Basia St Clair
Songster
Just purchased my first 4 pullets (hope they are all Hens) six weeks ago. 2 ISA Browns and 2 Asian Blacks from Tractor Supply. When I say at first I knew nothing about raising chicks, looking back, I actually new less than nothing. Negative, if that's possible. Most of it was like that old wives tales you heard your grandparents talk about around chickens.
I LOVE it! Why didn't i do this sooner.
Like so many other have indicated: they are are so fun! From literally watching them actually grow before your eyes, to all the anxiety around "normal" behavior.
I was obsessed with pasty butt, temperature in the brooder, water (add vinegar? garlic clove infused?), food (medicate or non medicated?), type of straw/sand/pine shavings/ to put in brooder, how much? are they warm, cold, acting funny, pooping right (i actually looked up an article that had pictures of all kinds of poop LOL)? You name it, I've obsessed over it
Thank goodness for this forum.
Looking back i think 3 of them were near 1 week old when I purchase them, and poor little Tender might have been one day old. She is still not fully feather, while the others are well on their way to looking like full grown chickens.
What I've learned about my babies:
These birds are H A R D Y. The first week they may have been delicate, but after that they've taken a life of their own.
They will NOT drink water with garlic cloves in it - literally turn up their beaks and walk away
They LOVE Hydro Hen
They HATE mealworms - really? what in the world?
A live worm is like gold, platinum and winning the lottery all combine
Fresh herbs from the garden create a frenzy of running around, chasing, devouring
I care WAY more about their surrounding temperature then they do
They love toys
They need grit
You can build a chicken coop out of almost anything
Predator proof, predator proof, predator proof!!!! Day 1 outside of brooder and in the run and there was evidence of something trying to dig under the wire mesh. Thanks goodness I buried about a foot in the ground around the fence.
Latest challenge: They do not want to go into their coop at night. Nope. No way. They love outside.
I cant help but go out and visit with them several times a day. I just take my coffee and stare at them, watching them dust bath, or scratch, or run, or fly, or learn to drink from their water bucket.
Good luck to everyone! And thanks for having this great forum to search and share!
I LOVE it! Why didn't i do this sooner.
Like so many other have indicated: they are are so fun! From literally watching them actually grow before your eyes, to all the anxiety around "normal" behavior.
I was obsessed with pasty butt, temperature in the brooder, water (add vinegar? garlic clove infused?), food (medicate or non medicated?), type of straw/sand/pine shavings/ to put in brooder, how much? are they warm, cold, acting funny, pooping right (i actually looked up an article that had pictures of all kinds of poop LOL)? You name it, I've obsessed over it
Thank goodness for this forum.Looking back i think 3 of them were near 1 week old when I purchase them, and poor little Tender might have been one day old. She is still not fully feather, while the others are well on their way to looking like full grown chickens.
What I've learned about my babies:
These birds are H A R D Y. The first week they may have been delicate, but after that they've taken a life of their own.
They will NOT drink water with garlic cloves in it - literally turn up their beaks and walk away
They LOVE Hydro Hen
They HATE mealworms - really? what in the world?
A live worm is like gold, platinum and winning the lottery all combine
Fresh herbs from the garden create a frenzy of running around, chasing, devouring
I care WAY more about their surrounding temperature then they do
They love toys
They need grit
You can build a chicken coop out of almost anything
Predator proof, predator proof, predator proof!!!! Day 1 outside of brooder and in the run and there was evidence of something trying to dig under the wire mesh. Thanks goodness I buried about a foot in the ground around the fence.
Latest challenge: They do not want to go into their coop at night. Nope. No way. They love outside.
I cant help but go out and visit with them several times a day. I just take my coffee and stare at them, watching them dust bath, or scratch, or run, or fly, or learn to drink from their water bucket.
Good luck to everyone! And thanks for having this great forum to search and share!
