Spring 2017 first timers post!

[Honora]

We are having trouble naming our chicks.bc they're all gold sex link and almost all look exactly alike. One we have found has a darker back than the rest. She is Polly. Lol

They are starting to test their wings a bit. How does one clip the wings and when is it appropriate or best to do so?

People don't usually clip their wings until they are grown up. You just have to have a cover for the brooder so they don't fly out. Mine usually start flying out after the first week or so.

 

[Wavechickens]

Day they arrived: less than 30 hours old

About five days old:

Our Roo

About a week and a half (I think..time goes by fast!) enjoying their first treats (fine scrambled egg)

Today at two weeks: (pics of the same gray chick, Blue Splash Maran, to show growth difference)

 

[rodewarrior]

And they can be ever so sneaky, too.
The other morning I got up, went to breezeway to look at the babies, and found a bunch of chicky-poo on the floor. I looked around and saw no one out and about, looked in brooder and counted, sure enough.... They were all in there. Some lil bugger snuck out, pooed the floor, then got back into the brooder, so i wouldn't be Able to tell who had done the dirty

 

[GaChicklette]

@GaChicklette
Welcome

The more pics, chicks & people the better

Thank you so much! I'm loving this thread and all the info and pics!!

How many birds do you plan to have in the broader? I have 8 chicks in a much smaller space right now but know I will need something larger before they move outside.

Right now only 2, my flock will grow but this was my hubby's way of keeping the peace while having time to build the tractor/coop. I had gotten a smaller tub and the light was too much for it so ran out to get the other. We have horses as well and plan goats soon so the equipment goes to good use any way you look at it!

Appliance boxes

I've got my 16 in this recliner box that I used some wood scrap to reinforce. I have a refrigerator box out in garage, in case they
a) get too big too fast, or
B) I don't have their coop ready on schedule.

Love the idea of appliance boxes---i honestly wasn't very inventive I replicated what they had at Tractor Supply and added a stand at the end (2 DVD holders and a bakers rack shelf) to clip the light on---I wanted something metal.

i am by far no Chicken expert, but I can safely as far as age go between 3 days and 5 days. They have the tiny little end feathers on their wings, which they start to devolpe around their 3-5 days usually, depending on the breed. And the one in the food dish that has the little stripy color on her back is most likely the Ameraucana as they tend to have more variation than leghorns we have found. Our little flock got those same little feathers around 3 days on our productions, 4 days old on most, 5 days on the 'slower to mature' breeds we have. They are all now two weeks old today and man do they grow fast!

Perfect that goes along with what I figured they might be. I was figuring Tractor Supply got the delivery for the weekend--they were going fast as pretty much everyone in line had one or two boxes of chicks. I was lucky enough to talk one of the ladies there into letting me pay her for the chicks and her adding it onto her order since they have the 6 minimum rule!

 

[Wavechickens]

And they can be ever so sneaky, too.
The other morning I got up, went to breezeway to look at the babies, and found a bunch of chicky-poo on the floor. I looked around and saw no one out and about, looked in brooder and counted, sure enough.... They were all in there. Some lil bugger snuck out, pooed the floor, then got back into the brooder, so i wouldn't be Able to tell who had done the dirty

OMG! I know!
So to get them to be more 'friendly and used to people' I set up a puppy play pen around their brooder and let them into it with me while I sit in there on the floor. It allows the heat lamp to keep them warm while wondering around laying in my lap and checking me out. It's made a world of difference.
But the first time I did it I get the pen set up, opened the brooder door, and sat there with them. no problems. Then I got up to pee and when I came back I found that all the chickies had escaped!!! They could slid through the gaps in the play pen, which I really didn't think they could fit! So here I am with 16 chicks roaming around my kitchen. Thankfully the dogs and cat are outside or I might have been in some real trouble. The dogs are kind to the chicks but all free running may be a little to excitement for three dogs and a cat!

 

[Wavechickens]

Thank you so much! I'm loving this thread and all the info and pics!!  


Right now only 2, my flock will grow but this was my hubby's way of keeping the peace while having time to build the tractor/coop.  I had gotten a smaller tub and the light was too much for it so ran out to get the other.  We have horses as well and plan goats soon so the equipment goes to good use any way you look at it!




Love the idea of appliance boxes---i honestly wasn't very inventive I replicated what they had at Tractor Supply and added a stand at the end (2 DVD holders and a bakers rack shelf) to clip the light on---I wanted something metal. 



Perfect that goes along with what I figured they might be.  I was figuring Tractor Supply got the delivery for the weekend--they were going fast as pretty much everyone in line had one or two boxes of chicks.  I was lucky enough to talk one of the ladies there into letting me pay her for the chicks and her adding it onto her order since they have the 6 minimum rule!

You got very lucky! We tried to find someone at first to split a order with but then decided to make a bigger coop and just go with more.
We ordered from my pet chicken as I wanted some very unique breeds and couldn't find them locally or in any farm stores. We have 2 Rhode Island Reds, 1 Golden Cuckoo Maran, 1 Welsummer, 1 Blue Splash Maran, 1 Light brown Leghorn, 1 silver gray Dorking, 3 Easter Eggers, 1 super blue layer, 2 blue Favaucana, 2 creasted Cream Legbar, and 1 Blue Splash Ameraucana Roo.
That way we have chocolate brown, terra-cotta brown speckled, and reg brown, white, Cream, and different shades of blues and greens for eggs! Very excited!

 

[Wavechickens]

Our lovely little coop

Adding a secondary building soon for their food and water next to the chicken door on the other side. And a secondary building attached for winter time indoor roaming for them.

 

[Lamaremybabies]

Our lovely little coop

Adding a secondary building soon for their food and water next to the chicken door on the other side. And a secondary building attached for winter time indoor roaming for them.

Nice! I like the tree.

 

[pioneerchick816]

@Wavechickens
Your chicky babies are super cute

 

[GaChicklette]

You got very lucky! We tried to find someone at first to split a order with but then decided to make a bigger coop and just go with more.
We ordered from my pet chicken as I wanted some very unique breeds and couldn't find them locally or in any farm stores. We have 2 Rhode Island Reds, 1 Golden Cuckoo Maran, 1 Welsummer, 1 Blue Splash Maran, 1 Light brown Leghorn, 1 silver gray Dorking, 3 Easter Eggers, 1 super blue layer, 2 blue Favaucana, 2 creasted Cream Legbar, and 1 Blue Splash Ameraucana Roo.
That way we have chocolate brown, terra-cotta brown speckled, and reg brown, white, Cream, and different shades of blues and greens for eggs! Very excited!

I think the poor woman who split the order thought I was a bit insane (chicken brained) because i kept thanking her...like repeatedly. She got better after I followed her around the store waiting til they completed their order! lol

I am planning on ordering from a hatchery most likely for the majority of the flock but did see some babies at one of the local stores I haven't seen available- A black giant? I think it is a sort of Jersey Giant but very pretty. I want more variety in our eggs too so have a "want" list a mile long---I will likely start with under 10 total to begin with...( think I'm really lying to myself on that but I can keep that up for a while)