ForensicNurse
Chirping
- Oct 12, 2021
- 30
- 108
- 89
I ordered 15 day old chicks. This was the minimum order. I ordered ALL girls except for one all black (skin, beak, legs, feathers!) rooster. 2 of the girls were also the same breed.
SIGH- I think I got somebody’s order NOT mine. They sent me MORE chicks, several weeks later.
I ised this BYC website to refresh myself because it had been decades since I had SIX chickens.
I ended up with 21 baby chicks. (One arrived deceased in the 2nd shipment and lost 2 more but saved 2 in the days that followed.
So I ended up with TWO sets of everything equipment wise.I used the collapsable puppy pens and they were a lifesaver! OriginallyI ordered 2 (they were on sale) just INCASE one didn’t last. I ended up raising two groups and I put the window dooors against each other so both sets could see but not touch or mingle with the other group. The end result was that the two groups integrated without a hitch when it was time to go into the coop, which I did both groups at the same time so they were more equal and able to have a healthy relationship with each other. They were in the doggie pens, inside, for probably much longer than any commercial grower would ever have them.
I put a tarp underneath to protect my floors and in each pen a plastic liner, then the wood flakes, then cardboard, then newspaper, then more flakes, then more newspaper (lots). The end result was that I changed the newspaper every day, it never smelled and the wood flakes did not get used until the chicks were old enough to get off the newspaper. When I ultimately cleaned everything up, the pens were in perfect condition, no stains or damage. I rinsed them off and folded them up. The 2nd layer of wood shavings were pristine(under the cardboard) and I used them in the hen house. The plastic shelf liner worked so well that I now use it in the chicken house as the floor protector.I can “roll” them up with the used shavings, have minimal spillage as I transfer it into my little wagon and bring the shavings to the dirt Bess where they nourish the soil and actually look great. The plastic liners get rinsed and then I soak them in 10% bleach water to disinfect. I bought more shelf liner so I can rotate without having a bare floor in the chicken house while the liner is getting cleaned.
BTW I ended up with 3-5?6?7?ROOSTERS. They are beautiful but I am in a NO cockle doodle doo zone so I cannot keep them. Mr Blue, the most beautiful one is the vocal one and I keep him in a smaller cage in my bathroom at night. He only crows at 0830 and 1730 (5:30 PM) so he is only disturbing in the afternoon. No one hears him for the morning crow. Blau, Speckles and the possible others don’t really crow at all. Blau might once when Mr Blue is out there but that is it. They are young yet.
don’t know why I need up with so MANY roosters when I paid for sexed chicks but that’s life! And NONE of the boys OR girls are the true blacks (cimeni?) I ordered. Also disappointing but they are all beautiful in personality and most of them in looks. One (Speckels the ROOSTER) was a “bonus” chick with the order. I really only wanted the original 15, ends up with 19 healthy happy birds and the GIRLS should start laying (all colors) eggs any day. My previous experience is happy chickens lay great eggs for many years. My chickens are all happy as they were years ago. I don’t push for eggs (no pun intended) and don’t keep track of who is earning their keep. They bless me with eggs (soon) and the pleasure of watching happy chickens (the best therapy in the world).
That’s my story and I am sticking to it!
thanks for all the guidance and great ideas on all these blogs to help us do it well
SIGH- I think I got somebody’s order NOT mine. They sent me MORE chicks, several weeks later.
I ised this BYC website to refresh myself because it had been decades since I had SIX chickens.
I ended up with 21 baby chicks. (One arrived deceased in the 2nd shipment and lost 2 more but saved 2 in the days that followed.
So I ended up with TWO sets of everything equipment wise.I used the collapsable puppy pens and they were a lifesaver! OriginallyI ordered 2 (they were on sale) just INCASE one didn’t last. I ended up raising two groups and I put the window dooors against each other so both sets could see but not touch or mingle with the other group. The end result was that the two groups integrated without a hitch when it was time to go into the coop, which I did both groups at the same time so they were more equal and able to have a healthy relationship with each other. They were in the doggie pens, inside, for probably much longer than any commercial grower would ever have them.
I put a tarp underneath to protect my floors and in each pen a plastic liner, then the wood flakes, then cardboard, then newspaper, then more flakes, then more newspaper (lots). The end result was that I changed the newspaper every day, it never smelled and the wood flakes did not get used until the chicks were old enough to get off the newspaper. When I ultimately cleaned everything up, the pens were in perfect condition, no stains or damage. I rinsed them off and folded them up. The 2nd layer of wood shavings were pristine(under the cardboard) and I used them in the hen house. The plastic shelf liner worked so well that I now use it in the chicken house as the floor protector.I can “roll” them up with the used shavings, have minimal spillage as I transfer it into my little wagon and bring the shavings to the dirt Bess where they nourish the soil and actually look great. The plastic liners get rinsed and then I soak them in 10% bleach water to disinfect. I bought more shelf liner so I can rotate without having a bare floor in the chicken house while the liner is getting cleaned.
BTW I ended up with 3-5?6?7?ROOSTERS. They are beautiful but I am in a NO cockle doodle doo zone so I cannot keep them. Mr Blue, the most beautiful one is the vocal one and I keep him in a smaller cage in my bathroom at night. He only crows at 0830 and 1730 (5:30 PM) so he is only disturbing in the afternoon. No one hears him for the morning crow. Blau, Speckles and the possible others don’t really crow at all. Blau might once when Mr Blue is out there but that is it. They are young yet.
don’t know why I need up with so MANY roosters when I paid for sexed chicks but that’s life! And NONE of the boys OR girls are the true blacks (cimeni?) I ordered. Also disappointing but they are all beautiful in personality and most of them in looks. One (Speckels the ROOSTER) was a “bonus” chick with the order. I really only wanted the original 15, ends up with 19 healthy happy birds and the GIRLS should start laying (all colors) eggs any day. My previous experience is happy chickens lay great eggs for many years. My chickens are all happy as they were years ago. I don’t push for eggs (no pun intended) and don’t keep track of who is earning their keep. They bless me with eggs (soon) and the pleasure of watching happy chickens (the best therapy in the world).
That’s my story and I am sticking to it!
thanks for all the guidance and great ideas on all these blogs to help us do it well
Hello and welcome to BYC, You found an Amazing Poultry Community to be a part of with many great knowledgeable members, who are more then willing to jump in and help you along your journey with any questions you may have. 
Glad you joined.
