Chicks here soon—quintuple-check on feed info

[rosemarythyme]

Ah. I'm not terribly concerned about organic—we'll go that route if possible but it is not Absolutely Necessary.

Sorry, you raise them outdoors? In the run, I'm guessing?

We have a wee (expandable to old dog crate) brooding area in our coop which is where we'll have to raise our chicks (our carriage house is small, plus we have two feline overlords). Building the run has not yet started, though as I wrote earlier, I'm happy to bring in clumps of dirt and/or grass for the chicks after we've had them for a couple of weeks. The neighbors 3/4 mile down the road have chickens but they're the nearest I've seen...and our property was very thick woods & brush until 3.5 years ago.

I'm getting so excited...and nervous. LOL We'll survive! (I hope)

You'll do fine. It's scariest when you get your first batch of babies, and the chicks look so tiny and delicate that you wonder how they can survive anything... then fast forward a few years and you end up like me, thinking nothing of putting 2 day old chicks in an outdoor brooder while it's raining.

While my coop is a decent size I don't have a brooding area set inside so yes I raise mine out in the run.

Having just the coop to start is just fine, the chicks won't need run access for the first few weeks. Helps home them to the coop too.

 

[NightingaleJen]

You'll do fine. It's scariest when you get your first batch of babies, and the chicks look so tiny and delicate that you wonder how they can survive anything... then fast forward a few years and you end up like me, thinking nothing of putting 2 day old chicks in an outdoor brooder while it's raining.

I don't doubt you're right. Like that TV spot with first baby versus second baby. Thank you for the encouragement...!

Having just the coop to start is just fine, the chicks won't need run access for the first few weeks. Helps home them to the coop too.

Thank you, Hubby was just asking how long we had to build the run and I figured we were good for at least 2-3 weeks after their arrival. I suppose I could always put the dog crate in a shady spot and place them inside for a bit while I'm with them.

So far as the feed...I hate seeing both sides of something like this. It may come down to a coin flip and which is freshest at the feed store! :/

 

[Big Doggie]

Ah. I'm not terribly concerned about organic—we'll go that route if possible but it is not Absolutely Necessary.

Sorry, you raise them outdoors? In the run, I'm guessing?

We have a wee (expandable to old dog crate) brooding area in our coop which is where we'll have to raise our chicks (our carriage house is small, plus we have two feline overlords). Building the run has not yet started, though as I wrote earlier, I'm happy to bring in clumps of dirt and/or grass for the chicks after we've had them for a couple of weeks. The neighbors 3/4 mile down the road have chickens but they're the nearest I've seen...and our property was very thick woods & brush until 3.5 years ago.

@Folly's place, I was just reading something you'd written about Cackle earlier, too! The neighbor with chickens is a very smart teenager who loves raising birds, and he said Cackle is the best. Between that recommendation (his birds are gorgeous, we occasionally see them out when we cruise by), one from another neighbor who used to raise chickens, and what I've read here and seen on various hatchery's websites...I was most comfortable with them.

I do know that cocci 'vaccine' and medicated feed wipe each other out. I'll have to ask the folks at Cackle.

I'm getting so excited...and nervous. LOL We'll survive! (I hope)

Good luck!!

 

[rosemarythyme]

So far as the feed...I hate seeing both sides of something like this. It may come down to a coin flip and which is freshest at the feed store! :/

If in doubt, go with what you can get reliably that's fresh. I know some people really push for organic food but I think everyone can make their own choice whether that's an extra cost that's worth it to them or not.