Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[trsturself]

If you are getting D'Uccles I wouldn't worry about them being flighty. I have yet to see a flighty one. There were quite a few at the county fair and they were all very calm. I think the game birds are the flighty ones.
I've never weighed her egg but it's smaller than a silkie egg. I'd say it's pretty close to half the size of a regular egg. A dozen of them fit perfectly in a quart size mason jar if that helps. lol

 

[NotableNancy]

From everything I've seen from Fresh Eggs Daily and The Chicken Chick plus my 4 whole weeks of experience with our 6 very healthy chicks, yes you can absolutely add dirt for a dust bath this early. I decided not to do sand and though we bought DE I stopped using it after reading about respiratory issues (its ironic one blogger says sand isn't safe but DE is part of the holy trinity of health, the other sand is the best most hygenic option for everything but DE is dangerous, sigh). It just so happened we got two good piles of dirt and turf when we moved our gardens so I put the driest dirt in a bucket and have been filling up their baths from there. I did start giving our chicks starter grit on day three though I have read they will get grit from the soil if you give them clods of grass and weeds, I thought better safe than sorry

Thanks for the info. The problem around our area is we don't have nice dirt. It's very rocky clay-ish. Maybe I will just do the sand. I have tons of construction sand. I do use DE once in a while but I add it to the sand and ashes in the little area they dust bathe.

The coop was a lot more than I wanted to spend but, as my husband and I work so much, we couldn't afford the time to build one. As for the sand, some people like the Chicken Chick use sand as their brooder bedding without any pine shavings, so it cannot be that bad. The one thing they say is to get construction grade sand (the type you would add to cement) and not play sand which is finer and dustier. My chicks ate some of the sand in their dust bath which acts as grit, so, you shouldn't need to add more. Yet, it wouldn't hurt them if you did.

I toyed with the idea of using sand in the brooder too but I was just afraid they would eat to much of it. I love it in my run and coop though. I'm sure I'll feel guilty and buy some chick grit too though.

 

[NanaLynn]

I used sand in my first brooder, pine shavings in the last two. All the chicks did well. When I used pine shavings I added a small container of sand which they dust bathed in. I also gave clods of dirt the 1st week and with the last chicks some of the deep litter from the older girls coop. I never gave extra grit to the chicks and I have never used DE. I do use wood ash for the older girls.

 

[trsturself]

There are so many options and opinions. Don't fret too much. They are pretty resilient. I've never added a dust bathing area to my brooders just because they produce enough dust on their own! Once they are outside I give them a container of dirt. I also have a container of dirt/ash/DE (because we didn't have any ash for awhile) for the big girls (they are finally using it now that I've kicked them out of my garden beds!).

Just like with kids... do what works best for you! (within reason of course)

 

[MamaShell]

There are so many options and opinions. Don't fret too much. They are pretty resilient. I've never added a dust bathing area to my brooders just because they produce enough dust on their own! Once they are outside I give them a container of dirt. I also have a container of dirt/ash/DE (because we didn't have any ash for awhile) for the big girls (they are finally using it now that I've kicked them out of my garden beds!). 

Just like with kids... do what works best for you! (within reason of course)

Good advice!

 

[christine9]

I have been using play sand. It is very dusty. After reading this, I'm switching to construction sand.

 

[Kmjmwalker]

Got my chicks last Fri., born on the 30th. They arrived safe and sound. Here are their pics taken Sunday.

I hope I have them identified correctly. Used internet pics to help with ids.

 

[savannahm0m]

Got my chicks last Fri., born on the 30th. They arrived safe and sound. Here are their pics taken Sunday.
I hope I have them identified correctly. Used internet pics to help with ids.

Your pics are amazing! Mine always end up a mess because my chicks won't stay still! I love it!!!!

 

[Kmjmwalker]

I think setting them in the bowl intimidated them just long enough for a pic!

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

Got my chicks last Fri., born on the 30th. They arrived safe and sound. Here are their pics taken Sunday.

I hope I have them identified correctly. Used internet pics to help with ids.

I think you labeled them all correctly except the ameraucana, she looks to be an Easter Egger.