First timer getting chicks tomorrow! Need last minute help!

[ChickenMonk]

Lol - TLDR? Look for the -- To get to my questions.

Hello everyone! I've been browsing the forum for about two weeks now and I've been doing lots and lots of research into raising baby chicks the do's and don'ts and everything inbetween and I've gotten a good idea on what I am doing now. But I had some last minute questions that I can't seem to find answers for and any advice for what I've already done would be nice to have as well.

Basically my wife and I decided getting chickens would be a good thing for us and our kids after reading articles and stories about how chickens are raised commercially for eggs and meat and we want to get our eggs as fresh as possible and keep happy healthy chickens on our property. We got about 23 acres of land in central texas in the hill country and since were out in the country there are no regulations on chicken (sheriffs office says as long as chickens stay on our property were good) so were gonna go to the local feed supply and pick up 8 chicks that are about a week old. we know for sure we are gonna get at least 4 Rhode island reds, not production reds as they did have the option there, and maybe 2 or 4 of another breed. wife and I are gonna finish deciding tonight.

Ok im kind of rambling now... let me get to the point, basically im gonna let yall know what i got set up, what im gonna get tomorrow with the chicks and some questions i have on things i got now

I got 2 x-large totes on hand, i think theyre something like 24 gallons, I've removed the lids and I have put some chicken wire my grandfather had laying around the barn on top of the lids to keep the chicks from flying out of the boxes and getting into trouble around the house. I've also cut a tunnel in the sides of both boxes so the chickens can go inbetween the two so they can spread out and have alot of space to move around in. I got a 300 watt max lamp with a 250 watt red R40 heatlight. both I picked up from home depot. I've got some branches set up in the totes for the chickens to roost n hang out on. also I went to scout out the feed store before I take my family and I asked if the chickens were vaccinated and I wasn't able to get a real straight answer, kind of somewhere between "Most hatcheries vaccinate for marek's but we recommend getting the medicated feed." so I made room in budget to get medicated chick crumbles that they sell. I'm also gonna be picking up a 6.99 bag of pine "Chips" I put that in quotes because the chips that they are using in their nest/brooders that they have the chickens on display are nice thick squares so the chicks don't eat them and the pine shavings i find on internet and in store seem really thin. also we made some DIY water/feeders but this leads me to the main question

--While looking for chicken wire around the barn I found an old galvanized chicken feeder that my grandfather had, it has a little bit of rust on it that came off pretty well after a thorough washing and scrub with some dawn dish soap and a rough green pad. and a plastic waterer that you would find at a feed supply

--Would the small amount of rust on the feeder be damaging to the chicks? I know if it was for their water it would be a no no but I can't seem to find anything solid when it comes to food on the internet. Also the plastic waterer looks like brand new after its cleaning but would it have been sitting out at the barn for years have set up some sort of damage i can't see that would spoil the water?

Sorry this post is a little long winded... nervous poster here, but I'm looking forward to getting chickens and I want this to go super smooth!

 

[TattooedChicks]

I think a rust spot or two won't be the end of the world, but that heat lamp might be too strong for a small brooder. 250W would suffice to heat a larger area with dozens and dozens of chicks unless the area you are brooding in is very drafty/cold. I've turned into a crazy chicken lady and converted the better part of half a small bedroom into a brooder and 125W is more than enough for that kind of space.

 

[blackdog043]

Your fine with the feeder and waterer. Put the feed and water in the bin without the heat. This will make them go to the cool zone. Make sure your lamp is very secure and not to low to over heat them. You might be ok with a 100 watt bulb instead of the high heat bulb in the bin.

 

[TattooedChicks]

Also, medicated feed will help with cocci, a type of parasite found in the soil that hurts the intestinal track of young chicks. Marek's vaccines are different from that.

 

[ChickenMonk]

@TattooedChicks ah I didn't realize that would be to strong, so if I understand my research... I could use the 250watt but I would need to keep it higher away from the chicks? Home depot (my local one) didn't have a red infrared light under 250 watts in stock unfortunately so I grabbed that one, the feed store might have a lower wattage. and Good on the medicated feed!!

@blackdog043 Ok thats good to know about the feeder / waterer, better they have legit stuff than the DIY i made haha. Same question I presented to TattooedChicks about moving the light higher ;p

 

[ChickenMonk]

also, i choose rhode island reds cuz they are good layers, but my wife was thinking of variety. I was thinking about golden comets but I read that they can get into some pain later in their life because their body can't keep up with their egg production... I would hate to get and put a chicken through that... do yall have any recommendations for other breeds we could get or should we just get 8 rhode island reds...?

 

[tinakevin]

Keep an eye on the chicks they will be the best ones to tell u if their too hot or too cold. If they are too hot you can raise the heat lamp. Too cold lower it. I do this and I haven't had any problems. I don't feed mine medicated food as I give them a clump of grass and dirt from my untreated lawn plus for the first week I give them probiotics and electrolytes. I have never lost a chick. (Knock on wood). This is just what works for me but it has worked well. Good luck with your babies. They sure r fun

 

[azygous]

The most important advice I can give you is to use only one heat lamp over one of the brooder sections, keeping the other section cool.

You are not trying to create an oven. It's just as critical for chicks to have a cool zone in which to shed excess heat from their bodies as it is to have a heat source under which to warm themselves to restore lost body heat. You may calibrate your heat lamp by raising or lowering it until a thermometer placed directly under the light on the floor of the brooder reads around 80-85F. Anything warmer for one-week old chicks is too warm.

As far as breeds, I suggest you get a few EEs. They are also known commercially as Ameraucanas, although they aren't true Ameraucanas. EEs are delightfully people friendly and you will love getting their green and blue eggs once they start laying.

 

[ChickenMonk]

@tinakevin Ok, I'll do some more research into medicated vs non medicated, these chicks are already about a week old at least so should I give them electrolytes as well or has the need for it passed... or does it ever pass? Also on the probiotics... would that be like yogurt as I've seen on some websites?

 

[blackdog043]

I have 5 RIR's and 3 easter eggers right now, because I like them. I'll be getting more next year and get a variety. it's all up to your personal preference, unless your just after egg production. A variety is nice so you don't have all the same looking chickens.