First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[Sells]

Its Day 6 with our first batch of chicks. We lost another little chick yesterday (so hard to have that happen!!) -- that's 2 out of 53. We still have one little RIR that we are concerned about. She had a spraddle leg when she arrived in the mail. We have had it bandaged since Day 1 and found the other chicks picked on her. So, she's been in a plastic tote inside the brooder -- she can see other chicks, but they can't bother her. I thought her leg would be better by now, but it isn't. Any suggestions? She is a great eater and I know she needs to be with the rest of the flock. She just can't walk.

 

[Jensownzoo]

Its Day 6 with our first batch of chicks. We lost another little chick yesterday (so hard to have that happen!!) -- that's 2 out of 53. We still have one little RIR that we are concerned about. She had a spraddle leg when she arrived in the mail. We have had it bandaged since Day 1 and found the other chicks picked on her. So, she's been in a plastic tote inside the brooder -- she can see other chicks, but they can't bother her. I thought her leg would be better by now, but it isn't. Any suggestions? She is a great eater and I know she needs to be with the rest of the flock. She just can't walk.

I've seen others use a coffee mug lined with something like a paper towel to keep the chick upright and exercise the legs to build muscle. I am not sure how long each therapy session should be though.

 

[Jensownzoo]

I just received my babies today 15 Easter Eggers. I ordered from My Pet Chicken they were born and shipped Monday. They have great customer service as I called a few times checking on them, when to expect them and if they would be ok getting shipped. I feel like a new mother to 15 babies. LOL I am a little afraid to hold them as they are so little. How long should you wait before picking them up and handling them? One of them is a little lethargic she does get up to eat, drink and run around a few minutes before laying back down. Is this normal? Is there something I can do for her?

You can always give a supplement such as poultry nutri-drench to bolster their systems and help speed the recovery from shipping.

 

[907ChickenLady]

One of the short ends is a wood wall with window that needs to be torn out and fixed anyway. The grand idea would be to make an addition to the connex, so 4' of the coop would be in the connex and 4+ feet would be outside the connex. Yeesh, the more I think about this, the less I want to do it. Hmm... I think I'm going to start scavenging building materials for an independent coop. If the chickens can make it unheated, by golly, why make life more complicated.

 

[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!

 

[ChickityChina]

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!

First of all - welcome!!

I laughed when I read your post because this sounds so much like me and my husband lol! We did the same - got the chickies and are now building the coop in the time frame we have before they need to move out into it. Congrats on your first bunch! We got six the other day and we are having a blast! One thing I didn't realize I needed in the brooder (and this may help you too down the road) is playthings. My chicks like to peck at things and each other and distractions help keep that to a minimum. I put an old grits container in the brooder with the bottom popped out and they LOVE to run through it like a tunnel. I was also given the awesome idea (credit to Blooei) of putting a large marble or two in there and they will peck and knock it around because it's shiny!

By the way - you are remembering quite correctly. The bright orange color and the rich taste of the freshly layed egg yolks is NOTHING like the pale, bland store bought eggs. It's just perfection. Have fun!!

 

[Alterego71]

Yes, I was reading posts (seemed like all night) and noticed some added extras that others were using to keep the little boogers entertained, lol. Already plan on some sod and a hiding place or two, hadn't thought of something to run through like a tunnel. Might see if I can find a couple big marbles now. Thanks for the warm welcome!

 

[Jensownzoo]

Yes, I was reading posts (seemed like all night)

I think I do this every night! I'm also playing catch up research and am in the middle of building my coop.

One piece of advice for your planning process--design it so it is easy to add onto later. It sounds like you plan on expanding your flock later, so incorporating a plan for enlarging the coop and run now will make it so much easier later. For example, in my 8x16' coop, I am framing in an extra doorway. It will be covered over now, but in the future it will link together the existing coop and the new addition.

 

[ChickityChina]

I think I do this every night! I'm also playing catch up research and am in the middle of building my coop.

One piece of advice for your planning process--design it so it is easy to add onto later. It sounds like you plan on expanding your flock later, so incorporating a plan for enlarging the coop and run now will make it so much easier later. For example, in my 8x16' coop, I am framing in an extra doorway. It will be covered over now, but in the future it will link together the existing coop and the new addition.

This is good advice! This got me thinking about how I would expand later if I wanted to. This will take some scheming hehe. I love the planning stage!

 

[Blooie]

I think I do this every night! I'm also playing catch up research and am in the middle of building my coop.

One piece of advice for your planning process--design it so it is easy to add onto later. It sounds like you plan on expanding your flock later, so incorporating a plan for enlarging the coop and run now will make it so much easier later. For example, in my 8x16' coop, I am framing in an extra doorway. It will be covered over now, but in the future it will link together the existing coop and the new addition.

Good advice!!put the end piece back on . Wow, was that ever easy We did the same thing with our run - designed it with expansion in mind. When that day came, all we had to do was clip the wires on the end, take it off in one piece (chicken wire and hardware cloth skirt and apron still intact) pound in two more fence posts, arch an additional cattle panel into place, and done!

!

The end panel taken off and set aside until we were ready to put it back on. Notice that it is entirely in one, single piece!



Stoopid chickens! So used to that being the end of their run that even when the back was taken off they didn't "cross the line". In fact, I clapped my hands and said, "Girls, let's go out!" and they all ran for the door on the other side! Chickens? Creatures of habit? Nahhhh..where'd you hear that?



Ken wiring the two cattle panels together. Nothing to it!


The addition, without the lattice added yet.