2018 Newbie Chat!

[No More Empty Nest]

Hello, I am completely new to raising chickens. I ordered 15 chicks that will be arriving mid-April. My sons and I are super excited! We are getting the coop ready this month and are planning to brood in the coop. We live in a rural farming community and have lots of room so our chickens will be semi-free range. The BYC forums are helping a lot!

Welcome! I'm in the city so only 4 chickens allowed.

 

[Blooie]

Well, I’m not new to chickens. In fact, I don’t even HAVE chickens at the moment. I was just reading through the thread because I’m a sucker for all things chicks, and because @BBZZZZTT has become kind of a regular over on the thread I started.

All I wanted to say is Welcome to all of you who are just beginning this wild ride! It’s so nice to see so many using Mama Heating Pad and reading how well the chicks are doing.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Update on my chicks:
My twelve almost seven week old chicks are so full of energy. Quite the curious bunch of chicks in fact. I removed their Brinsea on Monday, so tomorrow they’ll be without heat for a full week. My intentions were to put them in the broody breaker in my coop tomorrow but the PNW got a cold snap this week so that’s looking out of the question for now. The low’s are looking warmer next week so there’s still hope. To keep them entertained for now I added a dust bath and a treat box. Everyone is officially fully feathered except for Bonsai (crossbeak), she seems a little underdeveloped but I’m not giving up on her.

My six fourteen week old pullets are loving their coop. They’ve ventured out to the run finally and are now spending most of their time “foraging” for cracked corn and worms that I throw in daily.
I was worried I put their roosts too high up in the run but they’re getting good use finally.

 

[llombardo]

I started and finished one side of the extended run..just three more sides to go..lol. I've decided to take a 4-5 ft long dresser I was going to toss and make that the duck house. I'm freaking out over all these possible predators. I got two witness a small display of pecking order which more like chest bumps. I also got to see them what I think was attempt a dust bath. I'm bring in some dirt tomorrow. The learning never ends

 

[blufangirl]

We are new this year too. We started with 3 baby Ancona ducks. Then my son brought home 4 chicks. Here are our new babies. I think we have 3 silver laced Wyandottes and 1 new hampshire red. Ducks are around 3 weeks. Chicks 1 to 2 weeks.

 

[llombardo]

We are new this year too. We started with 3 baby Ancona ducks. Then my son brought home 4 chicks. Here are our new babies. I think we have 3 silver laced Wyandottes and 1 new hampshire red. Ducks are around 3 weeks. Chicks 1 to 2 weeks.View attachment 1311204 View attachment 1311205 View attachment 1311206 View attachment 1311207 View attachment 1311208 View attachment 1311210 View attachment 1311211

So what is your plan? Keep them together or seperate?

 

[blufangirl]

So what is your plan? Keep them together or seperate?

Keeping them together. Hubby has designed a coop with poop boards for sleeping purposes. They will be free ranging the backyard during the day and locked in at night. We are building a swimming deck outside of coop and run to minimze the water in coop.

 

[BBZZZZTT]

My 5 1/2 week olds don't sleep in/on their MHP anymore. They all line up on the roost in their coop.

So far they prefer to hang out inside the coop- I don't blame them, it's only 40 for highs still.

Occasionally they will venture out but usually only if I am there to protect them from all those scary robins flying around.

(These are my new coop shoes. Cheap target target slip ons that I don't mind getting poop all over xD)

 

[Blooie]

Ain’t it a great, stress reducing way to raise ‘em? Short learning curve then they just “get it” and take over!

 

[Chickassan]

Hi newbies! I'm one of the 2017 newbies. Just popped in to say hello and look at the babies.