Rearing 2 week old chicks

nolliavac · **Joined:** Sun Jul 17, 2011 3:29 pm **Posts:** 56

Hi I am new so please excuse me for my lack of knowledge but want to learn as much as I can to ensure my babies have the best life.

I have 6 x 2 week old chicks in a box inside with a heat lamp, sawdust in the bottom (What I put in the horses stables) and the chick starter and of course water. They are very happy in there at the moment I think. Is there anything else I should be giving them feed wise or introducing to them in the next few weeks?

They have also been vaccinated but I am unsure as to when I would first worm them. Also 2 of them seem "light on" with feather on the back of the head and across their backs. I have looked for mites/lice??? but cant see anything (not sure what to look for actually). Should I be concerned about the lack of feather covering on these two? The lady I bought them from had 400 of these babies all in together when I got mine and were all appearing happy and healthy etc. Of course I am naeive and wasnt sure about the feather thing at the time and asked and she said was probably just from them sticking their head in and out of the feeders???

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

You could throw in some clumps of fresh grass, roots and all (soil & worms still attached).Apart from good green stuff it will give them productive exercise and a source of interest to keep them amused.

nolliavac · **Joined:** Sun Jul 17, 2011 3:29 pm **Posts:** 56

Ahh excellent thank you very much! I was wondering when I might be able to give them something like that because they are scratching away through the sawdust.

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

You could hang the clump in their pen which heightens the interest.

Rhode Red · **Posted:** Mon Jul 18, 2011 7:46 am

Are the chickens from a commercial strain and meant to be pullets or unsexed? As some cockerels (boys) from certain breeds (Rhode Island reds, Australorps, Wyandottes ect) can be very slow to grow feathers back or wing. You can also add some lurcern chaff into the litter for them to pick through. Also you could add some of that drier horse poo from you stable for them to scratch through as they get older. Other wise it seems that you are doing all the right things for the chicks.
Rhode Red

nolliavac · **Joined:** Sun Jul 17, 2011 3:29 pm **Posts:** 56

Rhode Red, they have been sexed. Thanks for that, Ill try the lucern too. At what age can I start turning their light off during the day??

I dont leave horse poo in the stable long enough to dry out

Might have to start saving some for them!

Rhode Red · **Posted:** Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:49 am

Hi,
In terms of how soon the chickens can go without light/heat depends on the weather. I keep chickens in an old guinea pig cage, where half is enclosed apart from a little opening. I keep them in the covered section until they are about 2-3 weeks and then open up the other section. They can run in and out as they want, by about 4 weeks I leave the light on during the day after that they lose the day light. Note I generally hatch in August / September. The key is to ensure the pen is not exposed to the extremes of weather, rain, wind and sun. As a general rule around 4 weeks they have most of their feathers they should be able to handle keeping warm, with all their activity.

So you should soon be able to remove the light of a day.

I keep mine with a light of a night until they are about 6 weeks. The weather is usually werm enough by then, for the chickens to handle it.

Rhode Red

nolliavac · **Joined:** Sun Jul 17, 2011 3:29 pm **Posts:** 56

Thanks RR, they are inside at the moment in a special box I have made up, with a lamp in one corner. I was just wondering if I cold turn the light off during the day if they are kept inside out of the weather??

They will go in a stable when they are older and then finally out into the yard Ive made for them with liberty to go in and out of the stable and of course be shut in there at night.

Rhode Red · **Posted:** Mon Jul 18, 2011 12:22 pm

If the box is in an area where it gets some natural light and is warm, they should soon be ok. If you are home each day or on weekends have a try at turning the light off. They will soon let you know if they are not happy, plenty of chirpping. if happy they will keep to their normal routine, eat, drink, scratch and sleeping.

Rhode Red

nolliavac · **Joined:** Sun Jul 17, 2011 3:29 pm **Posts:** 56

I am home almost everyday, I turned the light off for 3 hours this afternoon as it was quite warm and covered half the box with a towel, I came back inside (I was burning off about 20 metres away) and some had perched themselves on top of the box peeping away and some scratching so seemed very happy. Will try again tomorrow. Thanks for your help! [smilie=thanks.gif]

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Rearing 2 week old chicks

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