First time hatching chicks

[wrathsfarm]

Mossiness at 2 wks.

After she feathered out

 

[wrathsfarm]

Random question but if chicks hatch from smaller eggs (due to hens being younger and the eggs not full size yet) does that make a difference in the final size of the eggs laid in the chicks that hatch from those smaller eggs? Will they be smaller than typical even after full grown?

Eggs from 3 of my pullets that started laying in January. Hatched from a pullet I sold last fall but wanted to keep the dark egg gene.
In my opinion, they're growing out normal and egg weight is right on track.

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

Can you post a comb pic for this one?
The copper flecking could go either way so not a sure fire gender identifying rule.
Males will show copper flecking much sooner than females in Marans. But, I had a few females last year that were mossy and popping that same flecking early. In most Marans lines unless the breeder is working on smaller combs, this is the biggest identifier by far for gender.

The comb isn’t indicating anything in my opinion yet, it’s only a week and a half old! I was just shocked to see copper flecks so early, I wasn’t even thinking about trying to tell gender yet lol.

I have two full grown copper marans and had a rooster as well at one point, even he didn’t get copper flecks until around 5 weeks. My hens much later. But yes the hens didn’t start getting combs or wattles until much much later on! Until close to laying, if I’m remembering correctly.

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

Mossiness at 2 wks.View attachment 4097343View attachment 4097344

After she feathered outView attachment 4097353View attachment 4097354

Wow, she’s beautiful!

And her comb is much bigger than my two full grown hens! I love how different they all are!

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

I’m thinking of integrating my 6 week and 2.5 month old group of chicks soon (the one 2.5 month old is more than ready but she’s on her own from that group so she’s lumped in with the 6 week olds). Thinking next week, when it warms up again and the last two from the 6 week group hopefully get their last few feathers fully grown in.

Plan is: put in a cage in the coop for a couple days and then let them loose at bedtime, what do you think?

How do I manage feed, should I switch everyone to grower feed?

The 6 week olds are still on chick starter but ready to move to grower, the full grown flock are obviously on later feed…

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

Aww man, any hope this baby (first pic) is a hen? She’s my favourite of the marans. The two blue marans have bigger combs. The two black ones still have small combs, the one in this second pic is the smallest, but look what they’ve done to her feet, plucked the feathers almost all off I was away just a couple days, my mom was watching them. I’m going to have to move the bullies into a separate brooder tomorrow.

 

[Slothinc]

I’m thinking of integrating my 6 week and 2.5 month old group of chicks soon (the one 2.5 month old is more than ready but she’s on her own from that group so she’s lumped in with the 6 week olds). Thinking next week, when it warms up again and the last two from the 6 week group hopefully get their last few feathers fully grown in.

Plan is: put in a cage in the coop for a couple days and then let them loose at bedtime, what do you think?

How do I manage feed, should I switch everyone to grower feed?

The 6 week olds are still on chick starter but ready to move to grower, the full grown flock are obviously on later feed…

This is a good plan. I hope it goes very smoothly!

 

[Slothinc]

Aww man, any hope this baby (first pic) is a hen? She’s my favourite of the marans. The two blue marans have bigger combs. The two black ones still have small combs, the one in this second pic is the smallest, but look what they’ve done to her feet, plucked the feathers almost all off I was away just a couple days, my mom was watching them. I’m going to have to move the bullies into a separate brooder tomorrow.

The first one looks like probably a boy, unfortunately.

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

The first one looks like probably a boy, unfortunately.

I think so too, only two weeks old today. Gotta say it’s the biggest comb I’ve ever seen on a two week old guess he just had to break my heart early so I didn’t get even more attached lol. This is the one I helped hatch a bit who hatched foot first and couldn’t walk, I had to splint his legs. Loved this little one! My two marans hens in my current flock got their combs so slowly too, I feel like they were probably a couple months old before their combs were this big lol. The other blue marans comb is not too far behind either so I’m not holding my breath…