First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[Sassysouth]

Mine are about 8 weeks now. I have offered them nibbles of apples, lettuce, seeds, and a muffin, but unless it is feed or a bug they don't want it. I LOVE being a chicken mommy! I love taking them out for our supervised free range time. So relaxing! Chickens are better than dogs!

 

[Serenashome]

My very first chickens!! Golden comets and White Leghorns! So super eggcited!!

Yay!!! Welcome to BYC!

 

[cannon6]

I know they are super cute and SO fun to watch! I'm getting a rooster in a couple days. I'm so excited about it I can hardly wait!!

 

[Jensownzoo]

I had a chicken massacre last night. Lost about 40 birds from my "big enough to free range, too young for eggs" pen. I kept it together all day because I had still living birds to get out of that pen and into a secure something else--which required some minor construction--but now I'm sitting here comparing the list of survivors against the flock list and I have lost so many wonderful little personalities.

 

[KiminPA]

I had a chicken massacre last night. Lost about 40 birds from my "big enough to free range, too young for eggs" pen. I kept it together all day because I had still living birds to get out of that pen and into a secure something else--which required some minor construction--but now I'm sitting here comparing the list of survivors against the flock list and I have lost so many wonderful little personalities.

I'm so sorry for your loss! I can't imagine

 

[jessschlles4]

I had a chicken massacre last night. Lost about 40 birds from my "big enough to free range, too young for eggs" pen. I kept it together all day because I had still living birds to get out of that pen and into a secure something else--which required some minor construction--but now I'm sitting here comparing the list of survivors against the flock list and I have lost so many wonderful little personalities.

Soo sorry about this. Very sad.

 

[Rostercogbern]

Today mixed my 4 week Olds in with my 8 week old birds they were in the same coop separated by a wall with a hard wire cloth window they seem all right the little ones are running all over the big pen some of the big ones will chase the little ones and peck a little just worried that the big ones will crowed them in a corner and peck at them to much is this normal or will it get worse? ?

 

[Donna R Raybon]

I start younger birds in a pen for several days until they know that is where food, water, shelter, safety is for them. Then I open a chick sized exit for them. Bigger birds can't get in, but little can come and go.

Out on grass I currently have a temporary shelter for my month old fbcm. It is nothing more than four pieces of wire shelving zip tied and covered with pieces of tin. The birds go out every morning and back in to house at night. The first week they were just in the pen, then second week I took a couple of bricks and propped one corner up so chicks can come and go. In about two weeks they will go in big coop at night instead of house. By that time bigs and little will have coming led long enough to be OK. Understand, I do get out to coop and let all out pretty quick after they wake up.

 

[Donna R Raybon]

Understand my yard is fenced, George the LGD is on duty, and i do not leave them out without dh or I being here. We have no close neighbors.

This shows how I prop up corner of pen, the bigger birds with lirrles in background and the little French Black Copper and Blue Copper Marans.

 

[Jensownzoo]

That's a neat system, Donna!

Yesterday was a day of death, so today is a day of new life. I got two shipments of chicks (Orust and white legbar) very early this morning. I also stopped by the farm store that always has chicks to see if there was anything I wanted to replenish my flock--got Salmon Faverolles pullets (I only had one left, a male), Speckled Sussex (all but one dead), Partridge Cochins (the three I already had were in a secured coop, but I really like them), four EEs (only had two roos left which were getting ready to be sold anyway), and three Polish (2 white capped black and 1 silver laced). Everybody is in brooders inside until I get the grow out coop finished. Going to try to work on it in short spurts today because heat index is going to hit 110F...mostly cutting and pre-painting boards until the sun starts setting. It's about half-done already.

I need help naming my light brahma girl. She's now survived two predator attacks (the first time with a huge wound) so needs a special name. Not "Lucky" or "Miracle" though. Thanks to the daily bandage changes from her wound (healed up nicely), she doesn't mind at all being picked up and loved on.