Lets talk CHICKS

[Amandas4hens]

I don't have research as I am just engaging people in a friendly thread. A sweet young man who works at Tractor Supply gave me the tip on minimal handling during the first week. It's nice to consider all experiences.
AnnikasMommy, I think we'll use both newspaper and pine chips. Seems that newspaper has worked for gander007! Wonder if I'll ever raise a thousand?!

 

[Amandas4hens]

I started handling my chicks the day I brought them home (they had just hatched that morning). I would hold them on a towel near my neck so they could cuddle under my neck like they do under momma hen. They are not yet a week old and when I open the brooder door (big dog crate) they flutter onto my lap to cuddle. You're gonna love them.
Let me see if I can post a picture. This is from yesterday.

Subhanalah, I love your story! So sweet

 

[gander007]

My Brooder


I bought this before I retired and it gets used a lot and right
now it is being cleaned out for next week's hatch but I have
had this sense 1997 and had mor then a thousand birds go
through it chickens ducks geese doves quail chucker's
and other's

So you use newspaper instead of bedding? Also what is the brooder made of?

The News Paper was to reflect the light otherwise the photos come out dark....
This brooder is like one you might find in a feed store and it is stackable
and comes complete with heater screen floor and tin for sides and top .....

 

[subhanalah]

Subhanalah, I love your story! So sweet

My parents told me the same thing about all baby animals. That if you handle them at a young age it stresses them out, they get sick and die. This simply is not true in my experiences. I've raised dogs, rabbits, gerbils, mice and now chickens from birth/hatch, and they are far friendlier and less stressed out when you handle them gently from birth (or in this case hatch!)
I am not sure if this old advice is because people were too rough with the babies or what, but I can tell you that my animals are much more accustomed to humans and unafraid when they get used to human touch sooner rather than later. I don't know about you, but if I spent the first week or two of my life unhandled, then one day this giant insists on grabbing me up and restraining me, I think I'd be pretty freaked out. That's what predators do!
I'm glad you like my story. I'm beginning to think I may need to roost the chickens inside at night. Can you imagine every night when I bring the dogs in, a parade of chickens following closely behind? I just can't imagine making them stay out side, I've already grown so attached to them. It's not for their sake, it's for mine! Separation anxiety and empty nest syndrome!

 

[Amandas4hens]

That's funny! Yes, I can totally picture that! And, Sage advice on the importance of contact to newborns. We are far from germaphobes so I'm sure we will be very close with our chicks. Just making sure there's nothing we humans carry that would harm a chick. The guy at Tractor Supply put it in my head!
Starting my sketches of our big brooder tonight and got the aquarium started! Chickies arrive Tues.-Thurs.!

 

[subhanalah]

After the first day or two, the chicks had already started trying not to poop on me. I always make sure their little butts are pointed towards a sheet or towel, just in case!

 

[Amandas4hens]

Sketched my brooder for our chicks as they grow and need space. It will be kept in our basement near the French doors. In April/May, we'll build them an enclosure for them to enjoy outside the doors. I hope to start it tonight!

Q: at what age can you give them crushed oyster shells/grit?

 

[subhanalah]

Q: at what age can you give them crushed oyster shells/grit?[/QUOTE]

Offer grit when you start feeding non-processed feeds.
Oyster shell when your pullets are 16-18 weeks old.

 

[aart]

You'll need about this much space per bird in your brooder:
1/2 sq ft until 2 weeks old
1 sq ft for 2-4 weeks
2 sq ft after 4 weeks
Might as well make it as big as possible from the get go.
Refrigerator or other large boxes work well and are disposable.

 

[Amandas4hens]

Offer grit when you start feeding non-processed feeds.
Oyster shell when your pullets are 16-18 weeks old.

Non-processed feeds? Do you mean when I transition them to layers feed? I bought growers feed from a local farm for my chicks. I'm confused :/