech/Feathersex/index.htm

 

 

hi have u used it? if its right i have 1 male 6 females in my 4-5 day olds chicks

 

but just been told its rubbish as all the breeders would use it

[AnnieR]

Well, with my one/two day old chicks........

I have 5 females, one male!

(which would be great)

 

but I suppose we shall just have to wait and see!

[debbie26pet]

def would be grt if this is right lets hope it is.

which i dont want to get my hopes up as it was brought up, why dont breeders use it to minimise males?

[AnnieR]

Here is a photo of the chicks - at 1 day old,

 

[Duckmomma]

Hi Debbie

Like you I am having to wait and see if it works

If it does I have two girls and one boy

I have three frizzled poland Bantam chicks about ten days old (very cute )

Unfortunatly one has been picked on and has a nasty bald sore spot on it's head, so I have had to seperate it for now

[AnnieR]

I've just found out the breeds....

There's two speckled hamburgs (both girls "apparently")

and four rhode Island reds (3 girls and one boy)

 

The speckdys are really beautiful, and I'm surely keeping one of those.

I do hope the sexing technique is accurate, as 5 girls/1 boy is great news!

[Duckmomma]

Will keep fingers crossed for you

Errrr at what age do cockerals start crowing ?

Is it around the same age a hen starts laying?

 

Does any one know if it's different for bantams?