Lawrence Lovestock
Songster
Aloha! I’m 3 months in now, and I’ve fallen head over heels in love with my 14 chick babies! Along with that comes worry if I’m doing thing’s right or what I can change or improve. I’ll do my best to not be long winded in describing what I have/do and I hope you can critique me.
My “enclosure/safe spot” is 20x20. It is surrounded my pallets that are secured to the ground and one another as well as pvc pipes. There’s 4’ of chicken fencing as well (this is to keep the babies in and my Weimaraner’s our.)
Within the enclosure is 3 coops, like miniature apts. #1 has my 4 babies that are 1 month old- (2 Barred Rocks & 2 Easter Eggers). #2 has my 5 babies that are 3 months old- (2 Americana, 1 brahma, 1 cuckoo Maran & 1 Renegade we found on the road side as a little lost chick). #3 has my 2 Rhode Island Reds that are 2 months old. In a brooder, in my house I have 3 babies that are just a few weeks old.
Do I have enough space?
I started out using organic scratch & peck starter and they love it! I got adventurous and made my own feed following Becky’s Homestead and I’ve been feeding it to my oldest (3 month olds) but I don’t think they like it.
Here is my routine:
6a- apt doors are open and my 5 month olds are free within the 20x20. The reds and my 1 month olds ladder is open and they have the enclosed area under their sleeping quarters to themselves. I feed the older ones by just tossing a tall container/scoop of the feed I made. The 1&2 month olds get the scratch and peck starter in a feeder. I also make sure they have fresh water 2-3 times a day.
I attempted putting the reds (2 mons old) out with the 5 older ones but they got pecked at a few times and looked scared. In the early evening I put the 5 oldest in their coop for a little while and let the reds (2 mons old) out. Also, I throw another scoop to the 2 month olds a second time in the later afternoon. At that same time I check the others feeders and don’t usually need to replenish.
Later morning I make them a small breakfast snack- yogurt, cottage cheese, a scrambled egg with the shell crumbs. At around 2p they get a frozen snack (it usually has watermelon and/or corn) in it. I’ve included pics most I just took a minute ago, it’s 6am and looks like we had some rain, so it’s damp but is usually dry.
My “enclosure/safe spot” is 20x20. It is surrounded my pallets that are secured to the ground and one another as well as pvc pipes. There’s 4’ of chicken fencing as well (this is to keep the babies in and my Weimaraner’s our.)
Within the enclosure is 3 coops, like miniature apts. #1 has my 4 babies that are 1 month old- (2 Barred Rocks & 2 Easter Eggers). #2 has my 5 babies that are 3 months old- (2 Americana, 1 brahma, 1 cuckoo Maran & 1 Renegade we found on the road side as a little lost chick). #3 has my 2 Rhode Island Reds that are 2 months old. In a brooder, in my house I have 3 babies that are just a few weeks old.
Do I have enough space?
I started out using organic scratch & peck starter and they love it! I got adventurous and made my own feed following Becky’s Homestead and I’ve been feeding it to my oldest (3 month olds) but I don’t think they like it.
Here is my routine:
6a- apt doors are open and my 5 month olds are free within the 20x20. The reds and my 1 month olds ladder is open and they have the enclosed area under their sleeping quarters to themselves. I feed the older ones by just tossing a tall container/scoop of the feed I made. The 1&2 month olds get the scratch and peck starter in a feeder. I also make sure they have fresh water 2-3 times a day.
I attempted putting the reds (2 mons old) out with the 5 older ones but they got pecked at a few times and looked scared. In the early evening I put the 5 oldest in their coop for a little while and let the reds (2 mons old) out. Also, I throw another scoop to the 2 month olds a second time in the later afternoon. At that same time I check the others feeders and don’t usually need to replenish.
Later morning I make them a small breakfast snack- yogurt, cottage cheese, a scrambled egg with the shell crumbs. At around 2p they get a frozen snack (it usually has watermelon and/or corn) in it. I’ve included pics most I just took a minute ago, it’s 6am and looks like we had some rain, so it’s damp but is usually dry.
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