8 weeks old....

[Hilary]

i have light sussex bantam and ten chicks.
chicks growing well, and mother still in with them, but i lift her out each day now to eat normally (she is laying again) and she is wandering, but comes back to the pen (with lamp on at night) to keep an eye.
a) what age should i put the chicks onto growers mash?
b)do they need any grit?
c) when should i move them outside. currently they are snug in a rabbit run in a shed and its cold and rainy outside!

i do have a spare hen house, but can they manage the stairs?????

please advise.
hilary...(aka mother goose).

[minskey]

Morning Hilary, I have 5 Wyandotte chicks which will be 8 weeks on Tuesday; they have been hatched by Mum a ISA Brown hen and have been out in their own hen house and run since day one. She brings them out in all weathers, they are now able to jump up on some branches and hen house roof with out any problems, they are both over a foot high. They are now on growers pelletts & anything Mum gives them. Have attacehd some pics [I think!] Hope I've answeared some of your queries, I'm not an expert but there are loads on the vine who are and are nice & helpfull.

[Hilary B]

I've never shut a hen in with babies once they were over about a week old. I always let her decide when they stoped needing her warmth at night etc. and let them get used to 'outside' gradually with her to supervise. at 8 weeks, they should be able to get up a ramp etc.

[Bephlam]

Anyone else have a problem opening the attached pics?? I want to see them, but....I can't!!

[lynda66]

think thats cos the pics are that size so won't enlarge

[Hilary]

thanks for the advice - update being, lamp off during the day - just on at night. now on growers pellets and loving them. found some flint grit rather than oyster grit, as apparently its easier for little tummies. looks like i have three of one sex - and seven of the other..... how can i work out which is which!! when do i need to separate them? now setting up outside hen house, but boxing off the laying box so that they cant roost in there, as the advice is its a hard habit to break later.
but - final question - can they manage the ramp or am i likely to damage them?
do i put roosting bars in the hen house -?
many thanks -

[Hilary B]

Best time to tell them apart is when they first start growing tails. Hen chicks grow tails younger than baby cockerels (8 weeks is getting a bit late for that, you may have to wait for real 'cock tails' now...). Flint grit helps them eat (takes the place of teeth, since chickens don't have any) Oyster shell is for making egg shells from, so not needed until they are nearing laying.
Perch for roosting any time after they have wing feathers, similarly for getting up a ramp. Chicks don't damage easily unless something falls on them or such mishap.

[minskey]

I can't open the pics either, I'll try again! Adding a pic of my three Amber links which I have had for two weeks now