Today I decided 27 chicks in my large rubbermaid brooder was too much! I was changing their litter at least 5 times a day, as well as the water. I wanted to wait until the end of the first week but I couldn't do it, not only was it driving me nuts but the poor chickies were starting to sleep in their own poo because I couldn't change it fast enough!
First I had to decide where to put them. The 11 chicks I have outside, all roughly 4 and a half weeks, were still using the outside brooder. I was ready to take them off it any day, though, because they were all feathered and had been for almost a week. But I had no more stalls! I have two stalls... well, three if you count where I put the wood chips but thats more like the size of a small walk in closet. The stall with the goats is like...20' by 10' for 3 tiny pygmy goats, and they spend all their time outside anyway and only come inside to sleep. I decided they didn't need that much room, so they got the boot to the "hallway" of the barn, which is kind of like a stall in and of itself. Its enclosed, has lots of straw to nestle in, and I just put their food and water in there and voila! A run to sleep in through the night.
Herding the 4.5 week olds into their new stall was... interesting. There's a hop down, and then a hop up into the new stall. Of course, they wanted to take a run up and down the hallway at least twice before going in! I tried to herd them slowly, a few got the idea and hopped right in... a few more had to be coaxed a bit more and finally some just had to be picked up (they were not pleased). Still, I set them up with lots of extra straw, plenty to perch on, their usual 1 gal. waterer, and a thing I bought for the goats to contain their feed. Its a two-dish .. grain holder or something... but they have another dish and they never used that one, so I put scratch in one side and their normal feed in the other. They definitely noticed it when I put it in (a few walked over) but nobody ate from it. Its at a good height for them to eat, I checked. The trough feeder I had them on was for chicks and waaaay too small, they were getting it filthy. I can't really afford to be buying anything that's "non-essential" so no new feeders for them right now. I have a cardboard box that I also have set up that I could put their snacks in or whatever else, I just haven't put it out there yet. Either way, I think it will do well for my chicken area because its certainly big enough for the 38 that will be occupying it in a month! Oh, and as for warmth... they were exploring a bit, but mostly they all huddled together in a corner near their food when I left.
Then the other chicks... I was a little nervous to be moving them outside. They weren't quite a week yet so it was before the time I felt comfortable doing so, but something needed to be done. So, I divided the boys and the girls up (they're Red Star sex links, plus one BA ..boy?) with the BA in one box (he's my baby!) and the boys got another box. I decided that, if it was a failure and I lost a few over the night (I'll be checking on them periodically anyway), I would rather lose a cockerel than a pullet. So, I put the 100 watt heating lamp in my outside brooder, set the boys up in there with a shoebox top with scratch and grit, the trough feeder full of food, and their usual quart waterer on a steady surface so it doesn't tip. The bedding is the same I had for the 4.5 week olds -- straw and wood chips. I do not replace the old stuff, I simply mix it up and then throw new wood chips on top. Well, wouldn't you know it, the first thing one of the boys finds it a bug! And certainly not one I ever added (some kinda small rolly polly looking thing, ew), so I know my compost-y bedding is working! And boy did he go at it! He tore that thing up and gobbled it down, I was so impressed. They found the scratch and grit with no issue... had to move the waterer a few times until they noticed it (it ended up going inside their little hut brooder box rather than outside at the trim).. and then when I went back about 20 minutes later I noticed them eating from the trough, which is their first time ever seeing the thing. I'm impressed! They seemed so happy out there, exploring a bit, not making much of a peep. It went so well I was considering adding the girls after all! But... I decided to give it the night and see if they stay warm enough out there. I also left the light on for them for the night so they can become acquainted properly with their surroundings. Then its back to the day night cycle.
The girls got a cleaned brooder rubbermaid with the 75 watt bulb. The 100 watt was being used before but I could tell they were getting way too hot. Its already very warm in my house. I set them up with clean bedding, new clean waterer, and their normal quart round feeder, and they dug right in! They seemed much happier being able to run about in all that space! It was funny, though, because as soon as they had their fill they were chirping SO loudly, like they missed their "brothers". The boys didn't seem to mind lol, but I guess they had new terrain on their minds.
The goats seemed confused about being in the hallway and not in their stall. They thought it was still playtime and certainly not sleep time! I gave them some sweet grain to apologize for the move.
Well, that was my adventure this evening. I might be headed over to Southern States tomorrow, it depends on whether or not I have to go to court for work (its on the way). I plan on picking up a larger waterer, for when they're bigger and need it. I just hope they have no baby chicks there, I'm a sucker for it and I can't be spending money on any more lol.
First I had to decide where to put them. The 11 chicks I have outside, all roughly 4 and a half weeks, were still using the outside brooder. I was ready to take them off it any day, though, because they were all feathered and had been for almost a week. But I had no more stalls! I have two stalls... well, three if you count where I put the wood chips but thats more like the size of a small walk in closet. The stall with the goats is like...20' by 10' for 3 tiny pygmy goats, and they spend all their time outside anyway and only come inside to sleep. I decided they didn't need that much room, so they got the boot to the "hallway" of the barn, which is kind of like a stall in and of itself. Its enclosed, has lots of straw to nestle in, and I just put their food and water in there and voila! A run to sleep in through the night.
Herding the 4.5 week olds into their new stall was... interesting. There's a hop down, and then a hop up into the new stall. Of course, they wanted to take a run up and down the hallway at least twice before going in! I tried to herd them slowly, a few got the idea and hopped right in... a few more had to be coaxed a bit more and finally some just had to be picked up (they were not pleased). Still, I set them up with lots of extra straw, plenty to perch on, their usual 1 gal. waterer, and a thing I bought for the goats to contain their feed. Its a two-dish .. grain holder or something... but they have another dish and they never used that one, so I put scratch in one side and their normal feed in the other. They definitely noticed it when I put it in (a few walked over) but nobody ate from it. Its at a good height for them to eat, I checked. The trough feeder I had them on was for chicks and waaaay too small, they were getting it filthy. I can't really afford to be buying anything that's "non-essential" so no new feeders for them right now. I have a cardboard box that I also have set up that I could put their snacks in or whatever else, I just haven't put it out there yet. Either way, I think it will do well for my chicken area because its certainly big enough for the 38 that will be occupying it in a month! Oh, and as for warmth... they were exploring a bit, but mostly they all huddled together in a corner near their food when I left.
Then the other chicks... I was a little nervous to be moving them outside. They weren't quite a week yet so it was before the time I felt comfortable doing so, but something needed to be done. So, I divided the boys and the girls up (they're Red Star sex links, plus one BA ..boy?) with the BA in one box (he's my baby!) and the boys got another box. I decided that, if it was a failure and I lost a few over the night (I'll be checking on them periodically anyway), I would rather lose a cockerel than a pullet. So, I put the 100 watt heating lamp in my outside brooder, set the boys up in there with a shoebox top with scratch and grit, the trough feeder full of food, and their usual quart waterer on a steady surface so it doesn't tip. The bedding is the same I had for the 4.5 week olds -- straw and wood chips. I do not replace the old stuff, I simply mix it up and then throw new wood chips on top. Well, wouldn't you know it, the first thing one of the boys finds it a bug! And certainly not one I ever added (some kinda small rolly polly looking thing, ew), so I know my compost-y bedding is working! And boy did he go at it! He tore that thing up and gobbled it down, I was so impressed. They found the scratch and grit with no issue... had to move the waterer a few times until they noticed it (it ended up going inside their little hut brooder box rather than outside at the trim).. and then when I went back about 20 minutes later I noticed them eating from the trough, which is their first time ever seeing the thing. I'm impressed! They seemed so happy out there, exploring a bit, not making much of a peep. It went so well I was considering adding the girls after all! But... I decided to give it the night and see if they stay warm enough out there. I also left the light on for them for the night so they can become acquainted properly with their surroundings. Then its back to the day night cycle.
The girls got a cleaned brooder rubbermaid with the 75 watt bulb. The 100 watt was being used before but I could tell they were getting way too hot. Its already very warm in my house. I set them up with clean bedding, new clean waterer, and their normal quart round feeder, and they dug right in! They seemed much happier being able to run about in all that space! It was funny, though, because as soon as they had their fill they were chirping SO loudly, like they missed their "brothers". The boys didn't seem to mind lol, but I guess they had new terrain on their minds.
The goats seemed confused about being in the hallway and not in their stall. They thought it was still playtime and certainly not sleep time! I gave them some sweet grain to apologize for the move.
Well, that was my adventure this evening. I might be headed over to Southern States tomorrow, it depends on whether or not I have to go to court for work (its on the way). I plan on picking up a larger waterer, for when they're bigger and need it. I just hope they have no baby chicks there, I'm a sucker for it and I can't be spending money on any more lol.
