questions. New to chicks

[humblehillsfarm]

hmmmmmm interesting. I wonder if the local feed store has them sexed or if they are just straight run too. I didn't think to ask. They don't have the pre-order list out for another week or two they said. So guess I will wait on that and see.

I like the bathroom idea but we only have 1 and with 4 people in the house the light is bound to go on at least once a night if not twice. then my husband is up at 5am and my girls and I get up anytime between 6:15-7:25 depending on the day and if they have in school or remote learning that day so not sure how the bathroom would work with that. 4 people (2 are teen girls) and 1 bathroom doesn't make for a quiet room from dusk till dawn. haahaa. In May here, in MA, the basement would be plenty warm enough and it is draft free. there are a few windows and as I said it is used so people are down here since this is my computer "room" and my husband watches tv down here as well. I could always move them upstairs for the day but if they are in a big dog crate not sure how easy that would be. Good thing I have at least another month or so to think and figure it all out.

Local feed store, especially TSC won't sell them sexed. It's difficult to find sexed bantams.

 

[spartacus_63]

If you think you will be having more chicks than just the initial clutch, spend the money on a brooder such as the Brinsea 20. They are well worth the money and it allows you to safely keep chicks in very cold climates. I'm not plugging Brinsea, there are several similar, but I have two of them and I love them. I may try a different brand when I next buy, depending on the price.
You can keep them in the basement right away with a heat source.
I would not use a heat pad because it will get soiled quickly.
I use dog crates with cardboard around the bottom half. Keep in mind chicks are very messy. They scratch constantly and even with wire, things will get dirty. I would you can use the cage longer also get a large cage as the chicks will take up a fair amount of space and in the event the coop is delayed,

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

hmmmmmm interesting. I wonder if the local feed store has them sexed or if they are just straight run too. I didn't think to ask. They don't have the pre-order list out for another week or two they said. So guess I will wait on that and see.

I like the bathroom idea but we only have 1 and with 4 people in the house the light is bound to go on at least once a night if not twice. then my husband is up at 5am and my girls and I get up anytime between 6:15-7:25 depending on the day and if they have in school or remote learning that day so not sure how the bathroom would work with that. 4 people (2 are teen girls) and 1 bathroom doesn't make for a quiet room from dusk till dawn. haahaa. In May here, in MA, the basement would be plenty warm enough and it is draft free. there are a few windows and as I said it is used so people are down here since this is my computer "room" and my husband watches tv down here as well. I could always move them upstairs for the day but if they are in a big dog crate not sure how easy that would be. Good thing I have at least another month or so to think and figure it all out.

Some people buy used play pens / pack n plays or similar that can be folded up when not being used. You could potentially have one upstairs for when you want to have the chicks up there? Or just go to the basement when you want to visit with them. It sounds like it's a place you hang out anyway...I was picturing ours, which is more of a cellar than a basement. Unfinished, creepy, basically a storage shed that houses the furnace. I forgot up north you guys have nice basements!

I would make sure you have a smoke alarm down there though...heating plates/MHP method are less dangerous than the lamps, but still a slight risk. (Sorry, the mom in me had to say it!)

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

Have you checked if there are any sex-linked bantam hybrids? Or I think I read somewhere that bantam bieldefelders (sp?) are auto-sexing, so they can be sorted at birth by color.

 

[junior67]

Some people buy used play pens / pack n plays or similar that can be folded up when not being used. You could potentially have one upstairs for when you want to have the chicks up there? Or just go to the basement when you want to visit with them. It sounds like it's a place you hang out anyway...I was picturing ours, which is more of a cellar than a basement. Unfinished, creepy, basically a storage shed that houses the furnace. I forgot up north you guys have nice basements!

I would make sure you have a smoke alarm down there though...heating plates/MHP method are less dangerous than the lamps, but still a slight risk. (Sorry, the mom in me had to say it!)

oh we definitely have smoke alarms down here. our dryer and furnace are down here. The basement is unfinished as in cement floors and walls but we have a pool table, couches, tv, my computer etc. down here so while not a nice finished basement it isn't a creepy dark cellar. But there isn't heat down here unless the dryer is going, it does get a bit of heat from heat pipes and from upstairs but is much chillier than the rest of the house but warmer than outside and no drafts.

what is this? bantam bieldefelders ? never heard of it is it a breed? I haven't checked into hybrids at all.

 

[junior67]

If you think you will be having more chicks than just the initial clutch, spend the money on a brooder such as the Brinsea 20. They are well worth the money and it allows you to safely keep chicks in very cold climates. I'm not plugging Brinsea, there are several similar, but I have two of them and I love them. I may try a different brand when I next buy, depending on the price.
You can keep them in the basement right away with a heat source.
I would not use a heat pad because it will get soiled quickly.
I use dog crates with cardboard around the bottom half. Keep in mind chicks are very messy. They scratch constantly and even with wire, things will get dirty. I would you can use the cage longer also get a large cage as the chicks will take up a fair amount of space and in the event the coop is delayed,

We are not planning on more than the initial clutch. My husband was thinking maybe 4 chickens, I want 6-8 since I want certain breeds and don't want to have to choose and would like 2 of each breed so there isn't anyone "left out". so don't see him agreeing to more than the 6-8. I was shocked when he even brought up having chickens but think our neighbors chickens that come to visit here and there got him wanting some. haahaa.

I did read about the cardboard as well so figured cardboard around bottom part, then hardware cloth around the whole side just to be safe with them sneaking out and to keep kitty paws out of there. I was thinking of a bigger cage since we are looking to get a Rottie pup so would need a bigger cage for him but wasn't sure if it could be too big that the chicks didn't feel safe or whatever and also wanted it big enough for as long as it was needed for the chicks.

 

[junior67]

Local feed store, especially TSC won't sell them sexed. It's difficult to find sexed bantams.

Thank you this is good to know. So really need to think of what to do since I don't know what we would do with a rooster if we got 1 or more which thinking with a straight run if I got 8 I would end up with a few roosters.

 

[junior67]

We went a little over-the-top with two cats who like imagining they're tigers. We used a big ol' plastic tub with a hardware cloth top inside our friend's great dane's dog crate for 4 chicks. You would definitely need to add hardware cloth or something around the outside of the crate if that was your primary brooder, as the chicks were able to squeeze through it until they were about three weeks old-and ours weren't bantams! You'd probably want a 36-42" crate or so. That way they have space to move around as they grow. I'm assuming that by heat pad you mean plate? If so, I'd highly recommend it. It would be ideal to keep them in an unused bedroom or large closet, but I'd definitely understand if that wasn't an option. As long as your basement isn't freezing cold, the chicks would be fine down there with a heat source I think. I can't remember what age I moved them to the coop unfortunately- however, I believe it was between 5 and 6 weeks. As long as you put them out once they have most of their feathering, they won't need a heat pad as they can keep each other warm. I believe cochins are a pretty friendly breed, as are orps and golden comets/golden buffs. Good luck!

my cats are all indoor cats but still love to hunt. But they do seem to know when something "belongs" and just watch them. one daughter has a hamster and 1 had a parakeet and the cats just watch them and don't really try to get at them anymore. But yes planning on doing hardware cloth and possible also cardboard on the side of the crate. Thank you for an idea for a crate size! That helps a lot. And I think it is called a mama heating pad? the ones that you make with the wire and heating pad and wrap it in a towel and you can put press and seal wrap on the top of it for clean up. Have read those are one of the safer things to use and one of the better ones that feel more like mom to chicks. I wish we had a spare bedroom or large closet to keep them but we are in a 960 sq ft home with 2 teens, 2 adults, 2 dogs, 5 cats. 3 bd/1 bath so no spare rooms and no big closets. The basement won't be freezing cold by the time we get the chicks but it is colder than the upstairs of the house but warmer than outside. I sit down here in a sweatshirt with a blanket over me and most times I am comfortable except the really really cold days outside so the basement is colder. I may have to get a thermometer for down here so I can watch the temps before I get chicks to see if it would work. The only good thing is in March/April and on it is much warmer down here than Jan/Feb.

 

[junior67]

I will now make myself sound stupid. As I said I raised and showed chickens growing up. We had all different breeds but basically all of them were bantams which is why I LOVE those! I am really short and have always been short. We had a few standard chickens, don't remember what breed they were and I remember the rooster being SO mean and chasing me and he was like half my size if not a bit bigger than that. The hens weren't as bad but also not as friendly as my bantams. So think that is part of my worry with getting standard chickens. Our neighbors have some, not sure of the breed of the ones behind us but them seem on the "smaller" size as they only come up to maybe mid calf and they are so friendly when they come over to this side of the street to visit. Then a neighbor across the street got some Rhode Island Reds last year around April. They seem a lot smaller than I remember our standards being as well but believe they are standards. They aren't mean but also aren't social either. I am interested in Brahmas which I know are on the bigger size. thinking of Wyandottes, but want silver laced and they are proving a bit harder to find especially in bantams, but thought they are on the bigger side as well. So then was thinking of cochin as I like the look of those as well but haven't done much research on personality yet. I would LOVE to get some silkies but afraid if I got standard size then they would end up picking on the silkies. So this is where my thought process is right now with it.

 

[EverV]

my cats are all indoor cats but still love to hunt. But they do seem to know when something "belongs" and just watch them. one daughter has a hamster and 1 had a parakeet and the cats just watch them and don't really try to get at them anymore. But yes planning on doing hardware cloth and possible also cardboard on the side of the crate. Thank you for an idea for a crate size! That helps a lot. And I think it is called a mama heating pad? the ones that you make with the wire and heating pad and wrap it in a towel and you can put press and seal wrap on the top of it for clean up. Have read those are one of the safer things to use and one of the better ones that feel more like mom to chicks. I wish we had a spare bedroom or large closet to keep them but we are in a 960 sq ft home with 2 teens, 2 adults, 2 dogs, 5 cats. 3 bd/1 bath so no spare rooms and no big closets. The basement won't be freezing cold by the time we get the chicks but it is colder than the upstairs of the house but warmer than outside. I sit down here in a sweatshirt with a blanket over me and most times I am comfortable except the really really cold days outside so the basement is colder. I may have to get a thermometer for down here so I can watch the temps before I get chicks to see if it would work. The only good thing is in March/April and on it is much warmer down here than Jan/Feb.

Okay! My cats are indoor cats too... they enjoy something aside from flies to hunt