hatched new chicks...feed and ???

[pintail_drake2004]

I have some chicken wire I may put on the inside of the run. The 2x4 welded is buried 1' deep so I don't think I'll need to bend it at all. We do not have a hot wire yet, that is on the list too!

 

[IZZYBELLA]

I feed multi-flock crumble to my chicks. I asked my state vet about vaccinations and she said not to worry about it and to just try to keep wild birds out of the run.

As for set-up, I am one who separates the broody and chicks for the first few weeks. It works better for my set up. I connect a large dog crate to a dog exercise pen and put wire over the top so they can't fly out. (The set-up takes up about half of a garage bay.) I cover the ground with shavings, put a container with dirt in there, and have little roost poles for them to play on. I let the broody take them outside daily if she chooses. (She often does, but always brings them back in when she deems it necessary... very cute.) I integrate them back into the flock at around 5-6 weeks. That is a multi-day process of see but no touch, supervised free ranging, and then finally roosting together at night.

Enjoy your chicks and broody! 7 out of 8 is a great hatch!