Couperman Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Due to a hatching exercise at school Cathy has been lumbered with 5 chicks to rear (now they are past the cute and fluffy stage). So she is bringing them home tonight. They are in a cardboard box at the moment and have a heat lamp. I feel something a little more robust is in order, especially as we have a cat. Not sure how old they are but I am guessing about 5 weeks, they are about the size of a pigeon. I have an empty 3 ft aquarium that could be easily converted to a brooder in the short term and it has enough height to raise the lamp etc. Do you think this would be ok? At what age will they be old enough to venture outside, in say an eglu or rabbit hutch with no lamp? Will they still need to come indoors at night? Sorry for all the questions, obviously if we had planned to raise chicks I would have researched all this before hand Thanks again. Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara.F Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I think, if the weather is fairly warm and the chicks have been outside during the day to acclimatise for a week or two, that they can go out at about eight weeks. That will make it late may....long days and hopefully warmer nights Did the school not plan what they would do with the chicks before they hatched them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Not impressed with the school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 At 5 wks they're very nearly ready to go out during the day if this warm weather continues. The aquarium sounds like a good idea for bedtime though, but with the lamp raised high enough for them to get away from it if it's too warm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperman Posted April 27, 2011 Author Share Posted April 27, 2011 Not impressed with the school I don't know the full story, It's not a case of hatch them with no regard of what to then do with them. But I think the planning could certainly have been better. The idea was for them to go to the school allotment which is fine once they are old enough to be left over night, I don't think the caring for them until then part was thought through or discussed properly. I wasn't aware they were going to be coming our way or like I say we would have been more prepared. Not to worry, if I can get the aquarium brooder up and running and organise an eglu for when the are ready to go out things will be ok. The other complication is that four of them are boys, the school has found a home for these with a nearby allotment holder but that only leaves 1 girly, so when the boys go off to their new home Cathy will have to get a few more of the same age to keep her company. Am I right in thinking that the temperature of the incubator affects the sex of the chick? because I think there is a lesson to be learned there too. Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 A friend of mine is rearing some school chicks, two of which will be coming to me when they are big enough to join my hens. She did it last year as well, and as far as I know she just keeps them in a puppy crate in her conservatory, obviously feeding chick crumb and making sure that the water is filled with stones etc so they can't drown while they are very small. I'm not sure if she used a heat lamp, but I was amazed at how quickly they grew last year - the fluffy chick stage is soon over. She said they were very smelly and messy, so be warned! Shame so many turned out to be boys. I don't know if the incubator temperature affects that, I suspect if it was that easy we'd all raise girls only! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperman Posted April 27, 2011 Author Share Posted April 27, 2011 Shame so many turned out to be boys. I don't know if the incubator temperature affects that, I suspect if it was that easy we'd all raise girls only! I am sure I read it somewhere but it was to do with survival rates of the different sexes rather than determining the sex itself. Like you say I am sure the poultry industry would have exploited that if it where true. I probably dreamt it Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I read somewhere that one of the sexes can survive a temperature spike better than the other, perhaps thats it? chances are its just one of those things though, about 80% of my Pekin chicks are male and it was the same last year whereas about 80% of my Wyandottes this year are females! You could be saddled with this problem for a while, the youngsters even off heat and outside wont be able to go in with adult hens (assume thats whats at the allotments) until they are about 19 weeks, cockerels seem to suffer badly from bullying when introduced to an older flock too so I dont introduce mine till they are sexually mature and so they can do the bossing about! you'll also have the lot of them crowing by then! You could ask the allotment holder to take them as soon as they are outside if they can keep them separately Personally I'd let the girl go with them so long as the person has other females Goodness knows what someone wants 4 cockerels for, hopefully its the pot as they will run the females ragged if its not a huge flock! They can go outside during the day now if its warm-ish, if they are well feathered Id phase out the heat lamp over the next week or so (or remove it completely if they are in the house) the best bet would be to keep them in a garage or shed where the mess doesnt matter so much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Hello and thanks for the advice given. now - for the full story... (and this wasnt exactly my idea - ok, it wasnt any of my idea ) we have an allotment at school, its only just taking some form of shape, its mainly grass, we dont have any chickens at all at school, but the boss said that we could have some. a parent suggested that she bring in an incubator and the science dept could watch and use it as a bit of a science experiment, etc, taking photos, filming the hatching etc. anyway, i sort of knew that this was going to happen, but i wasnt totally in the loop (as they say), so, next thing i know is the students coming up with the "i can hear the chicks cheeping" when they first hatched, they were cute and fluffy and everyone wanted them, now they are about 3/4 weeks old (hatched the last week of term, not sure of the exact date) and looking a bit scruffy, they are now "cathys responsibility - cos she has the allotment" I feel that the whole thing could have been planned tons better I would have got POL hens, that could be shoved in an eglu and left overnight, now, ive got 5 chicks that need looking after, anyway, im dealing and they are all sat in the fishtank happy little things arent they questions: what do we do about vaccinations? do we need to? how long can they stay of chick crumbs? thanks for the help and advice people cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I swapped my last batch over at 6 weeks old it just happened to be when the crumb was running out then moved them outside at about 8 weeks old theyed been off heat about 2 weeks possible a bit longer as they stopped useing the ego brooder themselves and they had just about out grown the indoor brooder which is 4ft x 2ft x 2ft I had 6 in there thier now about 13- 14 weeks old and have out grown their outside run that 9 foot long x 2ft x 1.5ft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I wouldnt worry about vaccinations but if the school has a list of rules as long as your arm you may be forced to investigate it!! CM has posted some useful info on a vaccinations thread in the Chicken section today Leave them on chick crumb till they are about 6 weeks old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Just out of interest and sorry to hijack but my growers refuse to eat growers pellets I introduced them slowly as they are now 9 weeks but they would rather go hungry - ideas anyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Just out of interest and sorry to hijack but my growers refuse to eat growers pellets I introduced them slowly as they are now 9 weeks but they would rather go hungry - ideas anyone They'd get tough love here, let them go hungry, they will cave in. you could mix chick crumb in with the pellets but I guess they'd just fish it out small pellets are better than large for bantams, you could try chick pellets or growers mash or even whizz the pellets in a food mixer to break them up a bit but to be honest I'd stick it out, if you are tough they will cave before you do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 They had crumbs mixed in to begin with - tough it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Personally I'd let the girl go with them so long as the person has other females Just what I was going to say! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 more questions...sorry (and thanks for the replies, much appreciated ) they look like they want to perch - is this ok? and do I leave the lamp on all night? thank you cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 What if you end up with all cockerels Cathy? Presume they are gingers ? Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Hi Cathy, I have read on the forum that they shouldn't perch until they are quite a bit older - think it was 14 weeks - as it can damage their keel bone. As for the lamp, if you mean the heat lamp then yes, leave it on at night unless they are old enough to be weaned off it. Well done for taking them on so unexpectedly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 the boys are definitely going to an allotment, ive been promised this by someone who is as soft with her hens as i am with mine erm, with the perching thing...i know they shouldnt, but they are, i cant stop them, they have their food in 2 little pottery dishes (home made my me ) and there is usually 3 on these dishes, and one perching on the water bowl (that piperkit provided - she isnt too impressed tho ) will they be ok? - hope so thanks again for the advice Emma, ive been told they are warrens - apparently you can tell on hatching if they are male / female, ive got 4 little yellow fluffballs and one ginger. ive taken some photos, ill put them up later when i get home from work. cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I'm sure they will be fine perching on the bowls - I took the advice to mean that they shouldn't perch overnight, rather than not at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 my growers were perching at about 4 weeks only on the eco brooder or the drinker which was alright if it was over half full otherwise the tipped it over then as soon as they could jump up on to the edge of the brooder pen then thet perched on that. now they perch on the lower perch in the main runwhen their out FR with the big girls and Boris. they have realised that they can get on the top one yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 And where are the photos??? I have another lone chick this year, looks like a female, she adores perching on my finger and has a strong grip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omletina Kyckling Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Only just seen this!! Warrens aren't an autosexing breed as far as I'm aware so not sure how they know there are 4 boys and a girl? You may have more girls. I've seen in books that you can look at their primary/secondary wing feathers at about 5 days and get an idea as to sex, but this isn't entirely conclusive. Re. Kev's questions on temperatures in incubators, I read that in hotter countries, they hatch more boys than girls, so it could be that higher temperatures encourage more boys? I think we need photographs of your brood so we can "help" identify boys and girls (and coo a bit too, of course!) .....thinks to self, must definitely book a few days away in Redcar..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Warrens arent autosexing but they are sex linked which means that the parents have the correct genes for the offspring to be identifiable on hatch (usually one of the parents is genetically 'gold' and one is 'silver' - not necessarily in feather colour but in genetic makeup) In the case of Warrens the female chicks are amber and the males are yellow One chick in so many hundreds/thousands will break the rule - hence the odd amber cockerel getting through to end up in a battery cage but nearly all will be correct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperman Posted May 4, 2011 Author Share Posted May 4, 2011 I am no expert, but if I was a betting man, my money would be on the 'quiet keep out of trouble' brown feathered chick being a girly, and the other four fowl mouthed aggressive white feathered 'come and have a go if you think you're hard enough' ones to be males. The main reason I say this is the white feathered ones only seem to be aggressive towards each other and do the jump in the air kung-fu kick thing rather than pecking. This behaviour is not frequent but amounts to that of a bunch of 12 year olds who have just watched Rocky III. They are all currently cuddled up together cute as you like. They have certainly outgrown the temporary aquarium brooder solution Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
