Chicks for the first Time

[Jeanna Marie]

I just got nine new babies! All buff orpingtons. I should have eight pullets and one cockeral. We will have to wait and see on that though. They are much more active than my last batch. At three days old they are running all over the broode r.

They didn't seem to mind the car ride home. I had two pasty butts. One not too bad but one that was completely closed up and hard as a rock! That one is supposed to be the little roo. As soon as I cleaned him he went....a lot!

He was looking kind of lethargic and off balance but now he is eating so hopefully he will be fine...fingers crossed.

 

[Chopsuey21]

A friend of mine rescued these 3 little darlings this morning, the mother was killed by a truck. Since my 3 week old chicks graduated to a bigger brooder, I have them in the smaller brooder for now. Look li

ke a day or two old mallards.

 

[Jeanna Marie]

A friend of mine rescued these 3 little darlings this morning, the mother was killed by a truck. Since my 3 week old chicks graduated to a bigger brooder, I have them in the smaller brooder for now. Look li

ke a day or two old mallards.

So sad about the mama....but sweet babies!

 

[Jeanna Marie]

Happy mothers day everyone!

 

[Kaela23]

Thank you for your post! I have an empty pony barn - now I know where to put my new chicks when they get old enough to go outside. I did not want to put them in the adult hen house too soon. Plus the hens (6 of them) have free range to the property.

 

[Kaela23]

Thanks for the tip on the bedding. My pine shavings are too small and the chicks are pecking at the little bits.
Can this pine bedding hurt them?

 

[winchuck]

I had a large wooden drawer that fits my new chicks just fine for now. I realize that they will soon outgrow it. We put a chicken wire top on it that is quite heavy thinking that if the cat would get into their private room (which is my husband's office). Sure enough, yesterday he left the door open. Thank God that we put that top on. The cat sure stretched out that wire but didn't get to the poor little things. I bet they were horrified and scared to death. The coop is ready as soon as I get it painted and get the straw on the floor. It is safe and out of the elements. Since it is warmer now, I plan to at least put them out during the day starting next week into their new place. I may bring them in at night or provide their warming light in the coop. Here is a picture of the coop before painted. a larger run will be added soon and then we want to free range them once they are big enough to not be prey for the cat. The screen door to the inside will have to have the planned panels attached to keep any cool air off of them. If I am making any mistakes here, please give me a heads up. I want to be a responsible chicken person. I've read that more air flow is very important so we used a screened aviary panel we already had for the door. There is a window that opens and another one for Southern sun in the winter months. We actually copied the coop from this site. There were no plans, so many trips back and forth to the hardware store. No one here had framed anything before except for kayaks.

 

[kynewbchickie]

This is the one I am thinking might be a roo.... I am hearing that lots of BO that look like roo's can still end up being hens, that some bo's gals just have large combs

Mine will be 9.5 weeks tomorrow on the dot - I'm thinking that is a lil roo! My BO pullets don't have nary a mention of wattles, and very pale/small combs - but Duke, my BO roo, is sporting rather nice, red wattles and a decently-sized red comb.

 

[Sharon Bee]

I'm getting my chicklets tomorrow! 10 of them. Here is a pic of my brooder. I wired chicken wire all around it. It's in garage.
.

 

[Jeanna Marie]

I'm getting my chicklets tomorrow! 10 of them. Here is a pic of my brooder. I wired chicken wire all around it. It's in garage.
.

Looks like a great set up for your chicks. Its hard to see in the picture but if your watere has a deep pan on it. If it does put some rocks or marbles in there because if a chick can fit in the pan they will get in and not be able to get out.

Also it looks like you lined with newspaper. Push the edges of the paper under the shavings. They will tear it to shreds if its sticking up. They love exploring everything.

Chicks are wonderful. Please post pictures when you get them!