All my questions in one post

[mytwogirls]

Although I have found alot of info here I still have a few questions. I am sure the answer to these are here somewhere but if ya'll don't mind I figure it's easier if I just ask again.

1. How long do the chicks have to stay in brooder and what does temp outside and in coop have to be till I can take them outside?

2. What kind of feed to do I need to use for the chicks while in brooder?

3. What kind of feed during their whole growing process?

4. How much and how often do they need grit? They will have a good size run and they will be able to free range some.

5. What if any types of vaccination or medicated feed do they need?

6. I mainly want good egg producers and I guess I will be getting some RI Reds is there any other breed that lay good eggs and can they be in the same area as the reds? Don't know if they tend to get along with each other or not.

7. Do I have to have a rooster?

I have read posts about some of these but I just guess I don't understand fully. I don't won't to get started and end up with some dead chicks. Thanks for helping me.

 

[toddy111]

no. 7 - if you want fertile eggs that will hatch into baby chicks, you need a rooster, however, if you just want eggs to eat, then you don't need a rooster as hens lay eggs anyway.

 

[cluckychick]

1. they should stay in the brooder till they are fully feathered 6-8 weeks usually.
2. you use chick starter feed. Either medicated or not. They will eat this till point of lay.
3. at aprox. 16 weeks or sooner depends on when they are getting ready to lay, you switch them over to layer feed. Add some oyster shell to their diet
4. grit available all the time, they will also get it from free ranging
5. refer to #1. some ppl don't vacc or medicate feed as they prefer all organic.
6. I have buff orps, black australorps, rir, ee's all together and all good egg layers
7. no, rooster are for fertilized eggs. If you want babies you need a roo.

Just to add, if you get a roo there is no difference between a fertilized egg and a non fertilized egg for consumption.

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

4. If they get to free range mre than likely they wont need grit, they get enough small gravel and what not to digest there food. We dont give grit to ours.
6. RIR and other breeds will mix. You shouldnt have any trouble with them getting along.
7. A rooster only makes the eggs fertile. So if your not wanting to hatch eggs than no rooster is needed.

 

[willowcol]

1 is up to you, I wanted til mine were feathered out, about 5-7 weeks at least before moving them out of the house. They are however in a completely enclosed chicken house with a heat lamp til the temp get warmer. If it was around 60/70 outside, I would have just put them outside in the coop without heat probably.
2 and 3 chicken starter til they start laying is what I do.
4 I don't give grit mine free range alot, will give grit to the young ones if they haven't been outside but am giving them snacks (after they are around 10 weeks I have not sure when it ok though).
5 that is up to you, I only give medicated start food
6 I have Barred rocks, Black sexlinks, RIRs ect all together and they get along fine. Is better they are all raised together probably. But not a must, there will aways be a pecking order but they work that out.
7 no unless you want fertile eggs. I have 2 just because they are pretty.

Not sure if this is all correct but just how I do it.

 

[mytwogirls]

Thanks so much for the info. Makes feel better doing this now. I guess I will place my order in the next few days Thanks

 

[EliteTempleton]

1. How long do the chicks have to stay in brooder and what does temp outside and in coop have to be till I can take them outside?

5-8 weeks, you'll pretty well know when they are "fully feathered"

temp inside... um varies. lol, if they aren't cuddling under the light or trying to avoid being under the light at all then your doing good, just make sure it's not drafty/breezy on them.

temp outside... Spring?

I don't know an official answer for this but I would be comfortable with 40-45F so long as they were well feathered and had an appropriate coop.

2. What kind of feed to do I need to use for the chicks while in brooder?

Starter feed/crumbles. Medicated or not is up to you, although from what I read and have experienced, the feed store often has limited choices. I fed mine starter feed that was for general poultry, and they are fine.

3. What kind of feed during their whole growing process?

I believe the official thing is starter crumbles till they are 8 weeks, then grower till you get your first egg, then layer pellets(trust me get pellets not crumbles).

But... it will really depend more on how many birds you get. If you only have 2-4 birds then a 50lb bag may last them nearly until egg laying, so you will end up just switching straight to laying feed, just don't give them layer feed, or otherwise too much calcium under 16 weeks, it can give them permanent organ damage. Or you may have say 6-8 and find you have a surplus of grower feed when you get your first egg, well I doubt you will just toss 1/2 a bag and storing it for a year seems silly to me, so I just mix it 50% with the layer feed.

4. How much and how often do they need grit? They will have a good size run and they will be able to free range some.

Less then you think, start with one of those 1lb bags and mark it on the calendar. I think I still have 49lbs of the 50lb bag I bought last spring, if you live near me I can hook you up.

Same goes for oyster shell. Though I later found out you can just feed them their own egg shells back rather then oyster shell.

5. What if any types of vaccination or medicated feed do they need?

The medicated chick starter feed I think covers it. I can't be sure, though my birds have never had any medicine, just old fashioned care, like some unpasteurized milk to fight cocci (mix is 1 cup feed and 1 cup milk as a "treat" every few(2-3) days when they first go outside for 2 weeks or so and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar mixed in at 1 TBSP per gallon in non-galvanized waterer for the duration of their lifetime, though as young chicks I will probably give straight water at first.

6. I mainly want good egg producers and I guess I will be getting some RI Reds is there any other breed that lay good eggs and can they be in the same area as the reds? Don't know if they tend to get along with each other or not.

If raised together from chickhood they will get along fine, though I have heard of some issues mixing vastly different sized ones, like Banties and Standards.

As far as good breeds for you, this site will probably give you better answers then I.

7. Do I have to have a rooster? No.

Also, this is a good site for getting starter info: http://allaboutchickens.tk/