New Parenting Skills?

[riomurphy]

I am a 1st timer chicken owner. So new in fact, that the chicks haven't even gotten here yet. They should arrive in approx 10 days. So many questions to ask! This looks like the authority on how to raise chickens, so here are a few questions. Any advice, hints or how-to's, would be very much appreciated. What type of "new parenting skills" will I need? Can you hold / play with them too much? I have the brooder box (plastic tote box), feeder, waterer, shavings, paper towels, thermometer and roosting bar ready to go. Is there anything else I am forgetting? What are some signs I should look for, to see if my chicks are in distress? Food options? I have read and heard of medicated chick feed. How long do they stay on that? When should I add oyster shell and grit to their diet?
I understand they will be in the brooder box for several weeks. I have designed and planned the coop. Now I just have to build it. I am going with the K.I.S.S. method and am keeping as simple as possible for starters. It's a very simple pattern, and hopefully won't take too long to complete. But, is a coop ever really complete? Will I need anything for the transition from brooder to coop? I have ordered 3 white leghorns and 3 golden comets. The sales associate said they mix well and lay a lot of eggs. They are pullets. Anything I have to look out for as far as behavior? I am really looking forward to raising these chickens. If these 6 work out, I am already planning for a larger flock.
Sorry for the barage of questions. Again, I am just a "Chicken Rookie" and want to do what's best for them. Thanks in advance for any tips or advice.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I strongly recommend you go get the book "Chickens for Dummies". Our own Nifty wrote it and it is fabulous. Easy to read and understand and great to reference back to when a question pops up. You can get it at major bookstores, Amazon.com and even the BYC gift store. It is worth every penny. It will answer all your questions.

You might also try the FAQ section on here. It has a wealth of useful info all in one place. I have also found that the SEARCH option at the top provides a really efficient way to look stuff up on here. That is almost always my first try when I have a question. BYC has been around long enough now that most questions have been covered at some point. It is a lot faster than waiting on people to answer your post and it is really interesting reading.

Good luck with your first babies! They are more fun than you can even imagine!