Farm and Garden Store Chicks and New Chick Plan

[LambsBYChicks]

hello Everyone!

I am new to the world of raising chickens, well I haven't even started yet! We have a more local farm garden store (Farm and Fleet), that is getting their chicks on March 7th. It seems like it's forever away, as I am so excited. Has anyone purchased chicks from there before. We are looking at them more as pets and the eggs being a bonus. I have two young children so getting quality friendly birds is important. For those experienced in chick raising, would you mind providing some tips? below is what I have planned so far:

Breeds - Buff Orpingtons, Easter Eggers, and Brahmas - 2 of each possibly
Brooder - is a plastic tote where we removed most of the lid and placed chicken wire in place of. I plan on using paper towel for the first two days and then will switch to pine bedding. we have a heat lamp and feeders as well.
Location - Chicks will stay in various rooms of our house. as they get older and need room to roam, I plan on using octagon pet gate for our dogs to let them stretch their legs
Food - I have grit and non-medicated food ready

Coop - I was going to have my husband build one to save on costs, but our local lumber store as a pretty nice 4x6 resin shed that I thought would work nicely for a very reasonable price. its a 4x6. We would modify the shed as needed. Anyone who uses a resin shed and wants to provide insight would be great.
Range - I am hoping to allow them to free range some of time, but since we work during the day, I do not feel comfortable letting them free range during the day while we aren't here. I plan on having two separate areas for them so they can alternate.

Just wanted to throw my thoughts out there for everyone to see if I am on the right track!

 

[red horse ranch]

Sounds like a good plan. I would use the paper towels as bedding for several days until you are sure they're eating the feed. Otherwise they will probably be sampling the pine chips. I use old towels for the 1st week or 2 and then either discard the towel or wash it separately to be used with the next batch of chicks.

The breeds you are wanting should be very easy to tame.

The 4x6 coop will hold 6 chickens IF they have an outside run. I wouldn't keep them enclosed in a 4x6 coop all day while you are at work.

By the way; WELCOME to BYC! Let us know how your chicks are doing and we all love pictures!

 

[K813ZRA]

Welcome to byc and chickens. Just be ware that chickens create a lot of dust/dander. Raising them in the house is not for everyone. If I ever try it again my wife might roast me rather than the chicken.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! Chickens are wonderful, but not in the house, at least for more than a very few days.
Chicken wire won't protect them from your dogs, and probably not your cats. Only hardware cloth in a good frame will be enough.
Plastic totes are TINY and easily overheat. Six chicks will want about three sq. ft. of floor space initially, then more like ten or twelve sq. ft. in a couple of weeks.
The resin shed should work, with big windows covered in hardware cloth for ventilation. And a dig-proof floor, so predators can't dig in. And a good lock/ latch on the door, and a safe run outside.
With electricity, you can set up your brooder plate or heat lamp out there, and have your house back, in two weeks or so. The sooner the better!!!
Use a red bulb in the heat lamp, and secure it VERY WELL; don't use that clamp at all. Mine are strung up on a chain to a fixed ceiling support, and tied with another cord, and the electric cord is threaded up there also. Triple safe! Also, make sure the bulb is in tight, and do everything you can to prevent fires.
Mary

 

[Stacinfl]

i bought a giant tote- and we've outgrown it at just over two weeks (i have 8 though)
and they're in the house...i want them out now. I adore them, but oh the mess. The first few days I was glad they were right here as I got up in the middle of the night to check on them..like babies
I live in florida so I was going to move them out to the coop early, probably after this mild cold weekend
.

 

[Folly's place]

I start mine in my garage in a livestock water tank (100 gal. size), for two to three weeks, until their Marek's vaccine is good. then, they go to a separate section of my coop with their heat lamp. Indoors is awful!
Mary

 

[lazy gardener]

Before you spend money on a tote, and before you spend money on a heat lamp, please consider using a Mother Heating Pad brooder. This is a heating pad which is combined with a home made wire frame (super easy to do) and covered with fabric to provide a heated cave that the chicks cuddle under, much as they would a broody hen. This style is much safer, results in chicks which are better socially adjusted, acclimated to day/night cycles. Do a thread search for Mother heating pad. You will find 2 excellent articles and a thread written/started by @Blooie for more information. those of us who have tried the MHP will never go back to a heat lamp again! The perfect brooder box if you are not brooding right in your coop (which is preferable) is an appliance box. It is big enough. Chicks should have at least 2 s.f./chick in the brooder by the time they are 2 - 3 weeks old! That appliance box will easily last them through their entire brooding period. (chicks should be weaned off their heat by the time they are 4 - 5 weeks old, depending on ambient temp.) And when you are done with that box, you can cut it up and use it to line your garden paths! Free and recyclable!!!

 

[LambsBYChicks]

Well, living in Wisconsin, I am a little nervous at how cold it is still to be keeping chicks outside. After a few weeks inside, I do plan on moving them to our garage and then to their coop. By mid april, we should be seeing our weather more consistently in the 50's. This time of year is such a crab shoot for weather. Yesterday was 60 and tomorrow we are supposed to get snow.

 

[gimmie birdies]

chicks love mirrors, and if you have any scrap cloth material the like that too (make sure the thread edges are sewn, I use a clamp lamp 60w, in a box maybe 12''x24'' or so to begin with. suspended by a stick, make sure the lamp is about 8'' or so above to start, when they get bigger, enlarge the box, and make the lamp go higher up. Hardware cloth to fit the top of the box is good too.

as far as building the coop, see if you can find scrap building material for you uses, and old cuboard doors are great. Good luck!