- Apr 21, 2013
- 19
- 1
- 24
Hello everyone,
I very impulsively, and somewhat foolishly, purchased a dozen baby chicks from the Tractor Supply Company store near my home. I was told that I'd need to keep them indoors until the weather warmed, (it snowed here today,) and since I didn't have a box to keep them in anyway, I paid for them, with the condition that I'd be back the next day to pick them up. When I returned, I noticed their sign said, "All Remaining Chicks, 1/2 Price," and I bought all they had, so I now own 19 chicks! I did this without any prior research, and was surprised to learn that three chickens are usually sufficient for a family. However, since I am a single male, (retired from the Navy,) it appears as though I'm going to have to go into the egg business!
Since I know absolutely nothing about raising chickens, I am, (no pun intended,) "flying blind." I originally had them in one banana box, but after I purchased a three-gallon waterer, ran out of room. So I taped two banana boxes together, with the chick feeder in one, and the waterer in the other, with a large "mouse hole" cut between the two. I also placed the feeder along one end of the box, and duck-taped a strip of cardboard over one-half of the feeder, to keep the chicks from perching on it, and fouling their feed. This appeared adequate until last week, when I woke to the sounds of peeping chicks, and I thought, "They must be wanting their breakfast..." But as soon as I sat up in bed, I saw three chicks running around my bedroom floor! I quickly realized I needed a bigger, deeper box, and was fortunate to obtain a large one from a medium-sized freezer. I cut a piece of hardboard exactly the size of the bottom of the box, and then reinforced it with some 1" x 2" wood strips, fastened with sheet metal screws , along with some washers, to keep the heads from pulling through the cardboard. I also added three strips of wood under the bottom of the box, to allow air circulation. Since the chicks have grown, I placed just one layer of bricks under both their feeder and waterer. It has greatly minimized the amount of wood shavings that previously seemed to find their way into each of them.
Despite what I had been advised, when they were about 2 & 1/2 weeks old, I began scattering about one-half cup of sand on the floor of their box. They go crazy for it, and appear to be thriving. As a Michigan State University Certified Master Gardener, I have a very large, 70' x 25', garden. Since I am a strong proponent of organic gardening, my hope is that I can fence in my garden, (to a height of eight feet,) convert my shed into a coop, and simply let the chickens eat the bugs, till the soil, and "fertilize" my garden, all simultaneously. However, I do have several questions.
First, do I have to keep my chickens "contained" until the plants I start from seed are established? Are there certain plants that chickens simply just cannot resist? And what are the recommended sizes for nesting boxes? I would greatly appreciate any advice you may offer...
Thank you,
Senior Master Chief
P.J. Anderson
U.S. Navy, Retired
I very impulsively, and somewhat foolishly, purchased a dozen baby chicks from the Tractor Supply Company store near my home. I was told that I'd need to keep them indoors until the weather warmed, (it snowed here today,) and since I didn't have a box to keep them in anyway, I paid for them, with the condition that I'd be back the next day to pick them up. When I returned, I noticed their sign said, "All Remaining Chicks, 1/2 Price," and I bought all they had, so I now own 19 chicks! I did this without any prior research, and was surprised to learn that three chickens are usually sufficient for a family. However, since I am a single male, (retired from the Navy,) it appears as though I'm going to have to go into the egg business!
Since I know absolutely nothing about raising chickens, I am, (no pun intended,) "flying blind." I originally had them in one banana box, but after I purchased a three-gallon waterer, ran out of room. So I taped two banana boxes together, with the chick feeder in one, and the waterer in the other, with a large "mouse hole" cut between the two. I also placed the feeder along one end of the box, and duck-taped a strip of cardboard over one-half of the feeder, to keep the chicks from perching on it, and fouling their feed. This appeared adequate until last week, when I woke to the sounds of peeping chicks, and I thought, "They must be wanting their breakfast..." But as soon as I sat up in bed, I saw three chicks running around my bedroom floor! I quickly realized I needed a bigger, deeper box, and was fortunate to obtain a large one from a medium-sized freezer. I cut a piece of hardboard exactly the size of the bottom of the box, and then reinforced it with some 1" x 2" wood strips, fastened with sheet metal screws , along with some washers, to keep the heads from pulling through the cardboard. I also added three strips of wood under the bottom of the box, to allow air circulation. Since the chicks have grown, I placed just one layer of bricks under both their feeder and waterer. It has greatly minimized the amount of wood shavings that previously seemed to find their way into each of them.
Despite what I had been advised, when they were about 2 & 1/2 weeks old, I began scattering about one-half cup of sand on the floor of their box. They go crazy for it, and appear to be thriving. As a Michigan State University Certified Master Gardener, I have a very large, 70' x 25', garden. Since I am a strong proponent of organic gardening, my hope is that I can fence in my garden, (to a height of eight feet,) convert my shed into a coop, and simply let the chickens eat the bugs, till the soil, and "fertilize" my garden, all simultaneously. However, I do have several questions.
First, do I have to keep my chickens "contained" until the plants I start from seed are established? Are there certain plants that chickens simply just cannot resist? And what are the recommended sizes for nesting boxes? I would greatly appreciate any advice you may offer...
Thank you,
Senior Master Chief
P.J. Anderson
U.S. Navy, Retired
