BRAND NEW TO THE HOBBY!

[urbanhomesteader]

So the tank is 18 inches tall..the heat lamp is in the top at one end and the normal 75W bulb ( thought it was 100 but its just 75) is at the other end. The thermomether is near the bottom in the middle.

aran you should put the thermometer under the lights/heat sourse.. As long as the two ends are at the correct temp. its ok if there is a cooler area in between. They need cooler places to go incase they over heat. Though 70 is a bit cold. Test how the temp varies in different spots. I had 11 chicks and there was always one who always stayed right under the light(no mater how hot it was) and one who stayed in the coolest part of the brooder but most liked it inbetween.

Another thought, If you cover the brooder make sure there is still air circulation. Don't want to smother the babies.​

 

[aran]

so since my wife REAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLY doesnt want the chickens in the bedroom I am trying blankets wrapped around the tank tonight..if no luck then she has agreed to let me bring the tank in the house.

Im really surprised at how much I am looking forward to this. I guess its the kid in me who always wanted to do this finally getting his chance

aran

thanks a lot for all the help.

 

[4H kids and mom]

She'll only say no until she sees them! Then its all over in Chicky Melt city!

They're so tiny and fuzzy you cant help but adore them!

And get more, and more, and more....lol

 

[aran]

Ok for the short term Im thinking of flagging the tank idea and going with a big cardboard box with towels on the bottom, then pine shavings then paper towels, with the heat lamp over the top. Will have to organise some chicken wire for the roof though so the lil guys dont get out.

By the time they are a little bigger I can separate them into either two tanks ( at a cooler temperature) or go with the idea that i read on another post of using a couple of refrigerator boxes taped together with the central wall cut out, making one colossal box.

What do you all think of this plan???

Ok next question: do i need to buy the feeder tray thingees or is a paper plate ( real low lip on it) going to be ok for the little tiny guys until they get a little bigger. I read on one post that they can drown in the plastic waterers because they are too deep?!?!?!?! Is this true? Do all of you guys/gals use the commercial feeders and waterers? Im sorry if these are dumbish questions...just dont wanna kill the lil chicks.

And one last question...I ordered 11chicks all together..10girly chicks and one little boy chick...whats the chances of this mix being actually what arrives in the box from ideal poultry?

thanks again.

 

[aran]

by the way I didnt know what to order so my son and I went on the website ( ideal) and chose some red( production reds), white( Rhode Island Whites) and black ( production black) chickens. Pretty scientific huh?

Actually we only want the chickens as pets and for eggs secondarily but we really did choose them solely based on colour since we know nothing about the different breeds..im not sure if my son and I chose well..what do you think?

The chicks are all girls except for one production red male...theoretically!!

 

[aran]

4H K&M...I went the tractor supply store today( after working a 27hour shift in the icu!!!!!!!!!!!which will give you some idea as to how excited me and my boy are about this little venture), and bought a 250W infra red heat lamp. I have the thermometer under it at the bottom of the tank and it is reading almost 100degrees now after only 1 hour of being on...the other end of the tank (48"x18"18) has a 150W white heat lamp on it and is only about 85degF.
I bought pine shavings, and have papertowels and the feeders and the waterers and the 20%protein starter food...and I contacted the post office and gave them my cell number to call when the chicks arrive...am i all set?

The lady at the shop said i need to medicate with teramycin for 2 weeks...is this necessary?

thanks in advance,
aran

 

[kstaven]

You also want to make sure that 90 - 95 degree reading is directly under the bulb at brooder floor level. That gives chicks the option of moving away to cooler grounds.

 

[aran]

thanks kstaven...yep I had the lights on all night and checked this morning...i had to raise the 250 W red light up about 4inches above the tank because it was too hot over that end...well this morning the "red side" of the tank on top of the pine shavings and papertowels, the thermometer is reading 93deg. The other end where the white 150 W heat lamp is is at 94 deg this morning... this oughta do the trick i think. I bought 2 feeding dish/tray things and a waterer and got the food i needed. So all i have to do is wait the next couple of days until the chicks get here. I have heard worrying rumours that there may be a bunch of extra male chicks in the box with my order. I am really hoping that is not the case because I dont know what to do with them when they start to get a little bigger. I didnt get into this with the idea of killing chickens for food. I just want the eggs and the hobby for my son and I.

where does everyone else send extra rooster chicks?

 

[iopele]

You won't like this answer... we eat ours.

I know, it's not the ideal solution, but the demand for roosters is really very low. In fact, we've got way, way too many adult roos right now and are just waiting for my father to come home to thin the flock.

Yes, we leave this distasteful jobs to him, what of it?

Hope you don't get a bunch of extra males in your box!

 

[aran]

iopele...maybe I will send you and your dad any spares I recieve
I know that this is what ppl have kept chickens for for centuries, Im just too much of a softie to ever do it. This in spite of the fact that I EAT chicken...hypocrite huh?