Finally the day I arrived........I GOT CHICKS. My first 4 from Elizabeth Country Store. Was supposed to get only 2 Barred Rocks, but they ended up with some unclaimed Black Australorps, a breed I wanted, but was told were all reserved. So I got those 2 also. Three more weeks and my Welsummers will come in. Then I get to see what else is unclaimed that might fit in with my flock. I'm soooooo excited. Pics as soon as I find my card reader and figure out how to upload them.
I didn't want to battle my 2 incredibly curious dogs over the chicks so they went right out into my brand new (personally constructed pretty much by myself) coop yesterday. Pretty funny an 8 X 10 coop with a 3 X 3 brooder sitting in the middle of it. And, OF COURSE, it had to be a cold day/night. Couldn't get the temp up to 95, but it stayed at 88 all night (I know cuz I was out there every hour until 3 am, and then again at 6). Maybe I can sleep tonight, LOL. I figure 88 is close enuf, and the chicks didn't seem to suffer from it. Chicks seem to be doing well, staying mainly close to the heat lamp, but I expected that as cold as it was. They aren't huddling together and are moving around to get back and forth to the feed and water. The south side of my coop is hardware cloth on the entire upper 3 feet so not a lot of warming going on in the coop itself, just the small brooder area.
Well out to take another look, and see if it's warm enuf to take the 'cover' I put over the brooder to help retain some heat off. Bet I don't get much done today other that watching chicks. My dogs are already jealous of the time I spend in the coop, and VERY vocal about it.
I didn't want to battle my 2 incredibly curious dogs over the chicks so they went right out into my brand new (personally constructed pretty much by myself) coop yesterday. Pretty funny an 8 X 10 coop with a 3 X 3 brooder sitting in the middle of it. And, OF COURSE, it had to be a cold day/night. Couldn't get the temp up to 95, but it stayed at 88 all night (I know cuz I was out there every hour until 3 am, and then again at 6). Maybe I can sleep tonight, LOL. I figure 88 is close enuf, and the chicks didn't seem to suffer from it. Chicks seem to be doing well, staying mainly close to the heat lamp, but I expected that as cold as it was. They aren't huddling together and are moving around to get back and forth to the feed and water. The south side of my coop is hardware cloth on the entire upper 3 feet so not a lot of warming going on in the coop itself, just the small brooder area.
Well out to take another look, and see if it's warm enuf to take the 'cover' I put over the brooder to help retain some heat off. Bet I don't get much done today other that watching chicks. My dogs are already jealous of the time I spend in the coop, and VERY vocal about it.