New to Chickens....

[pcdawn2000]

I am going tonight to select my 6 pullets (happy Dance)

I have been doing ALOT of reading here on BYC and magazines and such...I have a question, the Pullets I will be getting are 12 weeks old, Should I cover the nesting box till they are closer to lay? and Why is this done?

Also should I ask the person I am getting them from to purchase a small amount of what they are currently feeding till I can get to the local feed store in the AM so that I get the same thing they are currently being fed??

Thanks

 

[Hayduke27]

You should probably cover the nesting boxes for now. This is done to discourage them from roosting in there at night, which leads to poopy/nasty nests. Mount your roosts higher than the nesting boxes, and they will learn to love those as their nighttime location.

The hicks will be hungry, and you should have a little bit of food and water out for them when you all get home. I bet the farmer will be happy to give you one night worth of feed.

Have fun! Good luck!

 

[ShockValue]

Keep the boxes covered until you're confident they know where to roost. Once they're reliably roosting then uncover, and monitor occasionally to make sure they don't start sleeping there.

You want them open to explore, but not as a place to sleep.