Chicken Math is real. 0 to 10 in 72 hrs.

[ATXInstantFlock]

If you could design a way to hang those feeders and waterers even an inch off the bottom, that would keep them way cleaner and less stepped in.

The other idea for water I love is those vertical nipple bottles. When they get yours age, we convert them to horizontal ones. All of our waterers in the main coop and 3 temp pens are nipple bottles/buckets. We got the nipples from Amazon and there are oodles of sellers of them.

Here's one we made for intermediates and an example of the water bottle in from one of our cardboard box brooders we used to have.

Thanks for the suggestions and more importantly the photos to go with them! While the pavings stones and bricks before them work much better than just sitting them on the ground, the biggest girls love kicking shavings all about, making a mess.

I've been thinking about nipple feeders for a while now, and it looked like most people had used things like 5 gallon buckets which would of course be overkill for our situation. Didn't even occur to me to try a disposable water bottle. I was about to sacrifice my old gatorade squirt bottle from high school. Might try to rig something up sooner rather than later. Thanks!

 

[Debbie292d]

Thanks for the suggestions and more importantly the photos to go with them! While the pavings stones and bricks before them work much better than just sitting them on the green, the biggest girls love kicking shavings all about, making a mess.

I've been thinking about nipple feeders for a while now, and it looked like most people had used things like 5 gallon buckets which would of course be overkill for our situation. Didn't even occur to me to try a disposable water bottle. I was about to sacrifice my old gatorade squirt bottle from high school. Might try to rig something up sooner rather than later. Thanks!

Ours in the coop is 5-gallons with 4 horizontal nipples. It lasts about month for up to 20 silkies. We put 1/2 teaspoon of RV water freshener in it and that keeps it crystal clear. I know you'd love whatever you use as it means clean water without a mess!

 

[NatJ]

Got the girls moved into the "Garage Mahal".

Um, there might be a boy in there with the girls

 

[ATXInstantFlock]

Um, there might be a boy in there with the girls

Which one(s)?

The two big ones we brought home were from the kiddo's school, so we knew that was a possibility, but we have been happily in denial for now.
From my wife's amateur research, she thinks the two we got are Cornish hens, but we are absolute newbies at this.

 

[NatJ]

Which one(s)?

The two big ones we brought home were from the kiddo's school, so we knew that was a possibility, but we have been happily in denial for now.
From my wife's amateur research, she thinks the two we got are Cornish hens, but we are absolute newbies at this.

In the recent photos:
Chicks in the plastic tub brooder, white chick closer to the bottom of the picture.
Chicks in the new coop, photo with red lighting, chick up on the perch.
In both cases, it's hard to be sure because of the color of the lighting, but I think I see a chick with white feathers and a big comb.

As regards whether the chicks from the school are Cornish hens:
--if they are Cornish Cross meat chickens, they will be meaty and seem round/fat compared with other chickens. I can't see the body shape well enough to tell in the recent pictures. "Cornish Game Hens" at the grocery store are Cornish Cross chickens butchered at a young age (may or may not be female).

--if they were purebred Cornish chickens, they would have pea combs. The chick that looks maybe-male to me has a single comb, so definitely not a purebred Cornish. (Purebred Cornish are pretty rare, so I wouldn't expect you to have any of them, but given the name I thought I would check that too.)

 

[ATXInstantFlock]

@NatJ here's a better picture of our "Mrs." Doubtfire.

 

[DobieLover]

@NatJ here's a better picture of our "Mrs." Doubtfire.
View attachment 3823626

Mr.

 

[NatJ]

@NatJ here's a better picture of our "Mrs." Doubtfire.
View attachment 3823626

That comb definitely looks male to me.

I don't think the body is round enough to be a Cornish Cross, so maybe a White Rock or a White Leghorn or a male of one of the Red Sexlink types. Quite a few chicken breeds come in white, and it can be hard to sort them out, especially when they are young.

 

[ATXInstantFlock]

That comb definitely looks male to me.

I don't think the body is round enough to be a Cornish Cross, so maybe a White Rock or a White Leghorn or a male of one of the Red Sexlink types.

We asked around and one of the classmates' families also identified their take home chickens as White Leghorns, so crossing our fingers that that's what we ended up with. At least then we only have to worry about in-city rooster issues and not freezer camp for the time being.

 

[NatJ]

We asked around and one of the classmates' families also identified their take home chickens as White Leghorns, so crossing our fingers that that's what we ended up with. At least then we only have to worry about in-city rooster issues and not freezer camp for the time being.

Freezer camp is one solution for any rooster.

But as long as they are not Cornish Cross, you don't have to worry about them suffering major health issues while you figure out what to do, so I agree that is easier.