Baby Chicken Help.

[akahn01]

Ok I was recently in New Hampshire and my friend up there has chickens. Me and my dad thought that was a great idea and we were going to ge about 5 1-day old chickens. I have the following questions that i really am hoping to be answered.

1. What are some of the easiest most well behaved chickens?

2. When could they be moved from inside to the outside coop?

3. Where can i get the cheapest most reliable chicken coop?

Thanks

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Sorry, but I got some questions to go right back at you, so we can help you get the right answers.

What are your goals with these chickens? Are they to be egg layers, pets, do you want to be able to process some for meat, and how big an area do you have for the chickens to live? Are you going to be showing or doing 4H or anything like that with them?

So many breeds to choose from and they each have a purpose they are best suited for. Your coop and set up will also depend on your purpose in many cases.

One thing I can say is that most standard breeds can be outside by the time they are 4 weeks old if the temperatures are above freezing.

 

[akahn01]

"What are your goals with these chickens? Are they to be egg layers, pets, do you want to be able to process some for meat, and how big an area do you have for the chickens to live? How many chickens were you thinking of getting? Are you going to be showing or doing 4H or anything like that with them?"

Well my main goals are to have a chicken that lays a lot of eggs but does not fight or harm other chickens. I have about a 8' by 8' place that i would like to put the coop. I am thinking about getting 4-5 chickens. I will not be showing them, i am just going to have them for personnel gain.

Also can i keep the baby chicks in my basement when they are growing up?

 

[akahn01]

Am i going to get any help?

 

[jenlynn4]

First you should do some research on the net about the breed you are thinking about getting. Theres loads of good info on the net. Did you want standards (big chickens) or bantams (small chickens)? Cochins are very nice birds in the standard and bantam variety! You will need to build a coop that shelters them from the weather and is roomy enough for them. They will also need an outdoor run. There are many breeds that are good egg layers. I think a 4ft x 6ft coop would be plenty for 4-6 chickens. Then you could have the rest of your 8ft place for a run. I only raise silkies, so I dont know much about the other breeds, but I am sure there are others here that can help you.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Sounds like your looking for a good egg laying breed and with a coop that size you can keep standards. So you will get many opinions on the best breeds but personally I would go with Australorpes, Orpingtons, Naked necks or Polish.

Yes chicks can be brooded in the house. I have used a big box or a big tupperwear container for their first home. Have a light bulb in one end and cover that end with tin foil to help hold in the heat. The brooder should be about 90 degrees in that end at first and gradually lower it as the chicks get older.

Good luck and have fun with them! We do answer questions here, but there is not always someone on line.

 

[akahn01]

I am sorry about being impatient. Do you think this will workhttp://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/product/starter_kit.html

 

[SpottedCrow]

That should work.
Your best bet would also be to find someone near you that has chicks. Most hatcheries want orders of 25 or more. And most hatcheries won't ship in the dead of winter or the heat of midsummer.
My son's school hatched chicks and I took 2 home. When one was murdered by a raccoon, I went to a local farm who's eggs Tom and Jerry were and got two more, Slifer the Sky Dragon and Obelisk the Tormentor. I got Miss MoneyPenny at a chicken show.
This is also an easy link to types of chickens:
http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

[jimnjay]

Andrew, The brooder kit from McMurray is great but you can accomplish the same thing much more reasonably with a Rubbermaid Storage Tote, I use a the off brand one I get at Walmart for around $ 6.00, The large size is about 31/2' x 2 1/2'. something like 40 gallons, I think. A clamp on light runs around 6-8 dollars depending where you buy it. You feed store is a good place to start. They will have the watereras around 4-5 dollars and a small feeder for around 2 bucks. The kit you see at McMurray is good for around 25 chicks, a little overkill for your goals.

Check you local feed store for chicks also, many of them will have chicks for sale. Ask for Pullets not Straight Run, if you don't want roosters. You will most likely find Rhode Isaland Reds or Barred Rocks both are great layers. Barred Rocks are very friendly natured chickens and a favorite by many. If you want something fun you might get a couple of each kind available. Necked Necks are excellent layers and very unusual.

There are some good examples of small coops in your McMurray catalog. You could probably fashion something similar without much trouble.

Good Luck with you new chicks.
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