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Chixnug

In the Brooder
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Hello everyone I’m new! I’m interested in raising chicks. Definitely looking forward to eating some eggs. However I have no idea what to do. Im looking at getting 6 chicks from the local tractor supply. The person working there gave me some insight on how to start but I need some hard facts/info/advice. Thank you!!
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.

Here are a few cold hard facts:
Do not get chicks before you have a completely set up and properly functioning brooder large enough for the number of chicks you want.

Do not get chicks until you have properly planned for the location of your coop and run, determined coop design, purchased your supplies and are about 1/2 way through the construction project. Do NOT get suckered into buying one of those teeny tiny pre-fab coops that they sell at TSC!!

Make sure you get chicks that are appropriate for your climate.

Start reading and reading and read some more. Take notes, ask questions, read a little more.

Good luck!
 
Welcome to BYC.

What'cha want to know? Coop/run (please don't buy a prefabricated coop for ten birds and expect it to hold ten. Or even five) Best brooding practices? Feeder types? Feed types? First aid kit? Chicken breeds?

I recommend heading over to The Learning Center and reading some of the articles. They may answer questions you didn't know you had.
 
:yesss: :welcome :yesss:
Miss Piggy Sue says, “Welcome to our eggcelent flock here at BYC!”

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One other important thing: if you get eggs, or straight run chicks, or any chicks that aren't sex links (any form of sexing other than DNA or them being a sex link hybrid isn't 100% reliable), you have to know what you're going to do with extra roosters. Most people don't want them for anything other than eating. If you don't want to either cull them or give them to people who'll cull them, you need to make sure you'll never have roosters. To do that, you'd want to get sex link chicks, or ones that are old enough to be sexed with 100% reliability, i.e. a few weeks old.

Also, don't assume the person trying to sell you the chickens is fully informed. Do your own research.

First, you'll need a coop and run. 4 square feet of coop per chicken, and as much run as you can give them. And do NOT trust the store-bought coop's assessment of how many it can fit. You're better off buying a shed and converting it, or building it. Check Craigslist for supplies and/or sheds to buy cheap.
 

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