2018 Newbie Chat!

[BBZZZZTT]

@BBZZZZTT Oh my gosh so cute, if you can’t hide him I’d go to your local farm&feed stores and start asking around or posting ads for him! My local feed store has a board dedicated to the unwanted male livestock . What a great idea with those Disney princess names! Do you plan on getting any more chicks since at least one will be removed from the picture?

Well I think since one is being removed anyway I'm just gonna keep all the rest here instead of giving them to my mom .And then she can get chicks.

Family chicken math .

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Well I think since one is being removed anyway I'm just gonna keep all the rest here instead of giving them to my mom .And then she can get chicks.

Family chicken math .

Yes! So happy that you don’t have to split the rest up! You’ll have to have your mom post pictures when she gets some!

 

[llombardo]

I think mine is crowing when he anticipates I'm going to check on him. So today in the morning(between 5:30-6:00), I check on them between 6-6:30, he crowed twice and stopped once he saw me. At lunch I come home and the same thing he crowed twice and stopped after I checked on him. Sunny the pekin quacks at the same times, it's her first, then him. Maybe feeding off each other? Oddly those two are very close.

 

[CannedMonster]

My littles are 6 weeks old!
The new coop is almost done.
I’ve been putting them outside for a few hours in the dog play yard for weeks.
Now I’m putting them in the old prefab coop run after the 4 big girls are done laying for the day.
My 1 year old bantam roo, Hector, came over to check out the babies.
The big brown NN chick ran up to Hector and grabbed his wattles!
Hector stared him down and then pecked him.
One of the Wyandottes watched the whole thing.
Sometimes I wonder if the biggies think these things are even chickens lol.

They’re growing so big and feathering out so beautifully.

Here’s the big brown chick. I’m pretty sure it’s a cockerel:

Here’s his partner in crime; also believed to be a cockerel:

These here are Agatha (black) & Emily (black/white barred), I’m positive they’re pullets:

I’m not sure about this one. It’s as big as the boys and has a larger comb but it’s not that pink. It’s got very pale skin and shanks. I’ve been calling it Bubelah:

I’m loving Bubelah’s colors

Here’s my little Cochin Frodo. I thought he was a frizzle but now I don’t think so. He seems to be coming in black but he has one or two white feathers. He’s been crowing for a couple of weeks and his comb is finally starting to get red.

And last but not least my little Silkie, Sam. My son said I had to name it Sam since I had a Frodo lol. I’m pretty sure Sam is a pullet.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

@ChooksNQuilts Oh boy look at those big boys’ legs, they look like tree trunks they’re so big! I’ve loved watching your group grow, I’m sure I’ll have myself some NN in no time thanks to falling in love with your sweet babies! They look so happy

 

[BBZZZZTT]

Hey everyone!
Since I an now gonna keep my remaining 6 hens, my mom is gonna get her own chicks.
She needs help picking out breeds!
She likes bantams but is leaning towards standard size for egg production.
So if anyone has suggestions of good laying bantams...

 

[CourtKnee]

Hello everyone! I have been following this thread for awhile now, ever since we decided to dive into the world of backyard chickening (a couple of months now). We get our baby chicks next week!! I ordered 8, and we will be keeping 6 max. If hatch day goes well, we will be receiving a Swedish Flower hen (1), Olive Egger (1), B/B/S Favaucana (2), Easter Egger (1), B/B/S Americauna (1), Black Copper Marans (1), and Welsummer (1). We will be building the coop from HGTV with the free plans, that I found on here thanks to another member sharing! We have predator proofed the base with hardware cloth and will be buying lumber on Saturday to finally start!

Our brooder is ready to go. We will be going the MHP route, everything is tested and ready to go. I’ve built up a chick first aid kit, I have nutridrench, probiotics, wound spray, corrid... trying to be prepared for anything. This forum has been a WEALTH of knowledge. I truly appreciate everything I’ve learned here (and there’s still so much more to learn!) and my newest favorite pastime is scrolling through pictures of everyone’s babies Can’t wait to share my own!

 

[Spryght]

New flock home and everybodies found food and water. Still not sure about the mama heating pad though.

Edit to add: They have names now. Chocolate, Marshmellow, Cheesecake and Cookie.

 

[CourtKnee]

New flock home and everybodies found food and water. Still not sure about the mama heating pad though.View attachment 1383658

So cute! Are they not taking to the MHP? This is the method I will be using so I’m very interested in your concerns

 

[BBZZZZTT]

You may need to nudge them under with your hand and keep them in there for a minute just so they learn it's warm. Once they realize it's warm under there they'll go in and out as needed. I used MHP!

@Spryght the thermometer isn't really necessary as it doesn't give an accurate reading under the MHP. MHP is meant to warm the chicks that touch against the heating pad, not warm up the ambient temp in the cave. All the temp guidelines for chicks is not really applicable with MHP.