Anyone impatiently waiting for your baby chicks to arrive?!?!

[tash]

I had a male cat who was a great mouser- wild mice that is.

But when a hamster would get out, he would gently pick it up and bring it to me unharmed.

One time my rabbits got out of their cages in the back yard (I think neighbor's kids), and this wonderful cat came running to get me, then led me to the back yard where the rabbits were hopping every where. He then herded them into a corner and held them there while I picked them up. It took me several trips carrying armloads of rabbits to get them back into their cages, but my cat kept them in the corner until I had them all.

awww. That is cute. I had some rats as a kid, great pets. My favorite cat was sitting on top of the cage one time (it was a homemade top with hardware wire) watching the rat intently. The rat jumped up and bit my cat on the toe! She screamed and jumped about 4 feet in the air. I grabbed and she was bleeding, we stopped the bleeding but she never went near that rat again. She was very smart, came when she was called better then my dog and kids combined.

Love this pic and caption!



I love your cat stories. Sweet. But, cats do have a hunting instinct that may one day take over their sweeter nature. I once had a cat who I was convinced knew the difference between outside prey and inside pets. He was often in the living room when I let my parakeet out to fly around. One day, he jumped up and snagged the bird out of the air. Before I could even react, he'd broken the bird's neck. Hope your cats remain docile around your "prey animals", but, beware!

yes. Another cat I had as a kid only had three legs. But he was an excellent hunter. He ate his share of chicks. Mostly escapees from the dog crate they were in in the living room. He would ignore the pets in cages as long as they stayed in the cage. But the second they were out they were prey. Another cat we had didn't mind that the chicks were in a cage and would try to reach through the bars.

Here is what I am thinking for my chicks. Still needs litter. And preferably something to hold the litter better then the black pan.

 

[Varglet]

It's because of the flying. The chicks don't fly, so the cats aren't interested. My cats focus on my budgie (parakeet) when he flies around his cage, though they have lost interest in him recently.

 

[ladycat]

awww. That is cute. I had some rats as a kid, great pets. My favorite cat was sitting on top of the cage one time (it was a homemade top with hardware wire) watching the rat intently. The rat jumped up and bit my cat on the toe! She screamed and jumped about 4 feet in the air. I grabbed and she was bleeding, we stopped the bleeding but she never went near that rat again. She was very smart, came when she was called better then my dog and kids combined.



yes. Another cat I had as a kid only had three legs. But he was an excellent hunter. He ate his share of chicks. Mostly escapees from the dog crate they were in in the living room. He would ignore the pets in cages as long as they stayed in the cage. But the second they were out they were prey. Another cat we had didn't mind that the chicks were in a cage and would try to reach through the bars.

Here is what I am thinking for my chicks. Still needs litter. And preferably something to hold the litter better then the black pan.

I'm using one as a brooder. I laid some plastic feed bags in the black plastic tray, then I shoved a cardboard box inside.

 

[City-Chickee]

For the floor of the brooder do you guys suggest starting them out with pine chips or should I use puppy pads maybe for the first week?

 

[tash]

I'm using one as a brooder. I laid some plastic feed bags in the black plastic tray, then I shoved a cardboard box inside.

Not really sure what you mean by plastic feed bag but I was thinking of putting down chux (like puppy pads) or a flat garbage bag or something. I worry about putting in a box because the ones I have are smaller then my crate and I worry about the chicks jumping to the edge and then down and getting stuck between the box and the crate and getting cold or hungry/dehydrated or something. I was thinking of putting a small one in as a place for them to hide/play in though.

 

[ladycat]

Not really sure what you mean by plastic feed bag

Some brands of feed come in plastic instead of paper bags. The starter and grower I get from TSC is in plastic bags.

 

[tash]

Some brands of feed come in plastic instead of paper bags. The starter and grower I get from TSC is in plastic bags.

Ah ok. Our cat and dog food comes in paper and that is all the feed we get right now. I do have one small bag of chick starter I bought last week that is in plastic but it's small.

So now I am officially waiting on my chicks. The obsessive refreshing of the available now page on Meyer paid off this morning and I ordered 1 BR, 1BO (told you I would probably get both if available), and 1 EE. We will go tomorrow first thing and pick them up.

 

[silkwormlady]

Wow! Lotsa people getting/waiting for lotsa baby chicks!! Not me: 3 Buff Orpingtons and 3 Speckled Sussex + one SS rooster. Already wondering: assuming I have them toasty warm in a brooding box (a stove from Sears was in this box), water, food, "toys", can I leave them to themselves for a working day's length of time? Looking forward to supplementing my knowledge base (not much), with BYC helpers and book: Storeys Guide to Raising Chickens. I hear it's " the bible" for chicken people but... Babysitting tips for Chickie's?

 

[gabs1477]

I have 5 chicks coming nest Tuesday.

1 Ameracauna
1 Black Australorp
1 Buff Orpington
1 Gold Star
1 Barred Rock

I am 14 and this is my second batch of chickens, because I had eight when I was five. I don't know a lot about these breeds, so if you have had any of these birds, let me know your stories.

 

[silkwormlady]

All I know about are the Buff Orpingtons having a reputation for being very friendly birds. I've found McMurray's or is it Murray's to be a good site to give basic info about the breeds. If you google "chickens", I'm sure their site will come up. Big supplier. Good reputation. Unlike my memory. Have fun.