Who else took the chick plunge! (Pics on post 101) - Page 10

Yesterday, leap day, i said' why does leap day have to be THIS year? It just means another day of waiting!' lol this year is my first batch of chicks EVER. 

My first foray into chicken keeping. I ordered from Mt Healthy

3-Black Australorps

3-Buff Orpintons

3-Speckled Sussex

3-Light Brahma

3-Barred Rock

I can't wait. I have a brooder all ready (even though they don't come till May). When the snow melts I am going to build the coop. We have gotten crazy amounts of snow this year, so I am thinking will build it is parts in the garage so it is ready when the snow melts. I am so excited and it is still so far away! I am just trying to learn as much as I can from everyone on here. I am even starting a chicken club in town for people who have chickens and people who are interested in it and maybe aren't ready to "take the plunge." 

I am so excited, We are picking ours up from the local feed store tomorrow . We are getting 2 easter eggers and 1 golden sexlink. We are also planning to get 2 laying barred rock hens in just a couple of weeks. I can't wait

We picked half ours up yesterday on leap day, and the other half today.  We have 15 in all.  This is our first go with chickens.  I'm sure we'll make plenty of mistakes.

We lost two of our chicks...so sad. :( I cried.

To make myself feel better I headed to the local feed store and bought 7 more.

ttclan, i sorry for your loss, but the last part made me chuckle. 

LOL ttclan.  You crack me up. Only because it sounds like something I would do.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chicks Galore3 

ttclan, i sorry for your loss, but the last part made me chuckle. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madjohn85 

LOL ttclan.  You crack me up. Only because it sounds like something I would do.  

Thanks.

We lost another one this morning... I'm starting to wonder what we are doing wrong. But I won't be running down the mountain to get more this time...My hubby thinks more than 30 chicks is enough!

I know some loss is expected...we are at 3 which makes it 10% loss. We've only ever had adult hens, this is my first time with chicks. We've followed everything to the letter. Maybe I should post to the main forum. hmmm.

OK, I hope not too much loss is expected, because I only have two, count 'em, two chicks.  They are both pullets.  But if some loss is expected, my flock is going to go down by 50% pretty fast.  I'm new to all this chicken raising stuff.  Of course, my landlord has a bunch of the little fluffy things.  So my babies will be meeting some other chickens when they get older. 

I don't even know what KIND of chickens I have.  One is yellow and the other is kind of brown and striped.  So only time will tell me what they really are.  I do know for sure they are chickens and not turkeys or ducks or geese.  And I picked banded ones so I know they are SUPPOSED to be pullets.  (Ever the optomist.) 

And it's very interesting.  One is about two weeks older than the other.  So the older chick is brooding over the younger chick.  The younger chick stuffs herself under the older chick when she goes to sleep and the older chick throws her little tiny wing over the baby.  The older chick thinks I'm her mommy and the younger chick thinks the older chick is HER mommy.