Consolidated Kansas

[chicken danz]

@Chicken Danz it is really good to have you back on. I'm glad you are well enough to be online. Hang in there, every day should get easier.

Thanks Sharol and Trish. The last couple days have really made a difference. I managed to come down with a case of shingles a few days ago thanks to my immune system being put on overtime. That's one more pain to deal with. I have repeated cases of shingles unlike most people who only get it once because I have a crap immune system anyway. But I wasn't able to take my lysine supplement which usually keeps it from flaring.
I am getting my voice back too. Unless I try to raise my voice to be heard from a distance or something I do pretty good. I was afraid I was going to stay hoarse forever. I'm tired from making the trip to Topeka yesterday but otherwise had a good day. I even did a couple loads of laundry today.
I candled eggs and have about 10 babies due tomorrow. Most of them have already pipped. Not sure what I even have in there cause I hadn't marked the breed on the eggs like I normally would. I guess it will be a surprise. They were all colors I need more breeding stock in though. Hopefully I'll be able to be a little choosy and only keep a few of the best. I have another 5 or so due the 10th then no more in the incubator. Do you think it's actually possible I may shut it down for a little while? It's been years.

 

[Trish44]

danz I think you deserve a break from hatching & it would be good to do it while you're trying to recover. I know you love hatching, but those little buggers are a lot of work & I know you're not really up to it right now. Heck I'm not even up to it right now. Given the choice between having eggs or chicks shipped to me or 3-4 month old roosters for replacements for my lost RIR roo I chose the started ones. I'm just not into having little tiny chicks right now & trying to integrate them outside in the middle of winter. I have tried that in the past & it didn't work out that well for me.

 

[chicken danz]

I have some young birds out in the old brooder house and some of those could certainly be moved to pens to acclimate. I'm just not well enough to chase or move birds right now. I'm hoping to get well enough by January to do some more work on my brooder inside the new building so I can brood all the spring chicks in there. From what I can tell there are several cockerels so they won't be used.
I sure wish I had more ready in the building than I do but I could just get so much done before fall. Wish DH would be a little more proactive and help out. I can't complain though cause he has been doing a pretty good job of taking care of me the last couple weeks.
I definitely feel I am ahead of the game to buy chicks for quality breeders, although I hope I won't be buying more for a couple years. I will want to switch out some blood lines in a year or two but right now I have enough diversity.
It's cooler here today and gloomy looking. I think it's supposed to rain tomorrow if I remember right.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

While we are on the discussion of chicks raising im losing my mind trying to figure out what my chicks need to be in once they are feathered up at 8 wks? As that will be the end of Jan and we are sure to have several feet of snow on the ground? Orginally I was going to move them down to our heated garage but it doesnt get any light so I'm wondering if it would be better to move them into our unheated garage which gets tons of light and that has a door that could have a chicken door added to it to allow them to go out of it and into their chicken run and back as they pleased. I could definitely put a small heater or even just use the brooder light since it does have electricity. And if I did this would they actually need a coop or just a nest boxes and roost feeding and watering stations. Also how much room would they need for 16 ?Thank you

 

[sharol]

Quote:
How many of them to you have? They will need a smaller area that is enclosed to huddle together if it is cold, but at 8 weeks they are fully feathered. I would think that you could "harden them off" by putting them out for an increasingly long time (maybe start out in the middle of the day for a couple of hours and increase to all daylight hours over a week or so). ONce they are used to being out of their brooder, if you provide shelter (Maybe a covered large dog carrier with straw or wood shavings in it) for them to sleep in, they should do fine in the unheated garage as long as it doesn't get awfully cold (-degrees). I would probably give them a roost (sawhorse or two) and throw some shavings on the floor so they wouldn't have to be on a concrete floor. Maybe a heater, but those infrared ones are really dangerous if you don't secure them really well (google chicken house fires). Chickens are pretty hardy (at least some breeds are). Have you said what breeds you have? I missed it. They will love getting outside and mine are out in even the coldest weather. There are lots of people on here with WAY more experience than I have, though. Maybe some of them will chime in with suggestions.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Sharol,
I ordered 16 chicks from Meyers to be hatched Nov 16/17 their Rainbow Pullet Pack so while I know what breeds their hatching I don't know what or how many we will get. Definitely putting down pine and roosts which will be against the wall that connects the heated garage to the unheated side which will serve to keep down winds as well as offer some heat since that will be in the far corner from the door. Just not sure what else is needed to keep my ladies both happy but also able to get use to our weather.

 

[chicken danz]

While we are on the discussion of chicks raising im losing my mind trying to figure out what my chicks need to be in once they are feathered up at 8 wks? As that will be the end of Jan and we are sure to have several feet of snow on the ground? Orginally I was going to move them down to our heated garage but it doesnt get any light so I'm wondering if it would be better to move them into our unheated garage which gets tons of light and that has a door that could have a chicken door added to it to allow them to go out of it and into their chicken run and back as they pleased. I could definitely put a small heater or even just use the brooder light since it does have electricity. And if I did this would they actually need a coop or just a nest boxes and roost feeding and watering stations. Also how much room would they need for 16 ?Thank you

I'll try to answer some of your questions. If you don't have a coop to use when the birds are grown I suggest you work on that now and have it ready so you don't have to deal with that in the middle of winter. You need a minimum of 2 square feet of floor space for each hen in a coop plus plenty of outside room. Always have much more than you need, simply because you will most likely add more in time. Better to plan larger than smaller. A 6 X 8 or 8 X 8 foot shed works really well for a chicken coop/ hen house for small flocks. If you plan to keep them penned later I'd allow at least 4 times that amount of space for a pen. Unfortunately I don't have that much room for all of mine right now but eventually I hope to.
I think your unheated garage would work better. You need to avoid drafts as much as possible, but you also need plenty of ventilation. A closed air tight area is more dangerous than cold weather.
In an area like a garage you need a brooder guard which can be as simple as a 10 " high piece of cardboard to surround the chicks while they are small. Anything to keep them somewhat contained and to break floor drafts. You'll need at least 2 inches and preferably about 4 inches of shavings to keep them warm from underneath. As they age you can slowly raise the guard to let them move in and out to control their heat themselves. Like maybe set it on bricks or something to allow them to go under it. By 3-4 weeks you can probably remove the guard all together. If you are using a heat lamp be sure to set it up so you can raise it or lower it bit by bit cause you will want to adjust it to their size and needs.
As far as using your garage as a coop that is up to you. I think if you can afford to do so, I'd opt to build a coop with a wooden raised floor for their permanent home, but they will do fine in a garage if that is what you want to do. People used to raise chicks on the ground all the time. Problems with that are rodents and snakes are more likely to get in.
You can make your own nest boxes or buy them. For 16 birds I would have at least 4 nest boxes. They don't need a nest box for each because they often all lay in the same box. Roosts should be at least a 2 X4 set with the wide side as the roost part. I recommend that they are between 12 inches and 2 feet high at most. Jumping off roosts can cause bumble foot and other leg and foot problems.
I almost always start my chicks in really big rubbermaid bins. Like the 40-50 gallon size. I can control the heat easily and avoid drafts in those. I always put a board in for the waterers. I have found that a small piece of the composite decking works really well for that. It doesn't mold like wood does or hold moisture. If you don't raise the waterers you will end up with shavings in your water and wet bedding. It's also a good idea for the first week or two to add marbles or something to the waterers so they chicks don't accidentally drown themselves.
I'd also recommend some Sav-a-chick for shipped chicks. If you don't get any it's wise to add just a little sugar, salt, and vitamins. Poly vi sol baby vitamins without iron work well if you don't have access to chicken vitamins. Usually around 4 days after they arrive they will show their stress of being shipped by getting pasty butt. You need to get that off of there or they will die. I have found the best way to deal with pasty butt is to just pull it off gently. Don't try washing it cause it might chill the chick.
This is just some stuff to get you started. Feel free to ask any questions you have and we will all try to help.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Danz,
Thank you for all the great info I appolizes I realized I wasn't real clear in my questions. I will be raising the chicks in a brooder (most likey Rubbermaid and hear light since I already have those in my home) until they are 8-12 weeks old and fully feathered then I would move them down to the unheated garage just for the next month or two until the weather is better and they have gotten themselves use to the cold. I already have a chicken yard 12X12 that they will be allowed to go out to on their own from the garage as well as a coop (though the current one I have is just for 6 birds I am planning on either making another one as well or not use the smaller one and just built a bigger one from scratch. With these being my first chicks (en) ever just wanting to give them the best chance to make it. and while I understand that it will be easier just to out them out in the coop and yard at 8-12 wks I am wanting to keep them in the garage so that I can make sure tosee everyone and in the event there is an issue be able to catch it early since it's looking like we are going to be in for a bad winter.

 

[Ralph Moyer]

Danz,
Thank you for all the great info I appolizes I realized I wasn't real clear in my questions. I will be raising the chicks in a brooder (most likey Rubbermaid and hear light since I already have those in my home) until they are 8-12 weeks old and fully feathered then I would move them down to the unheated garage just for the next month or two until the weather is better and they have gotten themselves use to the cold. I already have a chicken yard 12X12 that they will be allowed to go out to on their own from the garage as well as a coop (though the current one I have is just for 6 birds I am planning on either making another one as well or not use the smaller one and just built a bigger one from scratch. With these being my first chicks (en) ever just wanting to give them the best chance to make it. and while I understand that it will be easier just to out them out in the coop and yard at 8-12 wks I am wanting to keep them in the garage so that I can make sure tosee everyone and in the event there is an issue be able to catch it early since it's looking like we are going to be in for a bad winter.

I don't use regular heat lamps for my chicks, because of the danger of over-heating the chicks or causing a fire. I do use a 60 watt regular light bulb, with a guarded reflective shade. This will provide adequate warmth in a tub-like brooder at room temperature. You can raise or lower the light fixture, to keep the chicks comfortable. If they tend to crowd under the light, then it needs lowered. If the tend to crowd as far as the can from the light, then they are getting too warn, and it needs to be raised. When they are running helter-skelter, you know you got it right.

 

[chicken danz]

60 watt bulbs are okay, however chicks do better under a red light and not a white light. White lights can cause picking. I like sweeter heaters the best and consider them the safest, but when I do use a lamp, I prefer a 85-100 watt red flood light over a heat lamp. Uses less energy. Not so bright and provides plenty of heat. I also use the reflective covers and make sure the light fixtures have a porcelain housing rather than plastic. Also avoid buying lights or lamp that are marked for heavy service. Those often have teflon coatings which are toxic to chicks when they get hot.
Keep in mind @Dani4Hedgies that you will get conflicting information and that is what makes this group great. None of us know it all, but there's lots of years of experience combined here. You can use your own judgement and experimentation to see what works best for you.
One other thing I like to do when using heat lamps is I have a plug in cord I made, that has a hemostat on it so I can turn the power up and down as needed; as opposed to readjusting the lamp over and over.