First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[Blooie]

A really great article, I've been reading the huge mama heating pad thread. Good stuff there too!

@azygous did a great job in her article about the benefits of brooding outdoors! Hubby just got the portals cut and framed into the brooder pen, and I'm excited to use them rather than just trying to prop one side partly open during integration. In the article I wrote, I was talking about the "hows".
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/yes-you-certainly-can-brood-chicks-outdoors


I also brood chicks outdoors, using Mama Heating Pad, and I'll never go any other way. But I'm the first to admit that it's certainly not for everyone, and don't try to "covert" folks who might not be comfortable with such a drastic change in doing things. The way I look at it, there is no absolute "right" or "wrong" way to brood as long as the result is healthy chicks! We sure welcome anyone who wants to stop by the Mama Heating Pad thread and check things out! Good group of warm, friendly people over there!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

 

[Mitch Mullenax]

@azygous
 did a great job in her article about the benefits of brooding outdoors!  Hubby just got the portals cut and framed into the brooder pen, and I'm excited to use them rather than just trying to prop one side partly open during integration.  In the article I wrote, I was talking about the "hows".
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/yes-you-certainly-can-brood-chicks-outdoors




I also brood chicks outdoors, using Mama Heating Pad, and I'll never go any other way.  But I'm the first to admit that it's certainly not for everyone, and don't try to "covert" folks who might not be comfortable with such a drastic change in doing things.  The way I look at it, there is no absolute "right" or "wrong" way to brood as long as the result is healthy chicks!  We sure welcome anyone who wants to stop by the Mama Heating Pad thread and check things out!  Good group of warm, friendly people over there!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

You are shameless. This the newbie thread! lol Folks this is a great thread. It is a great investment worth your time to read every post.

 

[Trizzy123]

tolbunt candy corn polish

So cute! That one looks like he/she has a bandage around its head. Funny!

 

[ChickityChina]

Quote:

Quote:
This chick clearly has dreams of going pro...



... sorry... couldn't resist

 

[jackier26]

We just got our chicks today, a few of each
New Hampshire reds
Golden sex link
brahma

 

[misslogan019]

My chicks are a little over 3 weeks old, there coop is ready for them to move in. I have a couple of questions before I move them in about 2 more weeks.

1. When do I move them from starter/grower feed to laying feed?

2. What can I use for dust baths?

3. Should I use pine shavings or hay for nesting boxes?

4. When should I stop using electrolytes for their water?

 

[Jensownzoo]

My chicks are a little over 3 weeks old, there coop is ready for them to move in. I have a couple of questions before I move them in about 2 more weeks.

1. When do I move them from starter/grower feed to laying feed?
When you see an egg.
2. What can I use for dust baths?
Lots of things. I put dry peat moss in a tub for my 9 week olds mixed with just a little bit of DE, but I'll replace that with wood ashes once thevwind dies down enough for me to burn safely.
3. Should I use pine shavings or hay for nesting boxes?
Dealer's choice. I think I'm going to try out straw.
4. When should I stop using electrolytes for their water?
I only use them to get them through stress diarrhea. If they're having normal poops and appear healthy, I'd stop now. Restart if needed.

 

[Alterego71]

Update: So I picked up our chicks Thursday afternoon. 9 healthy little Buff Orpingtons. Cute little buggers! We also managed to keep them all alive!!! Yay, go us! We do have one that we are having to retrain to walk properly. One of the little peeps had what appeared to be the umbilical cord still attached and wrapped around its leg which hampered its movement. I had read that the "cord" would fall off after a couple days so we waited. Unfortunately, we could wait no longer as the others were starting to pick on him/her it appeared. They didn't peck at it, just pushed it around and knocked it over. Luckily, the little one has a couple protectors in the bunch that chase off the others when they start up.

Anyway, back to my point. I decided (my wife decided, lol) to cut this thing off his leg. It was dry and crusty so I snipped it nearest the leg and gently unwrapped it from around the leg. Then I cut what I could off of it without getting to close to the belly. The little bugger is a tad bit wobbly now since there is more movement in that leg, but we are working to get it used to having the leg under rather than behind a bit. My question is . . . What should I be on the lookout for? Will this eventually fall off the rest of the way or do we need to work to remove it? Also, the leg is a bit red where the cord was. Hopefully, this will return to normal in time.

Pics coming as soon as I can get some decent ones, lol.:/

 

[Choco Maran]

1 I change to grower as soon as they are out of the brooder. And then change to layer about 16-20 weeks. You will get a different answer for ever person you ask.

2 As far as a dust bath I mixed playground clean sand, DE, and woodstove ashes. However they enjoy uses just the dirt outside in their run as well. They use the inside dust bath for laying eggs.

3 I use both shavings or straw what ever I have at the time I change the nest boxes. I prefer shavings. The eggs seem to stay cleaner.

4 I stop using electrolytes after about two weeks. Electrolytes are to help them recover from shipping.

 

[Staff017]

Hi!
I'm so excited to finally start our chicken family! We have a coop on order. I've never raises chicks before, and I'm not sure we're doing it right. The winters get cold here, so we're ordering a well-built draft free coop with electrical access. I figure better safe than sorry!
We have a three and a half year old and an almost two year old, who are very excited to help with this process. We are mostly in it for the eggs and the social aspect. Any recommendations on breeds? We are looking to get 6 to 8 layers. I'm not sure if we should get extra chicks assuming some attrition.

I'm very interested in using the coop from the start, or very soon after. We can move it around with the tractor and we have an extra spot in the garage at the moment. Would it be totally crazy to start the coop off in the garage, and then move it outside once the chicks are a little bigger? Or just totally unnecessary?