Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Sally PB]

Thank you! I was remembering 90-95 for the first week, then 5 degrees lower each week, to room temp.

@Dreamzchaser, check out that article when you can. I consider my self still a newb, but aart surely is not.

 

[aart]

@Dreamzchaser, check out that article when you can. I consider my self still a newb, but aart surely is not.

Guess she missed or ignored this tip:

Welcome @Dreamzchaser !

My Best Tip, get the coop and run fully built and secure before buying birds.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Guess she missed or ignored this tip:

Not ignored Mr. Aart, I promise it was not ignored. The coop is almost up in the back of the house but it is cold outside (24) so they are tiny and are in a container with newspaper and wood chips. I placed the water and starter feed just like they were at the store. The girl at the store told me to keep them at 70, so the room was at 70 and had an electric heater to keep it warmer during the night on that room because I turn my heater off at night so I can sleep. OH Sleep, I am usually in bed by 7pm but cannot now. I came back from the store again and got a heating lamp and the container is at 93. It seems like they were tired because they are just splattered like if they were dead but they are breathing. I have been checking every 10 min to make sure they do not fry. I am so sorry if Mr Aart feels like I ignored him. I apologize because I did not. Sorry Mr. Aart.
I cannot put pictures because they do not come out well with such bright red light.

 

[aart]

I came back from the store again and got a heating lamp and the container is at 93.

That is way too hot!
PLEASE read this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-chick-heat-blurb.75619/

 

[Dreamzchaser]

That is way too hot!
PLEASE read this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-chick-heat-blurb.75619/

Moved the lamp and temp is at 83 and they are not under lamp and are chirping little and eating and walking around except a turken that is just sleeping.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Well, thank you so much and I am sorry if anyone feels I have wrong them. The temp is at 85 and all but one are sleeping. Lesson for sure learned, "Get chickens in the summer or get them from the butcher and eat them"
Good night and thank you again

 

[RaZ]

Well, thank you so much and I am sorry if anyone feels I have wrong them. The temp is at 85 and all but one are sleeping. Lesson for sure learned, "Get chickens in the summer or get them from the butcher and eat them"
Good night and thank you again

Chicks in warmer weather are certainly easier to raise. But don't get discouraged. All of us have been there and made mistakes when we were first starting out. Things have happened like power outages on incubators and brooders. Some things we can control and some we can't.

One thing I'm dealing with now is a sudden decline in egg production. Not that I think the hens are laying less. I think they are hiding their eggs in a secret nest.
I've found eggs in 3 different outside places over the last few days. Today I found 1 egg in the coop and 1 out near a wood pile. Only 2 eggs today? I think I might have a broody with a hidden nest. If there is one, I hope it's not under the porch. I can't get under there any time soon to check.

 

[1muttsfan]

Another good reason to pen your birds.

Dreamz, please read the the article Aart recommends, she has lots of experience and her recommendations are always helpful.

 

[RaZ]

Another good reason to pen your birds.

Absolutely.
Another good idea is to keep the gate from freezing to the ground. Mine is solidly locked in the open position.

 

[Sally PB]

@Dreamzchaser, I'm the one who said 90-95 degrees. My mistake. I was going off what I remembered from a year ago.

Chicks need the opportunity to get warm if they feel cold, and to cool off if they feel too warm. That's what they would do with momma hen. I definitely need to re-read aart's article before I get my next batch of chicks!

I remember looking in at my chicks and seeing them sprawled out, face down, and I thought that they had died. Then they moved, and I realized they just sleep like that when they're that young. Like passed out frat boys at a party.

If you have questions, ask. I'm going to be asking a bunch soon myself, as this year I'll be integrating new chicks with my existing chickens. Another phase of chicken ownership that is new to me. Tapping into the collective knowledge of BYC...