I finally did it!!

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Okay, so I'm going to give you a piece of advice that I wish someone had given to me with my first few broods of chicks: Get rid of that 250 watt bulb!! You and your chicks will be much happier if you get a bulb more in the range of 60-90 watts (avoid teflon-coated or 'shatter resistant' bulbs as well), or if you're the crafty type, make a mama heating pad for your brooder. Seriously, the 250 watters are way too hot, I don't even know why they are marketed for use with brooders!


Personally, I spend most of my time while waiting for chicks rearranging the brooder. But I've already had a lot of time to gather everything I need. I still look for chicken decor everywhere I go, though! You won't regret getting the egg recipe book, by the way, come next summer. We get so many eggs from our girls from April to August that we give dozens of them away!

 

[teria]

I agree about the lamp, at least after the first week or so. The fuzzy littles are so easily chilled right away, but, after they start to adjust to the ambient temps I always start raising it because they give me all the typical signs that they are too hot. With my last batch, they stayed clear on the other side of the brooder from the lamp with their wings spread out, just trying to keep cool, so, I just pointed it at a corner near the top to offer a warmer spot if they needed it. They were much happier. I think our first batch used the heat lamp more, as they were a March batch, and the temps were so much colder day and night. The second batch were in May, and they used the lamp for the first two weeks,then for the third and fourth weeks mostly as a spot to go to when they felt chilly as I kept half the brooder under the lamp and half not. After the second week or so they stayed away from that side of the brooder most of the time, so I just lit the corner to make me feel better.

The third batch were in August, and they only used the lamp the first two weeks all day and night, and then only at night the third and fourth weeks, and then not at all after that.

I guess it depends on the temp of the brooder area.

 

[Klay]

I've already gotten so much stuff. Well, not that many supplies yet (gotta work on that) but literally the day after I ordered them I went and bought a red heat lamp bulb. Still need the thing to put it in but still. Store for
some reason sold all sorts of bulbs but not that?

Then yesterday and today I got a ton of chicken books, sooo many. Yesterday was mostly the "for dummies" series on raising chickens, chicken health, and chicken coops, 3 books. Then Chicken Health Handbook and another health one, stuff like that. Today was some egg recipe ones and one that's just looked like an interesting read (The Backyard Chicken Fight) and an egg scale. All online. Was going to get a cute sign but I decided I'll wait. But I just I'm so excited I keep wanting to buy stuff. But from now on I'm not going to buy anymore random stuff like books or scales or decor or anything because that can all wait and I need all the money for the brooding supplies and coop. I did sell a puzzle already though and am listing more later.

But is it normal to be this excited and/or want to buy supplies early or books to research even more?

Yes it is very common. Back when I was getting ready for my chickens I bought everything I could to learn about them. Then when I finally got my chickens I realized I could have just looked up all the information I needed on YouTube and Google. P.S raising chickens in the first 6 weeks is the hardest part of raising chickens so just know it gets easier when they get older.

 

[MamaDoolittle]

I really recommend the Mama Heating Pad method. So much easier on you and the chicks. There is a terrific thread on here under raising chicks. I raised my first ones with the heat lamp method. The second batch I used the heating pad method and it was so much better. Chicks had night and day, they developed physically and socially faster. They are more outgoing and friendly than my first girls.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks so much for all the info everybody!! I'll have to look up that heating pad thing. or at least the lower watt bulb.

And good to know I'm not the only one wanting to buy stuff and research and everything lol

But yeah, I definitely could get it from YouTube and the Google and that's where I got most of it (from this site mostly actually aha) but I figure it's nice to have a physical book, especially for the health ones.

Also good to know it gets easier.

And ohhh yess, I figure we are going to have soo many extra eggs, especially with 9! I don't eat eggs that much right now but I will lol

 

[ShrekDawg]

I'll read that heat pad thing though. although I'm not at all crafty xD can't be that hard though

 

[ShrekDawg]

I just thought of a question: can Mama Heating Pad be used inside? Because we don't have our coop built yet as these are our first chicks and I was planning on building it as they brooded and we really don't have any secure place outside yet. Plus I want to interact with them haha

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Yup, sure can!

And yeah, having the books on hand is probably a good idea, just in case your computer crashes, or the site is down... Then you still have access to some help!

 

[ShrekDawg]

That's good to know! Thanks was a bit concerned since some people seem to do it outside. If it's possible to inside then I might just do that because it definitely seems better than a heat lamp. I remember a while ago I saw that plastic shelf thingy that they go under for heat that they also said was better than the heat lamp but if I remember right it was kind of expensive and doesn't have a back or anything and even if it did, a plastic shelf thing, even with a heating element, just seems kind of cold and not very cozy. This heat pad thing seems cool.

And yeah, that's what I was thinking too.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh and my mom keeps saying I should just buy one or get a free one so we've looked on Craigslist but I have before and usually they're either ridiculously expensive for a tiny coop (and advocate overstocking), even if it's really well built, or they're older and/or dirty. Which is why I wanted to build one. But the more I think about it the more I realize I probably couldn't build one by myself, at least not that great. I wanted to because it would be fun and everything but I don't really know how to use the tools. Could probably learn but at the time I ordered the chicks I had forgotten that my dad is getting hip surgery I think on the 24th next month (chicks hatch Oct 26th) so he can't help. My brother probably could but they don't know yet.

But anyway, my point is there aren't that many great ones so I may build one BUT I think I may have finally found one. I just hope it's still available by the time I save the money. Or maybe I could buy it then pay back. Idk. I'll find the link