I'm terrified of chickens...So now I have some!

threepinkbugs

Hatching
Apr 18, 2016
1
0
7
Fostoria Ohio
Hi everyone, I'm Katey. I have 3 little girls 8, 5, and 2.5 months. I homeschool and this is a great learning experience for all of us. I have always been afraid of chickens and mainly ducks. I have noticed that my 5 year old Charlie is starting to feed off of a lot of my fears so...I'm going to overcome my fear. I have several friends with flocks and I think if I start with chicks (not too afraid of) and watch them grow I can overcome this. Today My 8 year old Addi spent a lot of the day working with Grandpa on a coop. Then this afternoon we went and got 7 (OMG WHAT WAS I THINKING????) chicks. I believe we have 2 Rhode Island Reds 3 isa brown pullets and 2 Colombian Rock pullets. Hopefully all good egg layers. I'm almost positive the loud annoying one that Addi has named Buddha is a rooster. Not too sure how I feel about that but we will see.We also have a pitty named Boba and a shitz tzu named Alex. My friend Nicole said you guys were amazing at helping with questions and such so here I am :) I'm also a knitter, spinner, crocheter, and fiber nut. Please tell me I'm not crazy for doing this! The coop should be done by Thursday :)
 
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I don't think you'll find anyone here calling you crazy for getting chicks...we're all nuts about poultry! I hope you come to love and enjoy your birds as much as I have mine.

Check out the Learning Center if you haven't already. It's full of interesting and helpful articles on raising chicks as well as just about every other topic having to do with poultry.

Good luck to you, you and your family are in for some fun now!
 
Katey nice to meet you. Chicks are the way to start. Chicks use their beaks as hands to test things - if they peck you a bit its to discover what you are. Once they fall asleep in your lap, I think you will be totally in love with them. They grow fast but, you will be there every step of the way. It's not like having grown birds circling your feet looking for treats.

I would worry about keeping dogs and chicks totally apart. Dogs/cats generally love to chase chickens - they have fun, chickens end up dead. Chickens have never killed a dog.

Chicks don't do well on newspaper, it is too slippery and can cause problems with splayed feet. Generally folks use pine shavings, and cover them with towel paper for the first few days till chicks learn where their feed is.. Otherwise some will try eating the shavings. If some don't know what to eat or drink in the beginning you can tap a finger against the feeder and waterer to show them. A reluctant chick may need to have his beak gently dipped in the water, so he knows that's to drink.

Chicks run a round, a lot in the early days, then can fall asleep even on their feet and topple over. Sometimes they even look dead when they are asleep, probably just to give a good scare. If you touch them or make a noise, they will wake up fast.

Your chicks look like they need a much larger & taller brooder. They will grow so fast and try flying early. A wire top so they don't fly out or fall out and cannot get back inside. For very young chicks you use a shallow dish for water with colored glass beads or clean stones, so if a chick falls face forward into it, they will not drown..
 
Hi Katey and welcome to BYC - glad that you have joined us.

Strangely enough, i was just talking to NFC - the first person that greeted you about how scared of chickens my wife is, and it seems its not so uncommon! Good for you for facing your fear head on!

Theres lots of threads on crafts and hobbies, so if the chicken talk is freaking you out a bit, then you can always calm yourself with chatting about other things.

All the best
CT
 

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