New member with first (ever) chicks coming home on 6-3-11

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prodds

prodds

In the Brooder
8 Years
May 6, 2011
25
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Hi all! My son's kindergarten class is hatching chicks and we have chosen to bring a few (3-4) home with us! I just found this website yesterday, and I'm already hooked! The new little ones are scheduled to hatch on 5-25, and they will come home on 6-3. I'll be learning a lot in the next few weeks, and I'm looking forward to getting great advice from all of you chicken experts out there. I'd love to hear any advice you have for newbies, so feel free to bring it on!
- Full-time working mommy with 2 boys (6 and 4.5 years) and "baby" girl (just turned 2). Married 9 years (and counting), living in Northern California (South Bay).

OK, I thought of my first question: Is there anything I need to be careful of when having my kids handle the chicks?
 
We will be going the "cardboard box" method with shavings. I read about having a 100 watt bulb in one corner - does this need to be on all the time? Can the chicks be kept in a garage, or should they be inside the house at first?
 
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from Maine
 
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I have a rule with my kids: They have to be sitting on the floor or ground when they handle them. That way if the drop them or they jump out of their hands the fall is minimal. I don't know about the 100 watt bulb. I use a heatlamp outside and my ecoglow in our shop. I would be leery of the build getting the cardboard too hot. Do you have an old aquarium??
 
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Oh the joys of being a chicken newbie!
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You've come to the right place, there are so many great ppl here with great answers! 100 watt is fine as long as the chicks stay about 95 degrees for the first week and then you can drop that down by 5 degrees each week after. Your garage should be fine as long as the chickens are kept warm. You'll find that they will grow out of the box pretty quickly, be prepared for the next stage. Good luck!
 
Welcome to a fantastic community, and the joy of having chickens! I am also a newbie and I have learned so much from these forums. It is amazing how fast the chicks grow. It has been a great experience for my kids to watch and assist in raising the chicks, but they were not allowed to hold them if they were not sitting on the floor ( to lessen the fall when the chicks wiggled out). Also, you should start you coop and run plans now since that time comes sooner than you think.
 
Yes, I want to get started on getting everything ready. My hubby is an engineer and has volunteered to make a coop. I have been looking at the coop forum, but am a little overwhelmed by all the posts. Can somebody recommend a post (or a site, etc) to find info on making a coop good for about 3-6 chickens? Easy and inexpensive would be a nice way to start. If this turns into a long-term project, we can always change or modify things down the road. Any suggestions on where to start? Thanks to everyone who has given me a nice welcome!
 

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