best advice you have

[hannahenriquez]

what is one thing you wish you had known before raising chicks and owning chickens....or what is one piece of advice that you think would most help a newbie?

 

[Blooie]

Relax and enjoy the entire experience. It's not rocket science and if you use a liberal dose of common sense, you and your chicks will be just fine. I stressed, I sweated, I fussed and drove the poor things nuts the first time I had chicks. Now I just put 'em outside in a big pen within the run from the start, so the big chickens can see them and they can see the Bigs, feed them, water them, and do my best to imitate a broody hen. Result? Healthy chicks and a non-stressed-out owner!

There's a ton of information out there and you can become overwhelmed so fast. So sort through it, pick what you think will work for you and your situation best, and don't feel bad about not heeding what doesn't seem to "fit" you. You're only new once, right?

And by the way, Welcome to BYC!

 

[rIrs roost]

I learned that you should get a quail waterer the hard way. Or at least put marbles in the waterer to prevent drowning.

 

[Blooie]

I learned that you should get a quail waterer the hard way. Or at least put marbles in the waterer to prevent drowning.

I guess I never think of that so I never remember to mention it. I use nipple waterers from day one, so I don't face that. But good point!

 

[rIrs roost]

I guess I never think of that so I never remember to mention it.  I use nipple waterers from day one, so I don't face that.  But good point!

Thanks blooie. I had a silkie chick drown and it really bothered me. Hi felt so dumb for not thinking about them drowning. But being new to chickens I really didn't know. It happened fast too. I walked in one room and ten minutes latter come back to find it drowned. I tried cpr believe it or not. I felt and still feel terrible about it. Lesson learned. Thank God for all of you experienced people that are willing to share your information. Y'all have helped me so much. @Blooie you've helped me a lot and probably don't realize it. Thank you so much.

 

[Pork Pie]

I too sweated and fussed, only to actually realise that a mother hen can look after her chicks perfectly well without me doing stupid things! (having said that, I'm prone to doing stupid things

)

CT

 

[Blooie]

The stupiderest thing I did was thinking that I knew more about raising chicks than a Mama Hen does. Yeah, not so much! The second boneheaded move was having 22 chicks outgrowing their in-the-house brooder with no coop planned or built for them. I just knew I'd find that first egg in the brooder at the rate we were going! Once I latched on to using Mama Heating Pad, life became more peaceful and my confidence soared as he chicks responded. Taking it one step further and brooding them outdoors from the get-go was the clincher. No noise all night long, no dust, no dangerous heat lamps, and chicks that practically raised themselves has proven repeatedly that it's the best way for me and my chicks to get off on the right foot!

 

[realsis]

Things I didn't know was to make sure babies chicks got vaccinated for Mareks disease.No, I got lucky and didn't get Mareks in my flock but my breeders and personal friend did. She had the most beautiful show quality stock of Silkies I'd ever seen! These birds were amazing! I watched helpless as one by one they became sick and died. I watched how devastated she was as she lost her stock and potential second income as a breeder. She could no longer in good conscience sell her stock. I watched these once beautiful birds suffer and die. I watched how fast the Mareks spread through her birds
Faster than I thought possible.I tried to support her through the emotional pain and devastation of loosing so much.From then on I learned as much as I could about Mareks. Finding out its everywhere.It can even travel miles in the wind.I also learned for a very minimal fee usually only .50 cents to a dollar that you can help protect your birds with a vaccine.Nothing is 100% protection but they have a much better chance with the vaccine. I witnessed the total devastation Mareks disease can cause. This was a big lesson for me. I wish more new chick owners knew about Mareks and was told about the,benifits of the vaccine. which should be given after hatch. I'd say that's the biggest lesson learned.Best advice I can give, spend the fifty cents and get your chicks vaccinated after hatch. (one day old) you will be glad you did.

 

[lazy gardener]

1. Blooie's MHP (see her first 2 links)
2. Fermented feed
3. Deep litter
4. How to shoot a gun
5. The joys of owning a rooster

 

[azygous]

The most valuable advice I got from BYC was poop boards to make it easier to keep the coop clean.