First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[Redwolf141]

Hi all I am also new to Chickens this year , I am not hatching any but I ordered 6 from Myers today they will arrive on the 16th of March, I can't wait. I got 2 Barred Rocks 2 speckled Sussex 1 black Australorp, and 1 silver laced Wyandotte, the last is a surprise for my girlfriend, she loves the look of them she has no idea I ordered her one.

 

[Alterego71]

Okay, so my wife and I bought a new home three years ago (a little place in the country) and one of our first thoughts was "chickens!" Each year she has asked me . . . "Are we gonna get some chickens?" . . . to which I reply that I need to get the coop built and get everything ready. I could see it in her eyes this year when she asked, so Sunday I ordered our chicks. Knowing myself better than anyone, I decided that if I bought the chicks then it would force me to get around to building the coop. So now I am on a mission to get the brooder set up before they arrive, then the coop built before they are ready to go outside.

I ordered us a straight run of 9 Buff Orpingtons to start us out. Eventually, we want our set-up to provide eggs, meat, and more chicks. Right now, we just want to make sure we can keep the little boogers alive, lol. We are figuring on a small percentage loss from the research we have done and I think 9 is a good starting point. I have the chick starter, pine shavings, heat lamp, and feeder. Still trying to figure out what to use as a brooder since they will be calling the dining room home for a few weeks. Still need to get a fount and I think I better get some electrolytes and probiotics just in case. Also thinking about the heating pad cave instead of the lamp . . . sounds safer. Pretty sure I have "forgotten" something, but luckily we have plenty of resources locally if I need to get something.

Coop building will begin this weekend so that I will hopefully have it finished in a couple weeks. Planned out a 6x8 coop with an 8x10 run, but thinking the run might need to be a bit larger. I will post pics of the progress as I go.

I am secretly getting a little excited about the arrival of our chicks. Growing up, my grandparents had chickens and I remeber helping tend to them during the summer. I also remember how wonderful the eggs and meat tasted compared to store bought, but maybe that is a childhood dillusion (we will see . . . if they make it!). Here's to our new adventure!

 

[Blooie]

They'll love it. Watch them for chilling. Mine are outside all the time so they acclimate to the natural temperatures out there very well. But if yours have been inside under a heat lamp, they might not take to any chill as well. I bring mine home from the feed store, open the box, and let 'em go into their outside pen. That's where they stay. Shipped chicks get 24 hours in the house until I'm sure they are eating and drinking, have no shipping stress, and know how to duck into their Mama Heating Pad cave to warm up. Then they go out to the run too. This cookie is over raising chicks in the house ever again!

 

[Homersolo]

On Friday we got our five baby chicks. We got a Rhode Island Red, an Americauna, a brahma, a Plymouth Rock, and a Cuckoo Maran. On Saturday we noticed our Maran had a big butt and looked it up and realized that she had a clogged vent (by looking it up, I mean I searched these forums for "bald butt chick" and got the answers I needed.) There had not been any improvement by Sunday morning so we did the soak her in the warm water thing and she started pooping. My wife said she was never to relieved to see poop. My wife is in love. She even did a photo shoot. I present our first chickens (now to just finish the coop).

 

[misslogan019]

3 1/2 week old slw what do yall think so far

 

[MedSchlFarmers]

I got 12 girls three weeks ago and the very next day went and got 3 more. Probably gonna do another 5 for an even 20! They are approaching their "adolescent ugly" stage and are super noisy when we first move the top of the brooder, but we sure do like them a lot! My hubby even built them a little roosting bar!

Aren't they sooooo cute on the miniature roosting bars! My husband did the same thing! Ours loved it, and most slept on it every night.

 

[mamatoes]

Agnes

Dolores

Goldie

No name yet.

Hoping all "she's"

 

[Jensownzoo]

These guys are 3-4 weeks old and enjoying their first day in the sun and wind. At first they were still all clumped up into a space the size of their brooder, but they've gotten braver and spread out now to explore.

I've got Speckled Sussex, Sicilian Buttercups, EEs, Light Brahmas, Black Australorps, and white Silkies in this group.

 

[LaBellaVita]

My two sicilian buttercups turned a week old yesterday, so that called for a pic of course

 

[lisa7780]

I just got my girls yesterday. I got 2 Golden Sexlinks, 3 Blue Andalusian and 3 Silver Laced Wyandotte.