Expecting mother

[Jencleg]

Good afternoon! I am in need of some "real" (practical) advice for me as I am a newbie! I am very excited to have found a source for some baby silkies, I have been looking for quite some time! My problem is that I have NO idea what all I need to get started...I realize that like anything, a person could go totally overboard with buying all sorts of stuff, but the lady I spoke to said that all her silkies were running around outside and did very well without all the bells & whistles that I have been told to buy. When I asked her what I needed all she said was chick starter! So now I am confused. My husband (whom is reluctant) says that if we dont have all the fancy equipment, that I will just kill them, but I also think that chicks/chickens have survived MANY years on their own...so here is what we have going for us & our equipment.....

(1) fenced in backyard
(2) 4x6 chain link dog run
(3) a 4x3x5 rabbit hutch that will be modified to a coop with a wire floor (used sucessfully already to house 10 Cornish Rock chicks from TCS)
(4) a fairly large "goat condo" that can be modified to a house or something fun for them

(5) Feeder & waterer thingy
(6) we also live in N GA and by the time I get them, it will be mid May, so it should be pretty warm outside

Can someone PLEASE tell me what all I need to pull this off? I am looking to get 4-5 chicks as soon as they hatch and I REALLY do not want my husband to be right about this one!!

Thank you for everything!!!

 

[nelli21]

well, the thing that I see missing is a heat lamp. If you are getting wee ones they will need to be kept warm as they won't have a mommy to do that for them (not sure how important this is in GA, but if you put it in a place where they can use it or not you will find out if they need it by how much time they spend under the lamp). I'd worry most about the low temp. I suppose you could get one of those and it should be easy to rig up the rabbit hutch.

When I get baby chicks- they stay as long as possible in my garage (we have good windows) in huge plastic storage bin with feeder/waterer and a heat lamp. Bedding is newspaper I put it in layers so I can pull off the top layer daily. I use an old screen for the top and some old 2x4 pieces for roosting spots (yes they do that occasionally so cute).

Then when they are well feathered & too big for the bin, and climate is better I move them outside into the rabbit hutch. If weather is still too cold the hutch is in the garage and the heat lamp is still on.

so I think your set up should work...

Nelli