Excited New Father!!! Needs advice!!

[NewCooper]

I just placed my order for chicks 24 they are a mix of white rock, Easter eggers, and leg horns! I'm super super excited I just bought 2 coops with enough coop space for 12-15 comfortable chickens and have built my brooder box in side the largest coop! This Thursday I pick up all my feed feeders and waterers! I can't sleep at night and it's going to be a long 3 weeks of anticipation till I get my new babies (I paid my hatchery to hold them till I know I'll have everything setup). I've been on here for a few months now reading the basics and I tell ya there is a lot! I'm starting this thread to just ask what was some advice you wish you were told when you first started that you know now?! And what would you recommend for me as a first timer?

 

[tmelber]

Congratulations! It's always so exciting to get chicks

I've raised chicks twice now: The first were technically guinea keet, but I'm counting them, anyway. While I don't know that this counts as advice, I was most excited when we got our first batch of day old chickens, reading over what treats are safe for chicks and at what age. I spent a decent amount of time "buying" their love- and it was so much fun! Also, take lots of pictures since it's really neat to look back at all the chicks in their brooder.

Enjoy!

 

[NewCooper]

I definitely plan on posting pictures! thank you very much this blog seems like such a friendly and helpful community and it's good to see so many other people get just excited over this as me! The rest of my family look at me crazy like "there just giving you eggs" so I come on here and see so much positivity!

Congratulations! It's always so exciting to get chicks  

I've raised chicks twice now: The first were technically guinea keet, but I'm counting them, anyway. While I don't know that this counts as advice, I was most excited when we got our first batch of day old chickens, reading over what treats are safe for chicks and at what age. I spent a decent amount of time "buying" their love- and it was so much fun! Also, take lots of pictures since it's really neat to look back at all the chicks in their brooder. 

Enjoy!

 

[0wen]

I just placed my order for chicks 24 they are a mix of white rock, Easter eggers, and leg horns! I'm super super excited I just bought 2 coops with enough coop space for 12-15 comfortable chickens and have built my brooder box in side the largest coop! This Thursday I pick up all my feed feeders and waterers! I can't sleep at night and it's going to be a long 3 weeks of anticipation till I get my new babies (I paid my hatchery to hold them till I know I'll have everything setup). I've been on here for a few months now reading the basics and I tell ya there is a lot! I'm starting this thread to just ask what was some advice you wish you were told when you first started that you know now?! And what would you recommend for me as a first timer?

Cancel the order and save yourself! It starts with a few chickens and a coop or two, then you need an incubator and a brooder. Another coop or two down the road, then ducks might be interesting - or turkeys, or pigeons...

Welcome to the addiction, I look forward to seeing your birds. Consider posting your thoughts on the experience in addition to the photos. Some journal type features here at BYC in addition to the forums for posting about your coop, birds, etc..

 

[NewCooper]

Cancel the order and save yourself!  It starts with a few chickens and a coop or two, then you need an incubator and a brooder.  Another coop or two down the road, then ducks might be interesting - or turkeys, or pigeons...  

Welcome to the addiction, I look forward to seeing your birds.  Consider posting your thoughts on the experience in addition to the photos.  Some journal type features here at BYC in addition to the forums for posting about your coop, birds, etc..

Hahaha it's an addiction that I'm gonna love! And who knows maybe I'll move into those ducks and turkeys I think it'd be cool, I'm doing my garden this year too! Having my own little hobby farm!

 

[pink lady]

I'm only new to this too and only have two puffen and cricket but here are some thing i wish i had set up just in case.
1- a small box with extra heat lamp as a hospital as at different stages one or two could get sick and time is of the essence you don't want to leave your sick one while your running around looking for surplice. ( well I didn't)
2- as above chick vitamins/electrolytes for water, meds etc on hand as so you can grab as needed is great idea too as it could be 2am in the morning you check on them and find one sick( that's if their inside or close by and you wake up)
3- once everything is set up turn it all on and see how it's working. eg tempt move you thermometer around your brooder not just leave it in one corner it will help you judg later on to as you need to decrease by -5 each week.
4- chick grit/starter I feed mine chook food ground up and thought they where dying from tumours but some water and a massage and they where back running around.
5- have fun with them inside or outside where ever you keep them pick them up play with them and have fun

with them.

My two at the end of week one I was taking them outside and digging up bugs for them watching them find their first worm and chasing each other and fighting over it and catch it all on my phone was a treat and at week to watching them have their first dust bath was amazing

Good luck with your little guys and just have fun!

 

[NewCooper]

@pink lady

thank you! I'll definitely try that stuff out the quarantine box is a great idea

 

[Yaychicks]

I'd say, they are not kids, and don't need to be coddled. In fact, this can be detrimental when one is always insisting they are too cold/too hot/this that or the other. Give them space, a small area of heat, food and water, and let them alone. Sure, pick them up to hold to tame them, but let them be chickens lol. They don't need tons of fancy do-dads to be productive and content. A couple new branches in the pen every now and then is plenty of excitement! I probably spend $15/mo on mine, including feed. Feeders/waterers I've all made with items around the house and yard .

 

[NewCooper]

Okay! I go tones of stuff I can work with to make there feeders it's the waterers I don't have anything for

 

[Yaychicks]

Little chicks you can use a water bottle (I use the 60c gatorade type), and put a nipple-waterer in the lid. I cut the bottom off these to fill without removing them- they are only used in the brooder.

A 5 gal bucket or such can be used for one in a coop, with 3-4 nipples attached.