Chicks for the first Time

[Jeanna Marie]

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

Mine are only two and three weeks old. Thankfully they aren't roosting on the edges of the brooder yet.

 

[kynewbchickie]

I will say I am thankful I have a basement, as I've kept our babies indoors since day one of getting them. Dust gets EVERYwhere, coats EVERYthing, and I'm dreading cleaning after we move them out to their coop and pasture next weekend. Ours are now 5 weeks old - I can already see combs and wattles developing on the boys, everyone roosts instead of sleeping on the ground, and I've gotten their heat lamp regulated to 73-75 degrees. This week is projected to be around 80 on average here, and in the basement it stays around 63 all day/night. I'll probably be taking them all out tomorrow in a circular poultry-wire enclosure while I'm out digging in the garden for some sun, fresh air, and scratched-up treats.

Everyone's babies are ADORABLE!!!

P.S. - the little boogers - all 30 of them - have been getting adventurous and flying up more than 2 feet to the edge of our brooder box to perch during the day. All day today as I was running back and forth with the laundry, I'd peek in that side of the basement and see every last one of them perched, snoozing or chirping back and forth with one another ("Alright guys, who's brave enough to go first? We've got a WHOLE ROOM of uncharted territory to explore! I'm too chicken to go first").

 

[Jeanna Marie]

I will say I am thankful I have a basement, as I've kept our babies indoors since day one of getting them. Dust gets EVERYwhere, coats EVERYthing, and I'm dreading cleaning after we move them out to their coop and pasture next weekend. Ours are now 5 weeks old - I can already see combs and wattles developing on the boys, everyone roosts instead of sleeping on the ground, and I've gotten their heat lamp regulated to 73-75 degrees. This week is projected to be around 80 on average here, and in the basement it stays around 63 all day/night. I'll probably be taking them all out tomorrow in a circular poultry-wire enclosure while I'm out digging in the garden for some sun, fresh air, and scratched-up treats. Everyone's babies are ADORABLE!!! P.S. - the little boogers - all 30 of them - have been getting adventurous and flying up more than 2 feet to the edge of our brooder box to perch during the day. All day today as I was running back and forth with the laundry, I'd peek in that side of the basement and see every last one of them perched, snoozing or chirping back and forth with one another ("Alright guys, who's brave enough to go first? We've got a WHOLE ROOM of uncharted territory to explore! I'm too chicken to go first").

Dust is something I deal with every day anyways. We live on 13 acres with a long dirt drive way. Dirt...dirt and more dirt....lol But I have noticed lots of floating downy feathers and the pine shavings are full of saw dust.

 

[kynewbchickie]

Dust is something I deal with every day anyways. We live on 13 acres with a long dirt drive way. Dirt...dirt and more dirt....lol

But I have noticed lots of floating downy feathers and the pine shavings are full of saw dust.

Speaking of those downy feathers floating all over the place, the first time my oldest son saw one, he thought it was a spider dropping down from the floor joists - the jumping and howling that ensued was absolutely hilarious. (He's ridiculously scared of spiders) LOL!

We have a gravel drive here, so keeping cars clean is not happening - I can empathize! My entire basement is now covered in a fine layer of yellow dust. Next weekend will be fun.

 

[Susie C]

I say yes. Especially when I was planning on 6. But they're so cute to say no. lol

 

[Jeanna Marie]

I got just the six buff orpingtons and it looks like I'm gonna have one rooster and five hens which is perfect. But I had already told myself that if I ended up having to cull a couple roosters that I was gonna get a few black australorps.... I will probably end up with the six buffs AND australorps....chicken math!

 

[Pathfinders]

You guys are too cute. I love reading threads with first-timers. I remember those days.

Let me tell you, my basement is still covered in chick dust. I hatch, clean it up, then hatch some more. It's a never-ending cycle it seems. Ah well...

And I'll tell you another secret (shhhh) Don't tell your husband how many chickens you actually have!

At one point I had almost 200. We're 'way down in numbers now, only about 30 or so, as both my "chore helpers" have grown up and are away at college. But someday I'll have grandkids and we'll get the numbers back up again.

 

[shmccarthy]

Can you have TOO many babies?

I think you can! I bought 46 babies this year and we have chickens in every corner of the basement.

 

[Jeanna Marie]

My husband is actually terrified of chickens. I grew up on a commercial farm so have been around them my whole life.

He has this horrible fear that he's gonna get flogged and lose bith his eyeballs...lol

I am most worried about the smell but know that can be managed.

This is my first back yard flock so I am learning soooooo much that I did not know about chickens. I am most amazed at how attached they have become to me and my husband. I have a few who run to greet me every morning and he has one who thinks he is the daddy. So very cute!

 

[kynewbchickie]

My husband is actually terrified of chickens. I grew up on a commercial farm so have been around them my whole life.

He has this horrible fear that he's gonna get flogged and lose bith his eyeballs...lol

I am most worried about the smell but know that can be managed.

This is my first back yard flock so I am learning soooooo much that I did not know about chickens. I am most amazed at how attached they have become to me and my husband. I have a few who run to greet me every morning and he has one who thinks he is the daddy. So very cute!

I feel so bad for your husband - but I am literally rolling tears laughing right now! HAHA!
Mine raised roller pigeons with his stepdad, so he's used to birds thankfully. He actually suggested the other day that we didn't have enough chickens - I looked at him like he was crazy! 30 birds is no joke and no easy task!