Posts are scaring me!

[gabrielle1976]

I use hay and the chicks seem to love it they can scratch it and peck it and one even sometimes carries a pieace around for a few min.

 

[firedove]

ducks4you, rabbits are also susceptible to poisoning from cedar. Aspen bedding is best for rabbits although I've always used pine (allergic to aspen).

 

[thomi]

I wouldn't worry, just keep reading and getting prepared. If you read through the forum you will see posts of sucesses and failures with everyone's mileage varying from person to person. We received our first ever chicks from Ideal Feb 19 and all 12 we ordered plus 9 for packaging are doing great. Not a single loss. Overnight temps between Texas and SC ranged from freezing to just below the day of shipping. Things we did do were to go to the post office the week before to chat with them and learn what to expect. They were very helpful and had obviously done this before. Next we had the brooder all step up and warming the night before the expected arrival date. The postmaster called us at 5:30am and opened up the doors for us to pick up the chicks. Everyone had their beak dipped in the water and comfortably in their new home by a little after 6 am. While we didn't have any control over their shipping conditions, we did everything we could to get them as comfortable as possible as quickly as possible. We think this helped a lot. As for bedding, we are using CareFresh in the old guinea pig cage brooder. We started them out the first few days with paper towels covering it to keep them from trying to eat it. Now they don't mess with it except to kick in all over the place and especially in their waterer. They will move to pine shavings or aspen when we move them to the coop.
Just read up and relax. I am sure you and your chicks will be just fine.

Thom and Donna
Elgin, SC

 

[ging3rhoffman]

Thank you so much for the replies. I feel better about getting my pee's. I already have everything that they will need and i just love this website. I have learned so much. Now I am wondering if I picked the right rooster for my hens. I chose the silver laced wyandotte. The hens i ordered were, silver laced wyandotte,buff brahma,partride rock,RI red,buff orpinton & black australorp. I could make a quick order change and chose a different rooster. Would anyone choose a different color or breed of rooster?

 

[Ridgerunner]

What are you looking for in a rooster? What are your goals for the flock that makes your choice of a rooster inportant?

I plan on a dual purpose flock for eggs and meat. I'll raise mutts (Mixed breeds) as I believe in hybrid vigor plus it will be exciting to never know what colors you are going to get from a hatch. I'll have a small flock, so being able to tell or at least guess by color birds parentage may help tell me which to keep as replacements and which to eat. This could delay me needing to bring in a new rooster for genetics purposes as early. These are my goals, yours are probably different.

The wyandotte should be great from a breed and color perspective. The only one I would not use as a rooster is the orpington, at least in the first generation. I've heard that orpingtons may have fertility issues because of their thick feathers. Some people trim the feathers around the vent to provide better access for the rooster.

You've made some good choices. Have a cup of herbal tea, non-caffeinated, and enjoy.

 

[ducks4you]

firedove , thanks for the info. If I EVER have rabbits again, I'll remember this. I loved mine when I was 12, but my daughters left me to take care of theirs for 3 years, and enough was enough.

Thanks for the advice about hay. I have some very nice thin stemmed grass hay that will do very nicely next month for my new little ones.

 

[toletiquesbysam]

Quote:
Do you have a picture of the "flying saucer"?? I think the pools are a great idea and can use one of them later for my ducks to swim in so dual purpose!! Great Idea!!

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
I have had buff orpingtons for years and never heard of this problem.. where do you come up with such ideas?

 

[Ridgerunner]

The only one I would not use as a rooster is the orpington, at least in the first generation. I've heard that orpingtons may have fertility issues because of their thick feathers. Some people trim the feathers around the vent to provide better access for the rooster.

I have had buff orpingtons for years and never heard of this problem.. where do you come up with such ideas?:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1634936

This thread also mentioned cochins but ging3rhoffman did not have that in her list.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
I better get out there and tell mine the news.. as much as my roosters go to it I guess they must just wear the thick feathers away

..

I suggest you get more hens..