First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

[MrsKuhn]

New mama hen here too!

My babies are 3 weeks old tomorrow!

 

[mamatink7]

(I apologize if this is off-topic but couldn't find a better place to post, and yeah, I'm newbie )


I have new chicks ordered but they won't ship out until July 6th. They will only be trucked about 4 hrs so I'm really hoping they are not heat stressed! I calculated that for the amount of eggs I needed each week I would need 10 good layers. Well....I ordered 12 full-size hens of various breeds so that if I "lost" some I would still have enough... and also got 2 types of Bantams for sweet littles for the granddaughters..3 each, for a total of 18 chickens!!! 

I was thinking if I have to feed and check on them twice daily for 6+ months before I ever see my first egg, I might as well get the total amount I will need from the start. It would be really frustrating to put in all that work and only get a couple of eggs/day. Plus, I read somewhere that you should get all the chicks from same location so they are less likely to be sickly. 

Somebody with experience PLEASE tell me I have not gone insane and ordered too many!!! LOL

never off topic here
Not to crazy...heck we are all crazy chicken mommies now lmbo. Since you are getting older-already laying ones or older than 18 weeks old-don't forget the oyster/egg shells mixed w treats it helps make shells stronger and always give grit if you give them more than just their layer feed.
You'll do fine and everyone will adjust great! Just watch the bantams in with the bigger ones (I don't know much about those).

 

[mamatink7]

New mama hen here too!   My babies are 3 weeks old tomorrow! 

awww. What breeds do you have? My little chicks hatched last Wednesday so they're a wk old now-can't believe it. Getting tail feathers and their personalities are popping up now.

 

[MrsKuhn]

awww. What breeds do you have? My little chicks hatched last Wednesday so they're a wk old now-can't believe it. Getting tail feathers and their personalities are popping up now.

I would tell you, but then I would have to kill you....

Just kidding, honestly I am not sure. See I went the "I am impatient and want my chicks now " route and went to TSC and got 6 chicks. According to the bins, I "should" have 2 Black Sex Links, 2 Bantams ( don't know breeds ) and 2 what I was told and corrected Easter Eggers ( they had a different name on the bin but I was informed on this forum they are not called that )

What do you have?

 

[mamatink7]

I would tell you, but then I would have to kill you.... 

Just kidding, honestly I am not sure. See I went the "I am impatient and want my chicks now " route and went to TSC and got 6 chicks. According to the bins, I "should" have 2 Black Sex Links, 2 Bantams ( don't know breeds ) and 2 what I was told and corrected Easter Eggers ( they had a different name on the bin but I was informed on this forum they are not called that ) 

What do you have? 

LOL!! Ahh yes TSC is tricky to actually know they call theirs Amerecaunas but there are several chicks that look like them (speckled Sussex for instance).
I've got 3 EE, 6 black australorps, 4 golden comets, 2 buff Orpington, & 1 black copper marans. I'm picking up last batch for this flock on the 16th which will have 2 buff Orpington and 1 surprise..so I'll get more buff Orpington or more of the surprise chicks. UNFORTUNATELY I didn't want any or many that are broody BUT if you look at my breeds, all but one is broody:/ I searched for years for things to be perfect.

 

[Serenashome]

We are new chick parents got the babies today! Our first chickens though we are considering getting quite a few more next February. Right now our first chickens are 3 buff orpingtons and 3 barred rocks. They are too cute! May the fourth be with my chickens

.

 

[AEJEfarm]

Chicks shipped out today, should be here Friday! Set up the brooder today, hoping the chicks get here okay, I've been thinking about it constantly! Only have 4 coming.

 

[ladynewtochicks]

*sigh* I got lazy and now I'm treating for coccidiosis

I had already switched to non medicated with my flock when I brought home my last 2 spur of the moment chicks. I figured eh they will be fine, should have just spent the 4$ on the medicated because now I had to spend 17$ on the smallest pack of Corid. Oh well you live and you learn, hopefully I caught it soon enough and they recover quickly...

 

[amyelynn93]

Here's our girls are about 11-12 weeks old now. They're settled in their coop nicely! This pic is of them in their play pen while i was cleaning the coop. They love the tall grass to munch on, so we leave it a little long along the fence for them. Now that they're grown, we know for sure that the girls are 1 RIR, 1 Isa brown, 2 Amber Links, and 2 Black Sex Links. They're fairing nicely and we can't wait until they start laying. We've got a ways to go yet, their little combs just started coming in.

 

[Blooie]

Don't you just love how they look against the grass? I sure do!