Chickens Day 1....

My chickens will be here in 2 weeks and I need to know what I need to have ready when they arrive. I have the coop and the covered run built. I have a feeder and a waterer, nest boxes are ready. What else do I have to have for day 1? Grit? First aid kit for chickens? Healthy chicken snacks? Any advice would be appreciated.....

Are you getting chicks or adult birds?

I am getting pullets. An Orpington, an Olive Egger an Amerauca, 2 Cochin Bantams and a Cochin Bantam frizzle.

All you really need day 1, is feed. If you have all pullets - any layer feed will work, or an all flock and you can add a calcium source on the side. Grit if you want to give treats - they'll go insane over mealworms, dried or living. Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (BOSS) is a more affordable snack, that they'll like. Most garden scraps if you garden will be appreciated.

As far as first aid goes. I keep saline rinse, blu-kote, vetrx, neosporin, corid, & oxine on hand. Some of that is preventative and some for show birds and/or leftover from prior treatments. You could get away with less, or more...

Pullet simply means a young female chicken. Day old chicks are different than 6 month old pullets.

How old are your birds?

They range from 14 to 18 weeks

I wouldn't over do things though. Yes they might appreciate some treats but I would leave them alone once they got settled in and you've made sure everything and everyone is fine.

Nice that everything seems ready! Good for you! It IS exciting and you have some nice breeds picked out. Were they raised together? I ask because pecking order will have to get sorted out if they weren't...

Keep nestboxes covered until point of lay (which will be quite soon...but first week or two so they don't start sleeping in them.

You probably know to keep them locked in coop and run for about one to two weeks so they know it is home...before any free ranging or yard foraging...

6 to 8 inches of bedding in coop is good...what is your substrate in coop and run?

Pictures of your setup might help here to give more specific feedback!

If you want to do something fun, you could start some sprouts for them as a treat...and you could learn about or start fermenting their food. That keep them healthy...

Share what you are using for waterer and feeder...might get you some tips. I have six too and they are a lovely little flock.

You might have to teach them how to get in and out of coop, and for 2-3 days place them on their sleeping roosts...that should do it though...oh! and a chair or bench outside to watch chicken TV, along with a camera!

Good idea about covering nest boxes. I am using construction grade sand in the run and haven't really decided what to use in the coop. I'm using a hanging galvanized feeder and a double wall galvanized waterer.I would really like to learn more about fermenting their food. I haven't heard of that but want to do what I can to keep them healthy. What are your suggestions for bedding in the coop?

Bedding in coop to start: at least 6-8 inches of pine shavings...they come in nice compressed bales....you may get more creative later and do deep bedding or deep litter...but that is a good start. I do deep litter in their run and recreate a forest floor. Sand has issues, at least where I live....IMHO.

Fermented Feed, let me look up a link....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1163484/sprouts-vs-fermented-grain-help

That is a recent thread where i posted some other links you can look up! Have fun with that...

And you might consider whitewashing the inside of the coop if you want to do more preparation...I have a recipe if you are interested...