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We got our Chicks today! - Page 2

post #11 of 38
6/18/12 at 10:27am
Thread Starter 

So I am reading around about raising the chicks and trying to get all my ducks in a row (pun intended)

 

I am worried about treats and when to start giving them to them.

 

We dug up worms from the garden yesterday and that was a hit after they got used to the worm wiggling.

 

But my thing is food. Are they supposed to have grit right now? If so how do I give it to them? sprinkle it in their food? a little on the bedding?

 

Then when can I start veggies from the garden? Like I fried the most delightful zuchini and it made it nice and soft and lovely and I think 

the chicks which are now 5 days old would love some of that. I also got some lovely green beans that were sweet and soft once cooked.

 

Then also about moving them to their coop once they are of age it says to keep them locked inside for the first week. In this heat that would kill them so how do I then handle this transition?

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post #12 of 38
6/18/12 at 10:31am

Adorable !

Oh,

You don't like The Hunger Games Trilogy?

Here, have some berries.

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                               Yes, yes I am weird.     

                            ...

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Oh,

You don't like The Hunger Games Trilogy?

Here, have some berries.

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                               Yes, yes I am weird.     

                            ...

Reply
post #13 of 38
6/18/12 at 10:32am

I would offer grit whenever they start eating anything other than their formulated feed.  So if you gave them worms, offer grit.  When mine were little, I'd "salt" their feed with it.  Or you can offer it in a jar lid or something freechoice...

Caretaker of a lovely mixed flock including: australorp, plymouth rocks, wyandotte, d'uccles, silkies, EEs, andalusian, and a few seramas, plus a golden retriever, great dane, and three cats.
R.I.P. Bear 2010 - "The Best Dog Ever"

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Caretaker of a lovely mixed flock including: australorp, plymouth rocks, wyandotte, d'uccles, silkies, EEs, andalusian, and a few seramas, plus a golden retriever, great dane, and three cats.
R.I.P. Bear 2010 - "The Best Dog Ever"

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post #14 of 38
6/18/12 at 10:38am

For treats: scrambled egg is the best and healthiest thing for young chicks, and they LOVE it.  I use just the yolk scrambled for the first week.  Once they are over a week old, watermelon is a HUGE hit, along with yogurt.  The easiest way to get them some grit is to dig up a hunk of grass from the yard with the dirt still on and throw it in their brooder.  This will give them little chunks of rock for grit and there are also probiotics in the soil to help boost their little immune systems and start them out strong.  I start giving grass/dirt at about 1 week old.

 

For putting them out:  do you have an attached run along with your coop?  If so, I would leave the door open and let them run freely in and out.  If you don't have an attached run, I would rig a chicken wire "fence" around the door to the coop. Make sure it gets mostly shade!  It isn't absolutely neccisary to lock them in, but you WILL probably have to put them back in at dark for the first couple nights.

Happy chickens lay happy eggs!

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Happy chickens lay happy eggs!

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post #15 of 38
6/18/12 at 11:09am
Thread Starter 

Oh thank you for the great ideas and info!

 

I have beautiful tufts of grass out in the garden ( I am a horrible weeder, I hope my chicks wont take after me)

 

I am glad to know about the other treats as well.

 

 

Our coop, which hubby is making, is going to have a 8'x3' run so I am hoping that is enough room for them. The actual coop which is inside those dimensions but off the ground so the chicks can shade under their 'house' is about 2 1/2' x 3' so when I am not out in the garden working, or in the yard the chicks will be in their run. I am hoping to train them to come running so I can let them free range in my garden while I weed and stuff and then when I am pooped I can get them to "go home".

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post #16 of 38
6/18/12 at 9:29pm

I have 53 chickens completely free range on almost 4 acres and they never go farther than an acre from the barn.  They range in ages from 3 weeks to 4 years old and they all go into my coop at night and put themselves to bed and I lock them in for safety.  If you are worried about getting them back in, the easiest way is to only let them out an hour or so before dark, they will go back in to perch by themselves.

Happy chickens lay happy eggs!

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Happy chickens lay happy eggs!

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post #17 of 38
6/18/12 at 9:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by PuffyChick View Post


We dug up worms from the garden yesterday and that was a hit after they got used to the worm wiggling.

 

Don't want to freak you out, but I don't think you're supposed to give them earthworms (which sounds really weird, they are chickens!).  But do a search on BYC for gapeworm, it's a worm that can lodge in their throat and cause breathing issues, and I believe it is spread by eating earthworms.

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post #18 of 38
6/21/12 at 11:18pm
Thread Starter 

Fascinating!

 

Thank you for the heads up but now I am freakin out.

 

My little girl Lacy has started to rub her head all along my chin. I thought it was a sort of loving kissy type thing she was doing

but now I am scared it was head shaking and neck stretching ..

 

How long befor you know it's grapeworm?

 

Can you worm a chick? She is 10 days old.

 

All 4 chicks had a worm.

 

Who knew! I didn't see that anywhere as a warning.

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post #19 of 38
6/22/12 at 6:39am

AWWW They are just too cute!!

Your red one is a doll.Like HER (be positive)  a lot.I think in the end you may like the Barred Rock best,.Not the  VERY most gorgous  of all the chickens but they are just  so so  notoriously friendly and super nosey

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post #20 of 38
6/22/12 at 6:53am

Your babies are so stinkin' cute!  It must be awesome to have a hatchery in driving distance.  My mom has ordered chicks for years and the only time she's ever gotten a rooster was when the mail order place sent a free 'mystery' chick.  How has your lab been around the chicks?  We have a lab too and chicks arriving in a couple weeks - hoping its an easy introduction.

5 EE's, 4 Australorps, 3 Cuckoo Marans, 3 Buff Minorcas, 2 Delawares, 1 SSH rooster, 1 mean SSH/CM chick, a 110-lb silver lab, a 35-lb muttzilla, one crazy wanna-be farmer (me), and one very understanding boyfriend. 

 

 

 

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5 EE's, 4 Australorps, 3 Cuckoo Marans, 3 Buff Minorcas, 2 Delawares, 1 SSH rooster, 1 mean SSH/CM chick, a 110-lb silver lab, a 35-lb muttzilla, one crazy wanna-be farmer (me), and one very understanding boyfriend. 

 

 

 

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