My first time

[Mamatoall255]

Hi my name is Zena. It's my first time here and my first time buying a flock of BR and RIR chicks. I'm a little nervous about both. Anyone have any suggestions to help me start with my flock. I don't want to fail before I start. I'm also starting rabbit breeding to. I have 5 dogs 1 cat and 2 kittens. My little mini farm that I've always wanted. I love all animals. They are my passion. But chickens I could watch them for hours on end. They are kinda therapeutic in a way.

 

[Hillaire]

welcome to BYC and congrats on your mini farm. The best thing I can tell you as far as raising chicks is to keep the bedding in the brooder dry, make sure you put a thermostat in the brooder to ensure correct temp from the heat lamp and keep the feed clean of shavings and the water full and clean as well. Look out for pasty butt and have fun with those chicks. Also make sure something is on top of the brooder aka a lid with hardware cloth so those cute cats of yours don't get any ideas lol

 

[Mamatoall255]

ok thank you I will look at your video.

 

[Hillaire]

ok thank you I will look at your video.

no video about that on my youtube channel yet, but that is a great idea to add on to it so I think I will. Thanks for that idea

 

[Mamatoall255]

I watched all your videos on you tube. Very interesting. Look forward to seeing more.

 

[Mrs. K]

Chicks are very fragile, some might not make it with the best of care.

My advice is space... chickens need to have space and be dry. They are drier with good space and good ventilation. In your brooder, set up warm areas under the lamp and cooler areas away from the lamp. If the chicks are in the cool areas most of the time, the lamp is too warm, and needs to be farther away. If they are huddled tight under it, peeping madly, they are too cool.

DO NOT buy one of those cute, but worthless pre-fab chicken coops. Those chicks will out grow that in months.

Enjoy it, it is a marvelous hobby, but enjoy the flock, knowing individual birds will come and go. Chickens generally are not real long lived, although there are exceptions. Sometimes I think they are not a great fit for sensitive animal lovers, cause they do die, and people feel so bad.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

Hi my name is Zena. It's my first time here and my first time buying a flock of BR and RIR chicks. I'm a little nervous about both. Anyone have any suggestions to help me start with my flock. I don't want to fail before I start. I'm also starting rabbit breeding to. I have 5 dogs 1 cat and 2 kittens. My little mini farm that I've always wanted. I love all animals. They are my passion. But chickens I could watch them for hours on end. They are kinda therapeutic in a way.

Welcome to BYC!

Are you starting with chicks or older birds?
There's is a lot of information on this forum, just look under the category you're interested in and start reading.
Also check the Learning Center tab at the top of every page.

 

[Kiki]

My best advice is to make sure your coop is secure.
No small holes, make sure nothing can dig in. Beware of your dogs...they have been known to eat a few chickens.

 

[lazy gardener]

I strongly suggest you look at these topics before getting started:

Heating pad brooding. So much safer and more natural for your chicks. There's an article written by Blooie in my signature.

Fermented feed. Huge benefits to be had from that. There's a FAQ article in my signature.

Plenty of room: 4 s.f. per bird in the coop, and 10 s.f. per bird in the run. If you think you might ever have a rooster, or ever want to add some younger birds so you continue to get eggs, make your space even bigger.

Safety: chicken wire will not keep a predator out. Any space that you could push a quarter through will admit a weasel. Mr weasel will come in and kill all of your birds in a single night, just for the fun of it. Buried wire skirt around coop and run to keep digging predators out.

Enjoy!