Choosing which chicks to keep..

[polo]

Hi everyone,

Our chicks are 8 weeks old and look like minature hens now and doing really well on growers. The boy and 6 hens are going of to the friends smallholding soon but i have decided to keep two of them.

My question is - How do I choose the best of them to keep? Some have yellowish legs, some dont and some have larger wattles while the others have almost no wattles. Do any of these things make any difference? Is there anything else I should look for other than general good health?

They are Light sussex x RIR by the way so the boy was obvious!

Another question springs to mind. Would it be advisable to keep mum with the chicks until the chicks can eat layers pellets, then put them all in with the main flock together?

thanks

Polo

[RichmondHens]

Avoid quiet ones - sparky, active and nosey are often the best hens.

Mum can go back any time now. Chicks don't really need mum after 6 weeks and she will come back into lay anyway so will be better off eating layers now. Move the youngsters into the main flock when they are 16 - 18 weeks - by then they are a good size and can eat layers like everyone else.

[polo]

Great thanks RH - Have leg rings on them now so I can tell the active nosey ones apart!