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Thanks! They are about a year old, full standards, hearty breeds. I think they'll be fine. Do full do you fill your buckets?

I have been using a plastic waterer that is a huge pain in the butt. While house sitting for other chicken owners I learned that they simply fill up a bucket with water every day? Is there a problem with doing this? I assume their chickens had no problem slurping it out. They seemed healthy...

Thanks for all the info! Our run is uncovered, though half protected by tree shade. We did have nearly 2 months of rain, so yes, that put a damper on the run so to speak. It's finally starting to dry out, but I had to put something down. We're hoping to have it covered by fall.

I am in Bozeman. Our run is dirt, well, it's compacted slightly wet dirt. We had 15 chickens and now I'm down to 11. It was starting to get stinky in the run even though the chickens can free range around the yard much of the time. We are somewhat urban, we have neighbors very close on both...

I have been told conflicting advice regarding which to use in the coop (deep litter) and in the run. The feed store folks and others have told me straw, but an old time chicken owner told me straw blows too much and hay stays in place better. We can be kind of windy here in Montana. Your...

Ok thanks!

I don't really understand the purpose of scratch. What is its function in the chicken diet? When do people start feeding it? Is it necessary?

My 15 eight week old chickens used to need their feed tray filled a few times a day when they were younger. They were started on medicated feed, then I switched to an organic non-medicated feed at about 6 weeks. This feed looked like much higher quality and I could actually see the flax and...

AT what age and what outside temperature can little chicks start spending some QT in the grass? I keep reading about people letting their chicks outside for short periods to expose them to more bacteria, dirt, stuff in the grass, etc., but I am unsure of the details. How old were your peeps...

thanks! and yes I edited my post to clarify that my 13 chicks are almost 2 weeks old! I will try perching the water jug on something elevated.

Thanks for your thoughts but I disagree that commercial layer feed always needs to be the hen's main feed. The free-ranging chicks I am familiar with who are feed whole foods seem to do pretty well with supplemental feed. Aren't many people raising healthy happy chickens this way? And our...

Ok, more newbie questions: 1) I have 13 chicks who are almost 2 weeks old. The folks at the feed store told me that handling the peeps stresses them out, burdens their system, and can make them grow at a slower rate on account of the stress. I had been thinking that I needed to handle them...

Thank you for this, and all the other helpful replies! There is so much to learn on the subject, I feel like I'm researching vaccines for my kids (which also is a never ending pursuit!). Quote:

Thanks everyone for your input. It is a lot to consider and right now I just don't have the time to sit on the computer for hours sorting through the various opinions, "facts," and the like. I had no idea this was something I'd need to consider until I was in the store getting my chicks.

Thanks! How do you *know* you have some roos? ??

I am allowed only to have 6 chickens per city ordinance. I came home today with 7 hoping that if they all make it, and are all in fact pullets, that no one will notice given my yard is fairly private. Now after reading on here about all baby chicks not making it, other issues requiring...

Please help me decide! We plan to raise our chicks as naturally as possible, free-ranging them and supplementing with organic feed (probably one that make), as well as garden foraging. The feed store was adamant I go home with medicated feed but I'd really like to hear arguments supporting...

I've read that once they are fully feathered they can go in the coop--but how do you know when they are "fully" feathered? Is it obvious? Also, I suspect by the time my chicks reach that point we will still have freezing nighttime temps. Will they be OK to overnight in the coop at that point...

I got 2 SS chicks today that are just a couple days old. I had never even heard of this breed, and thus hadn't planned on getting any, but they were the most charming chicks at the feed store. The coloring really is beautiful and they already do seem to have that curious personality people talk...

Are all silkies bantams? Are they considerably smaller than standard breeds? I'd like to have cochins and silkies but I'm worried about the size difference between the two breeds and bullying issues. We are very cold in winters here and I don't want the smaller birds to suffer. And lastly, I...