And so it begins!!!!

Jeremy128

In the Brooder
6 Years
Mar 26, 2013
60
3
43
Outside St. Louis MO.
Hello! New member here. I did a brief intro in the New Members Forum. Well in an hour or so I'm off to the farm store to pick up 6 chicks for an Easter gift for my kids. Ive wanted to keep chickens for a while now. I guess getting them for my kids is just the excuse/justification? Either way in a few hours I willnhave 6 chicks in a brooder hidden in the garage until Easter morning!
Here's why I started this thread......
I plan on ourpur purchasing the following and wanted to see if there is anything that I am overlooking.

6 Black Sexed Link chicks
1 1qt auto-watering dish
1 semi enclosed feeder
1 heat lamp with 100 wat bulb
1 bag medicated crumbles
Sand (for inside the brooded)
1thermometer

I own on using either a cardboard box or large storage container (rubbermaid type).

In an effort to offset any "shock" from transport and going to a new home I was planning on getting a small packet of the electrolyte type water additive to use to help them recover from a chaotic day of moving (and to help them while being introduced to my kids).

I liked the idea of mixing some "fresh pdz" into the sand to reduce smell but I don't know where I can find it. Any help with that would be greatly appreciated!

Well that's the list of things I plan in purchasing today. Is there anything that I'm overlooking?
 
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Congrats! We got a 100 watt and it was not near warm enough for young chicks. Upgrade to 250 and also red. We had a white to start and I really think the red does keep them calmer and more content.

I am not sure about the "pdz" but I would check with your farm and ranch store or possibly a large home improvement store will have.

Good luck and can't wait to see updates!

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PDZ can be found at most farm supply stores. I found mine at Tractor Supply when I got my chicks.
I also used a chick electrolyte supplement in the water. Mine said on the directions to make sure you offer plain water in addition to treated water, which of course meant I needed to get another water dish.
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I offered them that for a week. Figured it couldn't hurt.
Good luck!
 
I got the PDZ at Tractor Supply. The farm store you get the chicks from may have some or know who does.
Get a reptile scooper to clean the chick poop from the sand. Though the PDZ granules don't all fit through to shake out.

I used a 100w bulb with my 6 chicks and now they are outside with it with just 3.
I have 6 school chicks in the dog room right now with a 75 w bulb and that is plenty for them. They sleep just fine. I walked up and didn't even disturb their slumber this morning when I checked in on them.




In the garage for the weekend, you might want a larger bulb though if it is chilly out there. Maybe make 2 trips - one for the stuff and get the brooder set up with the 100w and see if it gets warm enough and then go back and get the chicks.
 
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No coop yet. But that is in the works. I have a decent stash of assorted wood that I should be able to build a coop with. I have a few different ideas kicking around in my head.
 
I use red bulbs and have both 125 and 250 Watt bulbs to interchange when needed. It depends on how large of a cardboard box or rubbermaid container you use and how high up the lamp is. I have always used the 250 Watt until they're a week old or when they're in the cold garage, but just last week I had to make more room, so I used a smaller rubbermaid container. I usually use my large 2ft x 6ft brooders, but they're all full. I about overheated my chicks in the smaller rubbermaid container with the 250 Watt. It seemed to hold in all the heat, and the chicks were panting like dogs. Just my suggestion to get both Wattages and observe the chicks. If they're panting or trying to run away to the corners of the box, they're too hot. If they're all huddled together under the heat lamp chirping loudly, they're too cold. Adjust the heat according to their behavior. Make sure they have a way to get away from the heat lamp, and I suggest not putting their food and water directly under the lamp. If you pay attention to how they're acting, you'll do just fine.
 
Good advice! I failed to mentions that the garage is attached. It isis nit heated but never gets too cold. When the outside temp drops into the teens the garage gets chilly, but not cold.
 
Very cool turn of events! With the drama of life I had something come up that may have prevented me from getting the chicks today. Orscehelns got their shipment of chicks this morning and I was afraid that being Easter weekend the may sell out before I could get there today. As it turns out I will be able to go to Orschelns this afternoon. So I called them and asked how many Black Seder Links they have. She asked his many I wanted and is saving me 6 of them until this afternoon! Very cool! Very nice of her and good customer service!
I live near them and a Dickey Bub. Due to the great customer service Orschekns just made great strides in gaining a loyal customer!
 
6 chicks resting comfortably in a small brooder in my bathroom! Cute little buggers! I will move them into a bigger box later this evening. They were pretty stressed when I got them home. I figured they were safe, warm, with food and water so I'd let them rest for a while before moving to a bigger box.
 

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