Our first chicks

[cahokiachick]

Recently moved to a house in the country after spending twenty years in the burbs. 2 acres and it is great. Bought a coop kit online and put it together with my 14 year old son. It will hold 3 chicks figured it was all we needed. Little did i know that state law says you have to buy 6 chicks at a time. Needless to say my wife and I went to the local farm store today and purchased 3 barred rock and 3 silver laced wyandotte pullets. It is like having a baby again. I find myself going out to the garage every hour to check on them, i think the dog is jealous because i let him in the garage with me but hold on to her collar. The cats don't know yet!!!!

 

[3riverschick]

That's chicken math for you!

It only knows how to add!

Welcome to the wonderful world of poultry!

Sounds like you have plenty of room to expand, good for you!

Best,
Karen

 

[Misstwixler]

I thought the same thing! Our first set we got a few weeks old but this last set of three we got came at 2 days old and we had lost one of them (had 4 to begin with) and after losing one I was afraid to step away for more than a few minutes at a time. It gets easier as they get bigger though.

 

[cahokiachick]

So far so good. Been 24 hours and the peeps are doing fine. Spent most of the day attaching chicken wire to the white fence in the backyard. When we are done should have a BIG place for them, about 30 x 80 (the whole back yard). Cheaper to buy chicken wire to attach to the fence then build a run. My wife ordered another coop today. We are getting excited. How old til we put them in the yard? Not quite sure on that one yet.

 

[mpguay]

Fun!

Id put the chicks out in their new fully enclosed pen/coop area if it is warm enough overnight. A heat lamp works very well and the chicks will use it if needed. Make sure there are not any little notches where they can get stuck in.

Chicken wire will not keep a raccoon out. 1/2 inch hardware cloth will. a raccoon with stick his hand in a grab one while they are running around.

I wish I had handled my chicks more often when they were little. So let your kids play with them a lot (gently)!

 

[cahokiachick]

Forecast tonight is snow flurries, it was almost 70 today. Was working in the yard with just a t shirt on. I heard that when they get feathers it is safe to put them in the yard. just came back i in from the garage everyone is fine.

 

[JanO]

I personally don't let my chicks out of the brooder until they have grown their feathers at about 6 weeks. At that time put them in the coop for a day or so then give them access to the yard. They need to know that the coop is thier safe zone. Also watch out for preditors. Dogs, cats, wild birds, etc. Chicks are a magnet for hawks and the like where I live.

 

[debid]

I brood outdoors in as mini coop from the start. With a heat lamp and draft protection (pop door closed), of course. If you can't give them heat in the coop, I'd wait until they are covered in feathers (4-8 weeks is typical). And ditto on the hawk warning. I lost a large, grown hen to a hawk and interrupted two other attempts. I can't imagine that a chick would stand a chance. I supervise chick field trips closely. I start letting mine out as soon as it's warm enough. We had a couple of 76 degree days when mine were a week old and I had them out exploring. They loved it! Now that they are nearing four weeks, they can be out at 50 degrees and sunny and they are happy.

 

[BrendaJ]

Welcome to the wild world of chickens

 

[cahokiachick]

I heard that with the hawks. Our one neighbor (we only have 2) told me not to get white chickens because of the hawks. That is why I got the barred rock and silver laced wyandotte chicks. The family that lived in the house before lost most of their white chicken to them. We do have 2 cats and a dog but they won't be allowed in the yard. there are coyotes also but once I get the yard done I think we will be fine plus the will be in the coop at night.