Spring 2017 first timers post!

[Newfiegirl]

Today the girls got paroled for a short time, got to test out their new run a bit. Less than a week in jail(MHP brooder) but they seemed pretty happy to be on real grass! BB kept an eye on them and no problems occurred. Our mini lap Lab had one quick move when a chick ran into her, surprised us as she has had plenty of time around full size hens. We are just a day or so away from having the run completed, putting the roof covering on today and tomorrow. Still have a little fence wire to put up and that is IT! Will be nice to get back to a normal schedule and not have this project hanging over our heads, whew!

Nice big area for your babies! And green grass! We are in Ontario, Canada. It's just starting to warm up here.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

My chicks shipped yesterday from Meyers, they say they could be here (southern California) as soon as today but I am doubtful. Tomorrow more likely. I will turn on the heat plate this morning just in case though.... My kids made a adorable flyer we brought to the post office yesterday so they are on alert! We are lucky we live in a small town, no mail delivery we pick up our mail so the PO employees know us all. I think the first truck comes about now.....

Gary from Idyllwild Ca here

 

[bajabirdbrain]

No late night partying here! That's the joy of using the MHP. My week old chicks put themselves to bed a little before 8 p.m., sleep straight through the night, and reappear from their cave around 6:15 a.m. I am trying to raise them with just natural light. The office area where they are being brooded has decent light and western exposure.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

No late night partying here! That's the joy of using the MHP. My week old chicks put themselves to bed a little before 8 p.m., sleep straight through the night, and reappear from their cave around 6:15 a.m. I am trying to raise them with just natural light. The office area where they are being brooded has decent light and western exposure.

When mine get here, today or tomorrow they are going straight into the coop under a heat plate, so if they party at night I will not know! Although I expect they will not with no added lights in coop.

Gary

 

[L2fly]

No late night partying here! That's the joy of using the MHP. My week old chicks put themselves to bed a little before 8 p.m., sleep straight through the night, and reappear from their cave around 6:15 a.m. I am trying to raise them with just natural light. The office area where they are being brooded has decent light and western exposure.

I think that's probably better for them, getting used to natural light! I ordered a dimmer cord for the 250W bulb, that was recommended on another thread, so I can gradually turn it down and get them adjusted to natural light and normal temperatures. Our weather is pretty mild here, so I'm hoping to make a quick transition to their coop.

Here's my set up, it certainly glows red! I have a thermometer to the right of the light towards the front, and it is showing 85 degrees, and they seem to be acting fine (the feed store said they were two weeks old when I brought them home on Sunday...) During the day they tend to hang out in the back of the kennel, as the room temps are warmer, and this morning I found them towards the front, closer to the light.

 

[carolbiggs1965]

We finished our wagon coop.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

We finished our wagon coop.

 

[L2fly]

We finished our wagon coop.

Super cute!!

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

WOOT

WOOT!!! Chicks made it to the regional USPS hub this morning, only a hour or so

away the tracking said they are on way to destination.

local Post office told me they get the afternoon truck about 2:00 its 1130 now

Gary from Idyllwild Ca here

 

[3riverschick]

Totally new to this board and to having or own chickens. Just received our coop and our chicks are now ranging in age from 5 days to 2 days old. We currently have 18 total and 8 more due to arrive early May. We opted for a complete menagerie to see different personalities, colors and breeds in action.
3 Silkies
3 Delawares (1 is a rooster)
2 Barred Plymouth Rock
1 Black Asian
1 ISA Brown
1 Salmon Faverolle
2 Buff Polish
1 White Crested Blue Polish
4 Buff Orpington

Coming in May
3 Easter Eggers
3 Golden Laced Wyandotte
2 Colombian Wyandotte

We seem to have a chick buying problem. Did not realize until yesterday we could suffer from this affliction!

They are in a brooder in my office, but thinking of moving them to the coop after reading the many threads on here. Oh and we're in TN!

Have you calculated how big the coop and the run is going to need to be for these 26 Birds? @ 3 square feet instead of 4 / bird in the coop you will need a coupe that is 76 square feet .
In the run, you need 10 square feet per bird if it's a bantam that's five square feet per bird. I think silkie is count as bantam so you will need to run that is 245 square feet . And five nest boxes one for every 5 chickens. just a thought best Karen