From Civilian to Chicken Rancher timeline.

[ailurophile23]

Oh bless you - what a story you have to tell your descendants! How in the world did you manage to keep enough wits about you that you actually thought not to go into the house?! Sounds like you need to install an emergency shower just outside the workshop.

Hooray for chicks - here's wishing them a speedy and uneventful trip. If the P.O. does not call as expected, start calling to find your chicks early - mine made the trip as expected to the distribution center but didn't make it in time to get to our tiny county P.O. which only gets one delivery a day - with help of really nice folks at the P.O. we tracked them down and had them delivered to slightly larger P.O. (who has an afternoon delivery) where I picked them up - everyone was very concerned and pleased to help - and all the chicks survived!!!!

 

[nono]

I've just spent 30 minutes reading your entire thread, and sitting here all by myself laughing out loud like a lunatic. Love your writine, story, and your coop and run. Enjoy the chicks. I'm doing it *** backwards to you...our chicks arrived 4 weeks ago, and our Coop kit arrives on Wednesday...a child's playhouse that we are converting to a coop. I've determined we'll have to sell any extra eggs for approximately $52.95 a dz to break even by the time we're ready to retire. Factor into that the fact that we won't even get eggs till October if we're lucky. oy.

 

[ailurophile23]

LOL - did you factor in things like egg breakage in the nest box and handling errors (i.e., dropping the eggs) when calculating the sale price?! How about eggs laid in places other than the next box - you know, the ones you never find? Chickens are sometimes clutsy and often sneaky.

 

[The Lazy L]

... sitting here all by myself laughing out loud like a lunatic. Love your writine, story, and your coop and run. ...

Glad you have enjoyed the posts!

 

[The Lazy L]

..How in the world did you manage to keep enough wits about you that you actually thought not to go into the house?! ...

Years of marital training with a whip and rolling pin

 

[The Lazy L]

LOL - did you factor in things like egg breakage in the nest box and handling...

BREAKAGE?

BREAKAGE?

No one told me about BREAKAGE! That throws all my calculations off by an additional generation!

 

[bj taylor]

that is some remarkably detailed work. the part i'm impressed with is your electrical knowledge. wish i knew & understood such things better.
i look forward to hearing how you like the automatic pop door. i'm thinking real seriously about getting one.
i have a bo. i think you will be happy with that choice. they're good birds. i like my flock of mixed. i have 1 bo, 1 silver laced wyandotte, 1 barred rock, 1 black australorp. i had more but my dog killed the other ten

. then i got 5 more babies. i tried for two bo, two black aust, & one surprise. the problem being my 2 bo turned out to be 2 production reds. the surprise one is a delaware. they make for a pretty flock.
i should start getting eggs any day now. i can't wait.

really great thread. i liked the part about the lid on the paint can. that sounded like something that might happen to me.

 

[The Lazy L]

May 21

Bedding is down. Wondering if I should cover it with paper towels to keep bedding out of the waterer and feeder?

Heater is plugged in, power light came on and the coop didn't burn down during the night. I've got the power cord "tied" so the fluffy butts can't accidental unplug it.

Feeder is filled with DuMor Chick Starter/Grower 20% (non-medicated).

Waterer filled.

Received email confirmation from Meyer, chicks shipped yesterday after noon with arrival 22 - 24.

 

[Jakoda]

you did such a wonderful job, My hubby has been building my coop/run, and just 'grumbles' the entire time LOL...Can I rent you to finish mine for me?)

 

[ailurophile23]

I would definitely start with paper towels over the bedding - makes for easier clean up and helps keep bedding out of feed and water. When you eventually go to just bedding, be prepared for a mess - chicks (and adult chickens) are really messy!!!! I found that having multiple small feeders and waterers helped a little but I frequently cleaned the waterers 3+ times a day and often had to blow bedding out of the feeders too. Once they know where the food and water comes from and they grow a little, you can start raising the feed and water up off the bedding a little which really helps. Can't wait to see the little ones when they arrive!