Chicks for the first Time

[Jeanna Marie]

 

[Meanstreak]

This is a bit redneck style, but hey, it worked. I just moved my babies outside tonight. I took 2 decent sized cardboard boxes and duct taped them together and flipped the lids open and sat that on top of the vinyl/plastic sheeting that you cover windows with. Threw some shavings in and voila!! The plastic sheeting protected my hardwood floors, plus you can bend or fix the cardboard to whatever space you need. I had 16 chicks in ours. Once they started jumping on top of the boxes, the outward flipped lids helped to catch the droppings, which still sat on top of plastic. And since we live in the boonies, all I needed to do was roll up the plastic and drag it outside and burn everything, and it's super easy to set back up. True redneck style, but it was cheap and easy and best of all, it worked for tight spaces.

 

[Jeanna Marie]

Thanks meanstreak...that's a great idea. I actually have a few larger cradboard boxes...

 

[randys]

Good luck Jeanna, I'm also new with having chickens and new to BYC. BYC site is great, right full of anything you need to know. I have 12 chicks, got them 3 days old and now they are 12 days old. The thing I realized so far is that they grow fast. A few of them already can fly short distances. I built my brooder 3'x4' and 20" high. I already added 16" to the height and need to keep a screen top on it.

Again good luck

 

[Meanstreak]

I wasn't too concerned about mine flying the coop.

They were housed in the dining room. They'd jump out, and when they got tired of exploring the dining room, they'd jump back into the box. My husband didn't find it as amusing as I did. Nor did he find it amusing they'd sometimes jump out of the box after me. He flipped the lids on the top of the box up and taped them all together at an inward angle, which made it a bit harder for them to jump on. But then they just plain old got too big and flew the coop anyways. I had fun with it, but my husband's such a party pooper.

 

[CluckyCluck]

I wasn't too concerned about mine flying the coop.

They were housed in the dining room. They'd jump out, and when they got tired of exploring the dining room, they'd jump back into the box. My husband didn't find it as amusing as I did. Nor did he find it amusing they'd sometimes jump out of the box after me. He flipped the lids on the top of the box up and taped them all together at an inward angle, which made it a bit harder for them to jump on. But then they just plain old got too big and flew the coop anyways. I had fun with it, but my husband's such a party pooper.

I know exactly what you mean in regard to the husband raining on your parade! Men. Sheesh.

Your babies are beautiful Jeanna! My buff is my most favoritest chicken ever. She got attacked by a hawk in february - VERY bad - I nursed her and she knows it. She is the most appreciative chicken I ever saw. They are just such a friendly breed. Good Luck!!!!

 

[Jeanna Marie]

Day two and my chicks are beautiful. They have been calm and content all day. Only one pasty butt so far but I caught it early.... the oldest one... about a week...is already learning to perch on a stick I put in the brooder. I guess I need to fashion a little roost for them. They all learned to scratch today. Poor little molly was scratching with one foot and spinning in circles but she finally got the hang of it.

 

[kemclaughlin]

Mine have taken to roosting for the night on the top of the brooder. We now have newspaper all around the edge of the brooder because of this. They don't fly the coop completely yet, but we are working on a real coop so we can get them out of the house.

 

[Jeanna Marie]

Mine have taken to roosting for the night on the top of the brooder.  We now have newspaper all around the edge of the brooder because of this.  They don't fly the coop completely yet, but we are working on a real coop so we can get them out of the house. 

How old are your babies?

 

[Jeanna Marie]

Night night!