Reviews by Jen-the-Hen

I wish I'd read this article before I got my first chicks almost 2 years ago. I had no idea the car ride of 30 or 40 minutes would be so stressful for them, or that they would feel cold so fast. I'm hoping to get another six chicks soon, so should I heat up a wheatie bag (not hot) and put a towel over it in the box for them?

I missed the 3-day imprint-window you mention, as they were 5 or 6 days old when I got them. And although they were quite happy to be handled when small, I didn't keep it up through their "teenage" stages and only one of the 3 is really relaxed when held. So I have learnt a lot thank you! Will do it differently this time!

Really well-written and informative article thank you. I am waiting for a friend to build me a walk-in coop & run, as currently the destruction of my back lawn & amount of poop all over the place to scrape up is getting a bit much. I want them to be happy though, so it will need to be bigger than I'd planned.

Hello from another urban small-scale chicken keeper in New Zealand! Our city regs are up to 12 chooks, as long as coop is 2m from boundary fences.

Have raised six heritage chicks from 3 days old (initially w brooder plate inside, then large cage in sheltered veranda, in coop once feathered). Three boys went to friend once started trying to crow, 3 SLW started laying @ 9 months. Follow similar cleaning routine as above. Use untreated pine shavings in coop & DE sprinkled in. Free-range grassy fenced backyard during day. No smell issues and no complaints from neighbour's either side Plan to get 3 more when bigger secure run finished. NB to protect your vege garden!