Chicks for the first Time

[Misstwixler]

So cute!!!

 

[Jeanna Marie]

My babies are learning to roost!

 

[debjo]

I just got my first baby chicks yesterday and I can tell how people get hooked! Here they are on day one at three days old - two americaunas and one gold laced wyandotte. I named the wyandotte Amelia because she's already looking to the skies wanting to fly! The others have not yet been named, although the larger americauna reminds me of my husky that passed away this winter - she's an alpha-chick (does that exist) and curls up to sleep in exactly the same way that Kai did.

Thank you for the tips and ideas on the brooders - love both the idea of taping two boxes together and then graduating to a dog crate. I'm trying to build everything as cheaply as possible and so far have only had to buy the chicks, the heat light, the wood shavings and some food.

I am having a hard time regulating temperatures with the red 250 watt bulb - any tips there?
Deb

 

[Jamie0215]

I am on day 3 with my chicks and this is also my first time. I have 1 Production red and 1 Golden Laced Wyandotte. I too was having problems with the bulb getting too hot in the brooder. Just keep moving the light higher and higher until you get it right. I put it over half of the brooder so there is a cooling off spot just incase they get too warm. They seem to be happy with where it is at now.

 

[Jeanna Marie]

The hardest part about regulating temperature in the brooder is the twmp of the room. At night my light is fine for keeping the temp at 90 but during the day the temp gets to high. As the temp rises in the brooder I will slide the brooder further away from the lamp. It seems to work now but I also have the light securely hung so that I can raise it as well.

Congrats everyone on the new babies!

So far (10 days) I've had no real problems with sickness or injury just two with pasty butt.

They are all getting their feathers and trying to fly but only two are interested in the roost.

 

[BlueMoonFarm]

Thanks for starting this thread! I am new to chicks also....I have 15 scheduled to arrive on Thursday.

I am very excited! I've done a TON of research, but now that Chick Day is approaching I find that I am getting nervous. We built a 3 x 6.5 brooder using a couple interior doors leftover from our remodel and some other odds and ends from the barn. We have the brooder in a storage room next to the laundry room. There is a furnace vent in the ceiling above the brooder, and while I plan to use two 250-watt heat lamps, now I'm worrying that the furnace kicking off and on will make the temperature in the brooder fluctuate too much. We keep the furnace at 71 during the day, but drop it to 64 at night to sleep more comfortably. What do BYCers think...will the heat lamps make up for changes in the room temp?

 

[Susie C]

Aww, they're so cute.
I've done a lot of research for the last 2 years on what breeds would be best and what coop to build. My husband, friends, and I built the coop during the winter inside of our barn and moved it out once it was done. I'll post pics. My original plan was getting 6 Buff's. I figured that would be plenty. Well my daughter works for an elevator and they ordered my chicks plus chicks for other customers. Well I went to go pick up my babies and my daughter said that she had to throw a few more in the box because the hatchery sent 25 extra chicks. I looked in my box and I have 13!!!! OH MY. I have 7 Buffs and 6 Isa Browns. I'm hoping I have the room for them all. Everyone says I do but we'll see.

Good luck on your adventure.

~Susie

 

[ssgreer1]

I am also new at this but my 12 are all still alive. We put them in 2 of the huge longer tubs & clipped the lights right on the edge. They now all have their feathers & have just in the past week or two started hoping up on the top edge. I would say they are probably 1 month or 1 1/2 months old. Coop should be ready today, thank goodness. I am ready to see them in their new home

 

[Jeanna Marie]

Thanks for starting this thread!  I am new to chicks also....I have 15 scheduled to arrive on Thursday.   I am very excited!  I've done a TON of research, but now that Chick Day is approaching I find that I am getting nervous.  We built a 3 x 6.5 brooder using a couple interior doors leftover from our remodel and some other odds and ends from the barn.  We have the brooder in a storage room next to the laundry room.  There is a furnace vent in the ceiling above the brooder, and while I plan to use two  250-watt heat lamps, now I'm worrying that the furnace kicking off and on will make the temperature in the brooder fluctuate too much.  We keep the furnace at 71 during the day, but drop it to 64 at night to sleep more comfortably.  What do BYCers think...will the heat lamps make up for changes in the room temp?

At my house the heat lamp makes it hotter in fhe brooder during the day. I have been turning the lamp off in the late afternoon when it gets too hott. But at 71 in the house it should hold pretty steady just make sure they can get away from the lamp if they are too hot.

 

[Jeanna Marie]

Aww, they're so cute.
I've done a lot of research for the last 2 years on what breeds would be best and what coop to build. My husband, friends, and I built the coop during the winter inside of our barn and moved it out once it was done. I'll post pics.  My original plan was getting 6 Buff's. I figured that would be plenty. Well my daughter works for an elevator and they ordered my chicks plus chicks for other customers. Well I went to go pick up my babies and my daughter said that she had to throw a few more in the box because the hatchery sent 25 extra chicks. I looked in my box and I have 13!!!! OH MY. I have 7 Buffs and 6 Isa Browns. I'm hoping I have the room for them all. Everyone says I do but we'll see.

Good luck on your adventure.

~Susie

Can you have TOO many babies?