Brand new to raising chickens! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Staci8412]

Hi All!!!

My husband and I have decided to raise a flock of BO's and our chicks will be arriving in a week! We are very excited and nervous (well I am, he sorta goes with the flow). I've been reading the forum's here and trying to prepare myself but any tips would definitely help! We will have 9 hens and 1 rooster.

Thanks in advance!

Staci

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: http://www.backyardch:ickens.com/t/746509/how-to-deal-with-travel-stress-in-baby-chicks Tractor Supply has the best price at 6.99 for the 4 oz. bottle which is plenty for you. What makes this product special is that it doesn't need to be digested. When chicks get stressed, it effects their G.I, tracts ability to uptake any help you give it. Digesting these helps can take up to 3 hrs. Poultry Nutri-Drench mainlines directly into the bloodstream. 50% uptake in 15 minutes. 99% uptake in 30 minutes.
Best Success!
Karen in western PA, USA

 

[chicmom]

Don't worry, chicks are surprisingly easy to raise. If you've got your wood shavings, your heat lamp, your chick feeder and waterer and a good chick starter crumble, then you're ready! Also, a thermometer would be great too, and you raise and lower the heat lamp so it's just right.

Make sure they can run in and out from beneath that light. And watch out for pasty butt, which is when the poo collects on the rear. If you see that, make sure to remove that.

I would advise you to use a hanging feeder, because chicks love to scratch, and they will knock all the food out of the feeder onto the brooder floor if they can. In all my years with chicks, I like a hanging feeder the best, even out in the coop for the adults.

Good luck and happy chickening!
Sharon

 

[daleandtina]

I'm in the exact same situation. Our chicks arrive in a few weeks and we are very new. My question is why do they need feed and "crumble"?

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Feed = crumble at this stage in life. Just get a bag of chick-starter crumbles and you're good to go.

 

[3riverschick]

I'm in the exact same situation. Our chicks arrive in a few weeks and we are very new. My question is why do they need feed and "crumble"?

What breed of chickens are you getting/? It makes a difference which chick starter you get.
Best,
Karen

 

[daleandtina]

I'm getting a dozen Buff Orpingtons. I ordered some organic soy-free chick starter from the site that is on here. Is that good?

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Perfect!