Chicks - 3 weeks old

The incubator chicks are now 3 weeks old, the ones with the Speckled Sussex 3 days younger. The incubator ones seem so much bigger and more advanced...but maybe not. The ones with the broody are certainly much calmer.

Photo: Chicks with broody 3 weeks less 3 days

1 & 2: Indian Game / Ixworth


3: 2 Welsummer chicks 1 Indian Game cross


Photo: 3 week old chicks under the heat lamp in the 'sleeping area'


To try and stop the incubator chicks from feather pecking we have increased the size of the pen, have replaced the sawdust bedding with straw, given them a tray of sand for dust bathing and a few logs to perch on. All pecking whilst dust bathing appears to have stopped. However there is still an individual chick who works her way around the rest pecking as she goes. She can be easily identified....the only chick with a full set of feathers ! The few that have had the feathers pecked from their backs are as far as I can tell cockerels.


......and the Exchequer Leghorn chick, camera shy, at 10 weeks showing her beautiful markings.