First time ever to own a chickens, what do I need to know?

[Misstwixler]

I am in Lafayette - East Bay.

Hey Hey! I'm in Martinez !

 

[EmeraldSkye]

I liked having them in the house too!! Did you see my picture of them in the tub? That pic was actually a snapshot taken with a streaming video (security-style) camera that we set up in there with the chicks. That way I could look in on them anytime from my computer or my iPhone. That pic is black and white because it was dark and it was using the IR feature to see the chicks. It was a color image in the daytime.

When we put them outside I missed looking in on them via the camera. We considered putting a wireless camera out there but our signal isn't strong enough. And it was too far to run the line.

 

[SFBayArea]

Hey Hey! I'm in Martinez !

What type of chickens you hold?

 

[SFBayArea]

I liked having them in the house too!! Did you see my picture of them in the tub? That pic was actually a snapshot taken with a streaming video (security-style) camera that we set up in there with the chicks. That way I could look in on them anytime from my computer or my iPhone. That pic is black and white because it was dark and it was using the IR feature to see the chicks. It was a color image in the daytime.

When we put them outside I missed looking in on them via the camera. We considered putting a wireless camera out there but our signal isn't strong enough. And it was too far to run the line.

Yes, thank you for the great write up.

 

[Hillschicks]

At 4 weeks they should have a good amount of feathers and if they are still getting a heat lamp i would wean them off of it.. I would do it over about 3 days .. At that age they arent fragile, they will be fine especially in frisco.

We lost a rooster this fall and on a whim we put 5 of his eggs in the incubator.. 2 ended up infirtile and the other 3 hatched last november.. Here in michigan we are having a rough winter and with only worse weather on the way we wanted to get them acclimated to the coop as fast as possable. At the 1 week mark we started to ween them off of the heat light (a light bulb) .. By a month they were almost completelt feathered and we started giving them coop time during the day when the temp was higher.. By week 5 they were full time coop residence.. Just in time for temps in the teens.. They didnt seem to notice.. People like to heat them for months it seems like, but its just not necessary.. Nature doesnt have heat lamps

My point is, if ours dont mind 15 degrees at 5 weeks old im sure whatever you have in san fran wont hurt them. We have bought chicks online, from feed stores, tractor supply, and hatch our own. We have never lost a chick.

 

[cathwing]

This is good info for us newcomers! We got 3 hens Monday and I want to start chicks so we can have our maximum flock asap (limited to 10 hens in the city). I am in Colorado and I have my third (human) baby due beginning of May. I want my chicks living happily outdoors long before I have my baby. I was thinking of starting them in Feb. Our temperatures fluctuate wildly, so I can't guarantee April will be very warm but it sounds like as long as they are acclimated and old enough, they'll be fine.

Also, here's a really dumb question I can't find an answer to: if you order "pullets" from Ideal Poultry or a similar hatchery, they come as tiny chicks, right? I want my 4 and 2 year olds to start raising chicks, not big girl chickens. For a bit I thought "pullet" was used for teenager-type birds.

Thanks!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Pullets are females from day one to one year then they are hens.

You'll be getting day old chicks from Ideal.