First Time Chick Parents, Spring 2016

Jen, out of curiosity, what is your chicken count and what kinds do you have now?  And I am dying to know what you are going to build with all those posts!  A building?  Coop?  Fence?


I don't really have a count of all of them, but I do band them with numbered zip ties before I let them out to free range. I think I have close to 60 free-ranging, probably another 30 in the coop still growing, and maybe another 60 in the brooders. I won't be keeping all of them...a lot of the breeds were straight-run so I have way too many roos. Also, my friend just had her laying flock stolen, so I will probably be passing some pullets along to her.

Right, breeds. Buffs Orpington, Golden Buff, New Hampshire Red, White Rock, Barred Rock, Dominique, Black Australorp, Speckled Sussex, Sicilian Buttercup, EE, bantam cochin (multiple colors), Silkie (multiple colors), Polish (multiple colors), Mille Fleur d'Uccle, Salmon Faverolles, Light Brahma, black sex-link, Bielefelder, Crested Cream Legbar, Olive Egger, Welsummer, Barnevelder, Blue Andalusian, Light Sussex, Araucana, Black Americauna, Lavender Orpington, Queen Silvia, East Frisian Gull, Silver Sebright, White-faced Black Spanish bantam, and Lemon Cuckoo Orpintons. Believe it or not, I still have a want list!

I also have 6 pearl guineas, 3 Toulouse goslings, 5 magpie ducklings, and coming in a week 15 Golden hybrid ducklings. The guineas are for ticks and intruder alerts. The goslings are for lawn mowing and intruder alert. The ducklings are for eggs (for baking with). I will also be getting coturnix quaal for eggs at some point. I am thus far resisting Narragansett turkeys because they'd just be lawn ornaments/ear candy since I'm vegetarian plus they can't share space with the chickens...but am weakening...

The posts are mainly for fences, but I have been using them as posts to elevate the coops. Will probably snag a few to construct some climbing structures for the goats. The fence is likely a multi-year project, but it made more sense to buy all the posts at once and pay just one delivery fee.
 
So sorry to hear that :( How many chicks do you have? Are they all roughly the same size? And how large is the brooder? It's hard to prevent that kind of thing however...

I would contact MPC ASAP -- it may be that you can still squeeze in a replacement chick for the 48 hour live guarantee (though I know that isn't the same as not losing her in the first place :/ )

I sent them an email now, well within the 48hrs so we'll see I had 9, 7 were two days old and 2 are 1week older and I'm using the xl sunbeam heating pad, so I think there was plenty of room. They are usually spread out pretty well when I look under there.


It could be that she just had something wrong with her and she happened to pass in comfort surrounded by buddies.

I like your way of thinking:)

I'm sad I lost her but this seems like the perfect opportunity for chicken math :)
 
So I checked the chick schedule at our local feed store and they are getting SLW pullets this week. Of course I'd have to get a SS while I'm there
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so I'd have 2-2week olds, 6-1 week olds and 2-1day olds.... Do you think I'd need to put the new ones in a different brooder bc of the size of the 2 weekers vs the 1 day olds?
 
I don't really have a count of all of them, but I do band them with numbered zip ties before I let them out to free range. I think I have close to 60 free-ranging, probably another 30 in the coop still growing, and maybe another 60 in the brooders. I won't be keeping all of them...a lot of the breeds were straight-run so I have way too many roos. Also, my friend just had her laying flock stolen, so I will probably be passing some pullets along to her.

Right, breeds. Buffs Orpington, Golden Buff, New Hampshire Red, White Rock, Barred Rock, Dominique, Black Australorp, Speckled Sussex, Sicilian Buttercup, EE, bantam cochin (multiple colors), Silkie (multiple colors), Polish (multiple colors), Mille Fleur d'Uccle, Salmon Faverolles, Light Brahma, black sex-link, Bielefelder, Crested Cream Legbar, Olive Egger, Welsummer, Barnevelder, Blue Andalusian, Light Sussex, Araucana, Black Americauna, Lavender Orpington, Queen Silvia, East Frisian Gull, Silver Sebright, White-faced Black Spanish bantam, and Lemon Cuckoo Orpintons. Believe it or not, I still have a want list!

I also have 6 pearl guineas, 3 Toulouse goslings, 5 magpie ducklings, and coming in a week 15 Golden hybrid ducklings. The guineas are for ticks and intruder alerts. The goslings are for lawn mowing and intruder alert. The ducklings are for eggs (for baking with). I will also be getting coturnix quaal for eggs at some point. I am thus far resisting Narragansett turkeys because they'd just be lawn ornaments/ear candy since I'm vegetarian plus they can't share space with the chickens...but am weakening...

The posts are mainly for fences, but I have been using them as posts to elevate the coops. Will probably snag a few to construct some climbing structures for the goats. The fence is likely a multi-year project, but it made more sense to buy all the posts at once and pay just one delivery fee.
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So many chicken and other fowl! I would be in heaven frolicking around your place. I bet you have a wonderfully colored egg basket too! I never knew geese could be lawn mowers. Hahaha. Efficient flock if you ask me!

And I hear ya on the fence. My husband finished our front and south side fence last summer (he works farm hours so the fence-build was only on Sundays and after work in the evenings). And now we are attempting the backside privacy fence this Spring, about halfway finished. And then we're hoping to finish the other side, north side fence in the late summer. And thats all just for a small residential lot. But building projects take a long time when you are doing them yourself and only able to put in an hour here and another hour there.

Front & South side (taken this past Winter):


Backside privacy taken last weekend:


Now... if only we could get rid of that neighbor's RV! Ugh. Some people. Maybe I should get a rooster.....
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I have NO egg basket yet (soon, soon), but that was the idea. That and getting some high egg producers and some that would continue producing through the winter. Almost my entire extended family lives nearby so I'll be supplying myself, my family, and likely my friends with eggs. In exchange for feed, bedding, and hard labor, of course! And I get to reap the benefit of playing with chickens everyday! And all the nice compost for the garden too.
 
:eek: So many chicken and other fowl! I would be in heaven frolicking around your place. I bet you have a wonderfully colored egg basket too! I never knew geese could be lawn mowers. Hahaha. Efficient flock if you ask me! Very nice! I feel the same about a rooster, since there are two barking beagles next door. Really? Barking dogs are ok but roosters aren't?! I did make a leap and get my four girls. I figured they and my two German shepherds couldn't possibly make as much noise as those dang beagles! And I hear ya on the fence. My husband finished our front and south side fence last summer (he works farm hours so the fence-build was only on Sundays and after work in the evenings). And now we are attempting the backside privacy fence this Spring, about halfway finished. And then we're hoping to finish the other side, north side fence in the late summer. And thats all just for a small residential lot. But building projects take a long time when you are doing them yourself and only able to put in an hour here and another hour there. Front & South side (taken this past Winter): Backside privacy taken last weekend: Now... if only we could get rid of that neighbor's RV! Ugh. Some people. Maybe I should get a rooster..... :tongue
 
Well I just called the feed store and reserved a new SLW and a SS, guess I need to get a new brooder ready incase they don't mix well. I had planned on combining two dog crates eventually so really ill just need an extra heating pad and can put them side by side to get used to each other. Lord knows what I'll actually end up with, they have Black sex links, golden comets and EEs (I love that little chipmunk face) coming too so I might end up making it an even dozen chicks :)
 

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