- Mar 17, 2014
- 6
- 0
- 7
Hi!!
Last fall my husband and I purchased 7 acres, 20 minutes from a large metropolitan area. I have owned horses for 25 years, and we felt it was a good time to build a "farmette". My son and I are keen to start building the population. We own 4 horses, two of which live at home, and we keep a friends as well. In the future we hope to have Dwarf Nigerian goats for milk, a rabbit or two for my son to show 4-H-if he chooses, possibly an alpaca or two. And CHICKENS!!
However,
Per Google Earth, our property was clear 15 years ago. Now, we are looking at a good portion of the summer being spent clearing the dense undergrowth and large saplings. Leaving the healthy mature trees, and a few large healthy saplings. The horses currently occupy what was once the "lawn", hehehe.
Once we had the horses squared away, we planned on starting on living arrangements for the "new" family members. A brooder and a chicken tractor or two, with an indoor coop for winter. We are in Michigan!! Goat paddocks and shelters.
I, however, could not wait. I wanted chickens. Last Sunday, we went to the local Family Farm and home and purchased 10 pullets. I know we have 2 ISA brown, 2 Golden Laced Wyandottes, 2 Black Australorps, 2 Black Jerseys, & 2 White birds with black wings and saddles-I have no idea what they are. We also have 6 Bantams from TSC, no idea what kind. But they are cute
The chicks are currently living in a galvanized tub, with a clear brooder light, covered with aluminum screening, in my basement. They are bedded on Wayne Davis horse shavings. They eat Nutrena Medicated chick starter-they are currently going through about 2/3 of a quart a day. They have warm water with "Chick saver" electrolytes & probiotics added every other day. They are drinking/splashing through about a quart a day. 4 days after purchase, I added a "Baby Cake" for 3 hours per day. Yesterday-one week after purchase, I added chick grit in a feeder bottom. Also, yesterday we gave them about 40 dried mealworms. That was fun!!
I clean their tub daily: I take out and clean their water-giving them fresh, warm, well water. I transfer each of them into a bedded rubbermaid tub, dump out the soiled bedding, replace with new, bedding until it is about 1-1 1/2 inches deep throughout. I place their "fountain" on 4 small terra cotta pot bottoms to raise it up a bit (3/4") in order to keep it cleaner. Fill up the gravity feeder, and replace the birds.
We had some pasty butt early on, but daily (butt) cleaning seems to have taken care of that. Everyone seems active and healthy, so far.
Here are my immediate questions:
1) A few of the birds have slightly runny brown poop while most have harder grey/white poop. Should I be concerned. If so, what do I do?
2) I am moving them into a large breed dog crate with hardware cloth around the exterior to keep them in. In a draft free basement, do I need a draft barrier?
3) Should I take the Bantams out? 3 of them are a 5th the size of the larger birds. They seem to be able to hold their own, but I worry about them. 2 of the largest Bantams are the reason for the screening over the tub. They have learned to fly, and I found one perched on the edge last night.
4) We really wanted to get Buckeyes and stick with only Buckeyes early on. However, as I was researching I decided that I could not stick with just one type. I needed a rainbow. The research I have done suggests that usually if the chicks grow up together they are "usually" ok with one another even if they are different types. Is this true? Will I be able to add Buckeyes to this flock later? Or should I just plan on having the Buckeyes separate next year?
5) What can I do to improve my care?
6) At what point am I pretty much out of the woods for "infant mortality" I don't want to name them yet.
I look forward to picking everyone's brains. The lurking I have done over the past 6 months has impressed me with the wide variety of experience here!!
Last fall my husband and I purchased 7 acres, 20 minutes from a large metropolitan area. I have owned horses for 25 years, and we felt it was a good time to build a "farmette". My son and I are keen to start building the population. We own 4 horses, two of which live at home, and we keep a friends as well. In the future we hope to have Dwarf Nigerian goats for milk, a rabbit or two for my son to show 4-H-if he chooses, possibly an alpaca or two. And CHICKENS!!
However,
Per Google Earth, our property was clear 15 years ago. Now, we are looking at a good portion of the summer being spent clearing the dense undergrowth and large saplings. Leaving the healthy mature trees, and a few large healthy saplings. The horses currently occupy what was once the "lawn", hehehe.
Once we had the horses squared away, we planned on starting on living arrangements for the "new" family members. A brooder and a chicken tractor or two, with an indoor coop for winter. We are in Michigan!! Goat paddocks and shelters.
I, however, could not wait. I wanted chickens. Last Sunday, we went to the local Family Farm and home and purchased 10 pullets. I know we have 2 ISA brown, 2 Golden Laced Wyandottes, 2 Black Australorps, 2 Black Jerseys, & 2 White birds with black wings and saddles-I have no idea what they are. We also have 6 Bantams from TSC, no idea what kind. But they are cute
The chicks are currently living in a galvanized tub, with a clear brooder light, covered with aluminum screening, in my basement. They are bedded on Wayne Davis horse shavings. They eat Nutrena Medicated chick starter-they are currently going through about 2/3 of a quart a day. They have warm water with "Chick saver" electrolytes & probiotics added every other day. They are drinking/splashing through about a quart a day. 4 days after purchase, I added a "Baby Cake" for 3 hours per day. Yesterday-one week after purchase, I added chick grit in a feeder bottom. Also, yesterday we gave them about 40 dried mealworms. That was fun!!
I clean their tub daily: I take out and clean their water-giving them fresh, warm, well water. I transfer each of them into a bedded rubbermaid tub, dump out the soiled bedding, replace with new, bedding until it is about 1-1 1/2 inches deep throughout. I place their "fountain" on 4 small terra cotta pot bottoms to raise it up a bit (3/4") in order to keep it cleaner. Fill up the gravity feeder, and replace the birds.
We had some pasty butt early on, but daily (butt) cleaning seems to have taken care of that. Everyone seems active and healthy, so far.
Here are my immediate questions:
1) A few of the birds have slightly runny brown poop while most have harder grey/white poop. Should I be concerned. If so, what do I do?
2) I am moving them into a large breed dog crate with hardware cloth around the exterior to keep them in. In a draft free basement, do I need a draft barrier?
3) Should I take the Bantams out? 3 of them are a 5th the size of the larger birds. They seem to be able to hold their own, but I worry about them. 2 of the largest Bantams are the reason for the screening over the tub. They have learned to fly, and I found one perched on the edge last night.
4) We really wanted to get Buckeyes and stick with only Buckeyes early on. However, as I was researching I decided that I could not stick with just one type. I needed a rainbow. The research I have done suggests that usually if the chicks grow up together they are "usually" ok with one another even if they are different types. Is this true? Will I be able to add Buckeyes to this flock later? Or should I just plan on having the Buckeyes separate next year?
5) What can I do to improve my care?
6) At what point am I pretty much out of the woods for "infant mortality" I don't want to name them yet.
I look forward to picking everyone's brains. The lurking I have done over the past 6 months has impressed me with the wide variety of experience here!!
and Welcome To BYC! Congratulations on your new chicks
