new chick slave

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Vata Raven

Songster
Feb 15, 2023
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Hello all, Melissa here.

This year is the year I finally decided to start my homestead journey, and ordered myself 20 chicks from Hoover's Hatchery. They arrived January 13th... and I totally wasn't prepared. I thought I was, but the lack of reliable people with the right tools proved me wrong. My flock of 20 are 4 weeks old now, and they're still inside the house. (sigh)

Luckily, my mother doesn't care too much since they're in this house extension that gets plenty of air and sun, so they don't smell... but the carpet didn't survive the chicken invasion 🤣

Again, my mother doesn't care. I think it finally gave her a reason to replace the ugly carpet that's plagued the house for 20+ years.

I got 5 Rhode Island red hens, 5 Jersey giant hens, 5 barred plymouth hens, and 5 roosters of an unknown breeds. However, I'm sure the roosters I got are also barred plymouths.

All 20 are still alive, but I don't think this would've happened if I did not quit my job to take care of the chicks. One was nearly dead from the shipping cold. Another was a (still is) runt and the others wasn't allowing it to eat and sleep properly. A 3rd one started yanking her feathers out due to it being too hot. And I'm sure other things happened, but those three moments are the ones that stood out to me the most.

They are more affectionate than any cat I've met They're more mannered than most dogs. They love belly rubs, treats, and hammocks.

I've been lurking BYC for a year... maybe 2 years. I never saw the need to become a member because I could search the forums without being a member, but I finally decided to sign-up because I noticed a lack of info about Jersey giants.

I wasn't sure how big to make the pop door for the black giants. I read they get 2 feet tall. Do I make the pop door 1 foot wide and 2 feet tall?
 

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DobieLover said:
Hello Melissa, and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.

I've used old carpeting as a drop cloth during home renovations in the past but never as a brooder litter. How is the coop coming along?
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It wasn't litter. I had the bottom covered, but they starting perching on the brooder's edge and crapping on the carpet. (shrug) I just let them be chickens. They stay where their home is at, and haven't roamed past the room's boarder despite half of them being capable of getting in and out with ease.

Someone started helping me yesterday, but not with the coop. We're modding the garage with hardware cloth window frames and a door to contain them to one area. Just enough to give them more space until their fully feathered and the micro coops built.
 
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Vata Raven said:
It wasn't litter. I had the bottom covered, but they starting perching on the brooder's edge and crapping on the carpet. (shrug) I just let them be chickens. They stay where their home is at, and haven't roamed past the room's boarder despite half of them being capable of getting in and house with ease.

Someone started helping me yesterday, but not with the coop. We're modding the garage with hardware cloth window frames and a door to contain them to one area. Just enough to give them more space until their fully featherd and the micro coops built.
Click to expand...
The ammonia from their poop will build up in the carpet and the subflooring. It isn't an ideal environment for them or for your family.

What are micro coops?
 

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