Goosey Lucy Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 I'm about to take on some 4 week old chicks. I have an eglu for them to be in to begin with but where is the best place for it? I can either have it in the field with the other hens where it will be on grass and rotate it every week or I can have it by the house on concrete with a layer of hemcore on top. I'm hoping to handle the chicks as much as possible so they are comfortable to me and the boys. The lady with the chicks has 13 but I don't want that many. She will have any cockerels back. They are all beautiful bitzas They are currently with a couple of mums outside but are due to be separated this weekend. I have plenty of space in the cubes once they are big enough to deal with the ladder. One cube has an extension to the run and I have extra branches etc for them to perch on as required so I am aiming for them to go in here until they are big enough to be around the other hens. The weather is lovely and warm at the moment but I am able to move the eglu into the garage if we get a sudden cold/wet snap. So : How many do I get? Where do I site the eglu? thanks And I promise I'll post pictures once they are here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 I'd put it on the concrete Ours are in the on concrete ... we had them rotating on grass last year and they wreck it 4 weeks is maybe a week to young to come away from the broody IMO, but they should be ok - I can tell with mine now, also 4 weeks old, which are males (red faces, upright stance) ... that would be 6/7 maybe 7 :roll: Depends how many girls you want - maybe 4 or 5 chicks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosey Lucy Posted June 16, 2010 Author Share Posted June 16, 2010 Thanks Lewis, I'm not really worried about the grass as the field is huge but I think I'd rather have them closer to the house while they are small so we get more interaction with them. I'm not confident about sexing them, I think 2 are probably boys, I was considering 8 so could end up with 2-6 girls. They are coming from 2 separate hens, do you think this is likely to be a problem or as they are diddy will they accept each other? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 Cos they're so small they should be fine Also, all moving into a new house together will mean there's no dominance/pecking order yet, which will help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosey Lucy Posted June 16, 2010 Author Share Posted June 16, 2010 Great! If need be and they all turn out to be girls and they need more space I can remove the run from the eglu and put it inside the larger cube run. So I guess i won't be cleaning our house tomorrow I'll be cleaning the eglu and stocking up on all the necessary chick bits. I hopefully should be able to get them on Friday so the weekend will be spent chick watching! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 I'm sorry to be grumpy but I think 4 weeks is too young to go straight in to an Eglu even in warm weather, they will be used to the warmth of their mum even though they have been 'outside' I put some 4 week old chicks in a shed WITH HEAT on a warm night on Monday and one was crushed to death by the others snuggling to keep warm Maybe get them now but keep them in the garage in a pen, they will be able to go out when they are about 6 weeks old. When they do go outside site the Eglu in a sheltered spot with a cover over it. Broodies normally get fed up with the babies when they are about 6 weeks old so that would be the natural point at which to get chicks when a broody is involved As for numbers I guess its dependant on the size of the run they will go in to later but somewhere between 5-7 should give you a chance of retaining 3-4 girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosey Lucy Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Thanks for that Tasha and I don't think you're being grumpy I posted the question as I've never had chicks before and need advice! What I think I may do is keep them inside at night then put them out during the day. The weather here is glorious at the moment and they are currently out all day and night but with mum for heat. My run is covered so they will be protected from direct sun and wind/rain. Having seen them yesterday, the is going to seem enormous to them! Also if they're coming in at night I can have chicky cuddles on the sofa when my boys are in bed All advice gratefully received Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 What I think I may do is keep them inside at night then put them out during the day. That should be perfect as long as someone is around to get them in before the temp drops in the eve and at any point if it gets cold Good luck with them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosey Lucy Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Luckily I'm not working in school at the moment or if I am it's only for a couple of hours. If I think it's going to get cold I'll keep them in until I get back. The boys will be tripping over themselves to bring them in as soon as they get home from school so that's not going to be a problem. Have just realised I have food, feeder & drinker but no marbles (glass or otherwise ) or chick grit. What else may I have forgotten Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 At 4 weeks they will be fine with a standard chick or narrow lipped chicken drinker they shouldnt need the marbles They will be ok without chick grit while they are on chick crumbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosey Lucy Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Phew! All systems go then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosey Lucy Posted June 19, 2010 Author Share Posted June 19, 2010 Well after a lot of thought, I went and collected the chicks on Friday. I had decided to get 5 but the lady had put all 8 aside for me to choose between. So what was I supposed to do? Here's what they looked like when I brought them home: They have all settled in very well to their new home, they are happily scratching around, eating and drinking. I brought them into the house last night so they didn't get too cold (and so I could have a cuddle too). They are very nervy as they've never been handled so I'm taking it slowly. Even OH (who didn't know they were coming as he was away) thinks they are lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meezers Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 They are lovely. Will be interesting to see how they turn out, you must keep us updated with pictures What breeds could they be 'bits of?' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosey Lucy Posted June 20, 2010 Author Share Posted June 20, 2010 They are lovely. Will be interesting to see how they turn out, you must keep us updated with pictures What breeds could they be 'bits of?' Ah, thanks! No idea what they may be bits of as the variation in the parents is quite spectacular. I've seen some evidence of Light Sussex and Welsummer though so it will be very interesting to see how they finally turn out. I'll post more pictures as they develop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
