My list. Show me the flaws.

[Badhbh]

Ok, so here's my list. I'm placing the order Friday, so I have to work out any bugs between now and then

The coop is 10x6 feet, inside the barn. The outdoor fenced run is 12x12 feet. There will be supervised free ranging in the evenings. The run will also be expanded to also include the goat fence, but that part isn't secured from the top.
That all said, here's what I have on the list:
2 Marans
2 Ameraucana
2 Black star
2 Barred Rock
2 Mille Fluer
2 Porcelain D'uccle
2 Silver Wyandottes
2 Buff Orphingtons
5 Silkes

I know that's a lot of chicken in that run, but keep in mind that they'll only be out there for a week or so before they get more room, AND at least 4-5 a day will be in the chicken gulag.
Suggestions? Flaws in my grand plan? It's down to the wire and i'm getting sweaty palms

As far as equipment, i've got:

Shavings
D.E.
1 gallon waterer
2 chick feeders
1 thermometer
1 Vita pack
1 Heat lamp and bulb
Draft paper
5lbs chick feed
1lb starter grit
1 electrolyte pack
1 GroGel pack
1 large wire dog crate in a quiet room

Am I good? What did I forget? I'm a compulsive list maker you know.

 

[ebonykawai]

Jack Daniels?

 

[speckledhen]

Show me the flaws.

Um, you misspelled Orpington and Silkie and Mille Fleur is a color, not a breed. Other than that, perfect, LOL!

Except that you should change that to 50# of chick feed instead of 5 or you'll run out in two days.​

 

[nccatnip]

I don't think you ordered enough chicks, but that is just my opinion.

 

[MissPrissy]

With commercial feed you don't need the grit for chicks.

I have found in the past the Gro-Gel is a waste of money. it would be better used to buy more chicks.

Make sure you are not using cedar shavings. Pine shavings is what you want.

The DE must be food grade - Codex Grade Fossil Shell Flour - if it doesn't say that it may be the poison and not the good stuff.

For 21 chicks the dog cage won't last but 3 or 4 weeks at the most. They will out grow it quicker than you can imagine.

Have fun with your chicks!

 

[chickenlover210]

Missed Rhode island reds and Faverolles

 

[speckledhen]

Aren't we a bunch of smarties, LOL? Priss is right, you don't need the grit while they're on starter only. I myself have never used electrolytes or grogel or anything but plain water with a tsp of organic unfiltered ACV in it if I had a pasty butt problem, not common in my experience so far.

 

[Badhbh]

Quote:
Um, you misspelled Orpington and Silkie and Mille Fleur is a color, not a breed. Other than that, perfect, LOL!

Except that you should change that to 50# of chick feed instead of 5 or you'll run out in two days.

Oh, pick pick.

I'll absolutely get more feed. And i'll get a special chicken version of the OED. (Hmm, maybe we should work on that..)

Jack Daniels? Ugh. I'm in Kentucky baby, it's all about the Makers Mark.

Sooooo do ya'll think that the run will be big enough for a while? I know that the crate won't work for long- it only has to hold the little boogers for 2 or 3 weeks. It's a *really* big crate.

 

[Dawn419]

Don't forget a spare/extra heat bulb. I usually keep a couple extras on hand as you never know when a bulb may quit working.

Dawn

 

[MissPrissy]

I also think you should know that a 1 gallon waterer will only be worth it while they are under 6 weeks old. By the time they get some size on them and the weather is warming up you will be filling that waterer all the time. You can get by with a couple of those waterers that screw on to a mason or mayonaise jar and put your money in a good galvanized 5 gallon waterer or make one from the direction in some of the older posts.