NY chicken lover!!!!

[Tough Old Bird]

OMG, I LOVE this!!!! I need to hire someone to come build one for me. I'm getting super jealous I don't have something this big! LOL

Thanks Lynzi. It is starting to come along and is worth all the sore muscles, LOL!

Wow that is amazing great job!

Thank you, miquiwid. I never could have anything like this without my husband's know-how. He's a decent boss man on the job site, too.

I did the chicken wire thing. Not good. Cob webs hanging and to messy. I'm considering using the black landscape material. I figure it would breath for ventilation and help hold the heat closer to where they are. It can be bought in sheets and stapled to the rafters.

Thanks for the tip, Rancher. Some times what starts as a seemingly good idea turns out to be anything but. We learn as we go...

Thank you everyone. I just did some research and made my chick a boot. She looks silly but I think she is pleased with herself as she's been running around in the brooder! LOL. She is also a lot quieter!

This is great! Good for you. I hope she (or he?) can have some room mates soon. If you go to Rancher's, you'll leave with some lovely chicks, I'm sure.

Will you name the chick yet or wait a bit?


TOB

 

[miquwid]

I was just woken up by the squabbles again and I am wondering, is it normal for 3-4 week old chicks to be DIGGING in their brooder?! I mean throwing around the pine, ripping apart the newspaper and generally acting like they're scratching for bugs at this age.

Yeah that sounds about right!! Good Luck with everything. Mine are 8weeks and I'm so happy they are out the house.

 

[marquisella]

To fix foot spread out toes and put on tape. Then tape on top of toes to hold in normal position. Trim off excess tape. Will look like a tennis racket. By the time the tape comes off the toes will be ok. Toes should be like a toe sandwich Hope this makes sense.

 

[mderby48]

Thanks Marquisella, that's exactly what I did. She seems much happier.
TOB I call her my little penguin right now. She really looks just like a penguin baby haha. I don't know if it will stick. And don't worry if I go to Rancher's I wont touch your Dels

 

[Lapeerian]

I was just woken up by the squabbles again and I am wondering, is it normal for 3-4 week old chicks to be DIGGING in their brooder?! I mean throwing around the pine, ripping apart the newspaper and generally acting like they're scratching for bugs at this age.

Yes, mine are 2-3 weeks and scratching like crazy. Cleaned the tank yesterday and threw out so much food they are digging out of the round chick feeders. Such waste. Also found the one little brown leghorn must be getting pushed away, skinny little runt. Got it separated now in a smaller cage where it spent the night sleeping as close as it could get to the heat light (any closer and it would have been touching). It made it through the night and started eating/drinking on its own this morning, so added a smallish friend to keep company. I slept on the couch (hubby snoring bad), and instead listened to crazy chick antics all night. Peeping, scratching the papers/shavings/metal tank, dust bathing, pecking at the tank, the water bottle, test flights and resulting hysteria amongst fellow chicks. Hubby is snoring bad again, don't know which I'd rather listen to all night.
Buying a second heat lamp this weekend and will borrow a tank from the horses (or clean the Eglu), bigger chicks will get moved to the garage.

 

[Child of Noah]

I was just woken up by the squabbles again and I am wondering, is it normal for 3-4 week old chicks to be DIGGING in their brooder?! I mean throwing around the pine, ripping apart the newspaper and generally acting like they're scratching for bugs at this age.

My chicks were doing "dust bathes" in the first week. I used "reptile sand" for they litter in the first week, then playground sand afterward in their brooder box. At three weeks I gave them dried bugs (I got from reptile section of pet store) as treats. I assumed the sand they lived in would be grit. I am no expert, but they are now over seven weeks and no ill effects.
Also, I found the sand in the brooder VERY easy to clean... I used a "reptile scoop" but I think a kitty litter scoop could due as well.
Edit for premature posting for Trivia with Beloved Husband

 

[NookNook01]

Thank you everyone. I just did some research and made my chick a boot. She looks silly but I think she is pleased with herself as she's been running around in the brooder! LOL. She is also a lot quieter!
Rancher~whats the youngest you have? I called Tsc. In Fulton and they have Dark Brahmas that just came in today. They are just a few days old and I already have light and buff brahmas so why not get dark too?! Someone may be coming to look at my horse tomorrow, I'm not sure what time so I may not be able to go anywhere :/
On a good note I finally got to see the pigeon coop that was given to us today. We are trying to figure out how we're gonna get it home. It is bigger than my husband guessed, 6x12! It must have held a lot of pigeons! It hasn't been cleaned in quite some time so Its pretty gross. I can't wait to get it home and start working on it! Also my current coop is getting a metal roof on it this weekend since the roof is leaky right now. My chickens are so spoiled! Haha.

Please do a bit of reading before tackling the pigeon coop!!! There are MANY Health Risks when dealing with Pigeon Poop!!! I wouldn't want you to risk your health or the health of your flock!!!
Here's a link with some information on the health risks!! Please consider the info before unloading it in your yard.....

http://www.azwns.com/Healthrisk.htm

 

[Child of Noah]

I was just woken up by the squabbles again and I am wondering, is it normal for 3-4 week old chicks to be DIGGING in their brooder?! I mean throwing around the pine, ripping apart the newspaper and generally acting like they're scratching for bugs at this age.

ALSO, I was awakened at 7am today by "milk jug shaking" by my new ducklings. Not fun for a night shifter.

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Thanks Marquisella, that's exactly what I did. She seems much happier.
TOB I call her my little penguin right now. She really looks just like a penguin baby haha. I don't know if it will stick. And don't worry if I go to Rancher's I wont touch your Dels

Penguin is a very sweet name! Let's hope her little bootie does the trick.

And about my Rancher-born-and-bred Del pullets....you got it, haha! It's soooo hard to wait for them, especially as I'm reading about and seeing pictures of everyone's chicks and birds.

Like Gramma mentioned, it would be great to get them as early as possible to better bond with them, but I have to be realistic about what I'm able to handle, and for now, my babes are best with Rancher & Marquisella while we build their new digs!

TOB

 

[mderby48]

Please do a bit of reading before tackling the pigeon coop!!! There are MANY Health Risks when dealing with Pigeon Poop!!! I wouldn't want you to risk your health or the health of your flock!!!
Here's a link with some information on the health risks!! Please consider the info before unloading it in your yard.....

http://www.azwns.com/Healthrisk.htm

Thank you, that was interesting. Its hard to believe people raise them. The coop has been empty for a year, I'm not sure if that matters. We will definitely be wearing gloves and masks while cleaning it. We plan on pressure washing the inside, I'll probably use a couple gallons of bleach now that I read that! LOL.