I need advice before i bring them home PLEASE HELP!

[kyeschicks]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[riverchicks]

Welcome to BYC! There's tons of information here and lots of very helpful folks.

Enjoy!

 

[Nicole01]

Hello and welcome to BYC! It's not as tough as you think. Raising chickens has been a truly awesome experience. Good luck and please post questions, we are happy to answer.

It's easier to give advice knowing the age of the chicks, what type of advice your seeking whether it's coop, brooder, heating, feeding, general care, ect...

 

[bubbachicka]

I guess this is for the individuals that get all "starry-eyed" when they think about getting chickens for thier backyard. First off, do not buy chicks from a "straight-run" as you will end up with at least one rooster and maybe more. Think you will find homes for the extra roosters? It will be difficult. As far as keeping more than one rooster, it dosen't matter if they are raised together or not, they will fight when they reach maturity. I personally do like to keep one rooster as he will make an excellent sentry for the "girls", as well as locating food sources,(bugs) to which he will call them over and let them have first choice of what he has found. Forget about the "chicken tractors", unless you have a field you are going to move them around in. Chickens will destroy your lawn if left in one area even for just one day. As far as "free-ranging" your chickens in the backyard...this will work if you are not concerned about flower beds, mulched beds, pine-straw beds, etc. as chickens enjoy "scratching" to locate bugs,(crickets are the equivalent of T-bone steaks) and seeds. And don't forget that they are "poop" machines making deposits every 10 minutes or so no matter where they are perched or standing. This will include your sidewalks, driveways, porches, cars, tractors, or anywhere they can jump-up on to perch. I personally would not keep chickens unless they can be free-ranged at least part of the day, as with this arrangement they will be the happiest and healthiest. Invest in some electrified poultry netting or fencing. Feed them laying mash and scratch when they reach six months of age, and always give them plenty of fresh water, including ice in the water to combat this long hot summer. Also put out a couple of shallow pans of iced-water for them to stand-in to combat the hot days. Ever felt the heat radiating from a chickens feet? Supplement feed with bread, boiled eggs, tomatoes, and water mellons. As for getting their intake of "greenery", they will eat grass. Don't waste your money on buying grit,(for free-rangers) as they will find what they need on their own. Also feed eggshells,(broken-up into small pieces), back to the hens instead of purchasing oyster shell. Do not spread fertilizer in your yard or around your plants, as the chickens will eat it while foraging. We have Buff Orpingtons, and we love our chickens!

 

[Codyandme1]

well Nicole01,i was thinking of getting the chicks at about a day or so old and iv got a few more questions!

i dont wont to spend to much money so i dont really want to go and buy a heat lamp and an incubator so i was wondering if i could somehow suspend and ordinary lamp(without the shade on it) or lava lamp(with out the glass lava bit sat on top)and mabey have it on only one side of the little area the will be living in, just to save money, but if is not a good idea then i will have to save my pocket money to go buy one!

also just a question out of curiosity, do you think an ancona bantam or a silkie would make a good broody hen

 

[sunnysongbird]

Quote:
Silkie's make wonderful broodies

Anaconas are not as broody..
As for heat lamps, local farm stores have really cheap lamp. I got mine for only 4 or 5 dollars. New born chicks need a temperature of 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit and decrease 10 degrees weekly if i'm correct. You could use an ordinary lamp, but i doubt it would give off the necessary amount of heat. As for an incubator, you can use anything from a box with wood shavings to a clean old fish tank. I used a fishtank as my first brooder and then an upturned side table and finally we made a coop

ask if you need more help

and

 

[Kountreefok]

Hi and welcome! About the heat lamp, depending on the area you are trying to heat (how small/large, enclosed, etc) I often use a 100 watt bulb in a drop lamp--one of those clippy guys with the big round reflectors--and it's worked fine for the space. I usually check the temp with a thermometer to be sure but the chicks themselves are good thermometers, too. They'll huddle if too cool and more from their heat source when warm enough or getting too warm.
I absolutely agree with some previous responses...more chickens!

More chicks = more body heat.

 

[pinkwindsong]

Merry meet..

this is my first year with chicks,, I started with day old chicks march 18th hatched the day before, and boy have I learned alot in a few short months.. I am disabled and not able to do a lot when it comes to physical work nor do I have extra cash flow. so this is what I have set up and it worked for me ..


1 I have one of those plastic tubs , bag of shavings to keep clean, i did buy a $9.00 heat lamp ( its not like its going to go bad. it will be used for years,. good investment) I kept their small waterier ( the kind you use a mason jar on it) again a couple bucks and reusable.. I placed it up on a brick to keep them from clogging it up with shavings. it makes them stretch a bit too. then for feeder.. I used the cheap, from the dollar tree, ice cube trays.. its wild even at a day old they instinctively know to scratch.. this way they cant scratch the feed out of the little cups Worked like a charm, and I paid $1.00 for 2.
the chicks I bought were chosen as I wasn't familiar with the breeds and which ones i would like.. I knew I wanted wht eggs so I got a pair of white leghorn pullets. ( I have one now- she won the first egg laid contest just 2 days ago) as a breed, nope wont do them again. they are flighty and never really tame down and like to be held , ( I like to hold , talk to and pet) next was 2 red comets, supposed to be laying machines like the wht leghorns but brown eggs. smart girls both of them, unfortuanllty the fox was smarter, lost both) (fox is no longer a threat, if you know what I mean) next I got 3 dark Brahma's < supposed to be pullets all) I got one rooster out of the three... < LOVE the BREED they are great... the rooster turned out to be " DA BOMB" could not ask for a better rooster and Loves people.. he actually purred when held and petted ( highly recommend the dark Brahmas, specifically the dark) I got 3 barred rocks.. LOVE THEM TOOOO... out of all the girls I bought only 1 turned out to be a rooster and like I said he was Awesome.

I kept them all together in their plastic breeder box with light day and night ( I reccomend light at night with chicks they eat all night and grow faster) the next batch I got didn't do a light day and night and they did not mature as fast ) at about 4 weeks I started taking them out during the day and put them in a dog exercise pen in the shade. but kept them up at night.

I couldn't afford a coop so what I did Is I had a dog crate, I kept shavings in it, and I had a 4'x 12' dog kennel . I put the dog crate in it and they were locked into the crate at night for safety, I put tarps over the top of the kennel and some of that black garden cloth that you put down to keep weeds from growing , well I found some of that and I put that on the east side of the run for shade, when they were about 2 1/2 months I started letting them out during the day while I was home.. Lafiat always had the girls in bed by 8pm. then I would latch the door.
I also used and still do use the little $2.00 garden walkway solar lights, I got from big lots or walmart and they work out great they give off enough light to let them settle in and not be afraid and they slowly dim thru the night, and no elect, to pay. when they got larger of course the crate went out and a roost were put in the kennel.. they still live in the kennel and are out during the day pretty much all day. they return to bed at night and I close the door to keep them safe from night creatures.

really the only money I put out is their feed, ( i don't squinch on feed they do get the good stuff, and additives like pro manna, and goodies lots of healthy goodies, a different ones everyday.

they each know their names and come when called, they all like to be held and petted except for the one white leghorn who still doesn't..

I did have a rough summer.. the heat took its toll,, it took my dear Lafiat, and 2 others, we had a fox raiding, a hawk, and now we have a night owl.. ahhh.. I still have from that group 3 barred rocks hens , 2 dark Brahma hens, 1 wth leg horn hen,

I have since added 2EE hens, ! EE roo, 1 blk australorp, 1 ameracauna roo ( getting girls these are for my sons year long science program) and my mom went gaga over black white crested polish bantams. so I bought her them and a gorgeous Large Fowl barred Gold Cochin.. he is so pretty having a hard time finding him girls. ( he was given to me and so glad she did )

i will add back a dark Brahma rooster to breed them true. I really really like the breed. I like the large fowl better than the bantams but that's just personal I like larger eggs too.

oh I do worm and have a mite powder to apply to keep them all healthy and happy too

they don't know that they live in a dog kennel, it works great their safe, contained , and critter proffed.. and they are happy that to me is what is important..


Have fun with your chicks which ever you get.. decide what color eggs you want, what sized eggs you want and if you want meat as well. fair sea sin and show season is starting up now try to go to shows and to BYC'rs farms most will welcome you and love to help you out in person..

)O(
Pink

 

[FeatheredObsessions]

WELCOME!

 

[Codyandme1]

Also something else i want to ask,i have parrots you see, so i went out and bought some flea and mite spray, i looked on the labeling and it says nothing about apllying to chickens it just says its good for parrots and other birds. Now i know a chicken is a bird but i dont know if it still safe to aply it to the chickens aswell.opinions anybody?