I bought the chicks so now what?

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Rabbitz

Rabbitz

Chirping
May 12, 2021
7
52
54
I have these beautiful baby chickens and have only a mild clue about how to keep them. We purchased a home out in the country in January and there is a cute little chicken coop in a state of disrepair on the property. My first thought was "WOW I can have chickens now!" I was at Tractor Supply to buy something for the house but I have no idea what I went in for because I saw baby chicks and ended up taking some home with me instead. I also purchased feed and feeders, supplements for their water, grit for their guts or whatever and whatever else the lady at the store said they need right now and I took them home. Can you call that an impulse buy if I was already thinking about getting chickens some day?

I have 2 Golden Sex Link pullets and 2 Welsummer pullets currently living in a box under a heat lamp in my garage until they get bigger and I get the coop cleaned up and repaired. They are soooo cute!

I am looking forward to eggs eventually but I was drawn to these chicks because the signage said they are friendly and easy to raise. I have the space for them and I am looking forward to having them as pets.

As far as other hobbies go, I am starting to get into gardening. I sew, knit, crochet, make lace, bake and overall do most of the things an aproned grandma is known for. I was a regular volunteer dressing up as a giant fairy and reading books to children until this COVID thing put a stop to public happenings. I am also a roller derby announcer, something else put on the back burner for awhile.

I retired as a journalist in public radio but still maintain a 2 hour weekly radio show featuring Celtic music at the NPR station where I used to work. My husband is 20 years younger than I am and I often tease that HE is my retirement plan. He works and I am now a stay at home and amuse yourself woman. It is good to be me.

I found this forum while researching how to raise chickens and I look forward to learning more from you all as I watch these little ladies grow up. Also, today I learned chickens can have toys and I can't wait to see that in action!


 
Rabbitz said:
I have these beautiful baby chickens and have only a mild clue about how to keep them. We purchased a home out in the country in January and there is a cute little chicken coop in a state of disrepair on the property. My first thought was "WOW I can have chickens now!" I was at Tractor Supply to buy something for the house but I have no idea what I went in for because I saw baby chicks and ended up taking some home with me instead. I also purchased feed and feeders, supplements for their water, grit for their guts or whatever and whatever else the lady at the store said they need right now and I took them home. Can you call that an impulse buy if I was already thinking about getting chickens some day?

I have 2 Golden Sex Link pullets and 2 Welsummer pullets currently living in a box under a heat lamp in my garage until they get bigger and I get the coop cleaned up and repaired. They are soooo cute!

I am looking forward to eggs eventually but I was drawn to these chicks because the signage said they are friendly and easy to raise. I have the space for them and I am looking forward to having them as pets.

As far as other hobbies go, I am starting to get into gardening. I sew, knit, crochet, make lace, bake and overall do most of the things an aproned grandma is known for. I was a regular volunteer dressing up as a giant fairy and reading books to children until this COVID thing put a stop to public happenings. I am also a roller derby announcer, something else put on the back burner for awhile.

I retired as a journalist in public radio but still maintain a 2 hour weekly radio show featuring Celtic music at the NPR station where I used to work. My husband is 20 years younger than I am and I often tease that HE is my retirement plan. He works and I am now a stay at home and amuse yourself woman. It is good to be me.

I found this forum while researching how to raise chickens and I look forward to learning more from you all as I watch these little ladies grow up. Also, today I learned chickens can have toys and I can't wait to see that in action!
Click to expand...
You will need a heat lamp, as they still need heat until they are 6 weeks old, a brooder plate is best, but expensive. I like to use dog pads as bedding, but paper works too. As for their feed, you may want to purchase grower feed, they dont need grit until they are older, just dont give them treats. If one is hurt, separate immediately, as they are cannibals.
 
cherrynberry said:
other than that, make sure the brooder is around 90-95 degrees, decrease by 5 degrees each week until you reach your home temperature. Then wait until they are fully feathered to move them out. Are you sure the coop you have is predator proof?
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It has chicken wire from the roof to the ground. Currently missing a door but we are working on that. There is also old hay on the ground we plan to remove. I purchased some additional wire to reinforce a section that was bent. The coop is in a fenced in section of the yard. I hope I can make it safe but the coop has definitely been used for chickens before we bought the house.
 
Rabbitz said:
It has chicken wire from the roof to the ground. Currently missing a door but we are working on that. There is also old hay on the ground we plan to remove. I purchased some additional wire to reinforce a section that was bent. The coop is in a fenced in section of the yard. I hope I can make it safe but the coop has definitely been used for chickens before we bought the house.
Click to expand...
Chicken wire is good for keeping chickens in, but won't protect them from many predators. You'll need to replace it with 1/4" hardware cloth. You'll want to do a deep clean, as you don't know if the prior chickens had any diseases. You'll have a lot to research before the chicks go out to the coop. This is a good place to start. Welcome!
 

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