Questions only a newbie can ask...

[taralynnc]

Hello all - brand new chicken owner here - we are talking 48 hours now.

Loving having the girls in the house (4-7 week old Pullets) and watching their personalities emerge but a few questions....

1. When can I reasonably expect to move them outside? I've read about a guideline of 95 degrees at hatching, reduced by 5 every week so assuming they are on the young side they should be about 75 degrees now? I am correct when I estimate 4 weeks from now we should be good? I am in Middletown, NJ by the way!

2. At what age do they need grit? Right now they are eating Purina Start & Grow Crumbles.

3. Can I give treats/mealworms now? They eat ALL DAY currently and come running over when I approach - I feel like they are looking for something!

What else don't I know? Have been reading voraciously but sometimes there is too much information out there Thanks all!

Say hello to Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme!

 

[Trimurtisan]

2. At what age do they need grit? Right now they are eating Purina Start & Grow Crumbles.

While they are strictly on a poultry feed, they won't need grit. If you plan on introducing pretty much anything else, I'd star using grit.

3. Can I give treats/mealworms now? They eat ALL DAY currently and come running over when I approach - I feel like they are looking for something!

Sure! Not only is it fun, but you can treat train your birds too. Before you give them mealworms, figure out a call you'd like to use. I say "chick chick chick..." really fast and high pitched, and can get every bird here (~50) to come running to me. It's a great tool if you plan on free ranging later on.

Cute chicks, and a beautiful dog.

 

[aart]

1. The 5°F per week thing is just a guideline, best to keep most of brooder as cool as possible.
Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:

They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
-If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
-If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
-If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. If you do use a heat bulb make sure it's specifically for poultry, some heat bulbs for food have teflon coatings that can kill birds. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.
Or you could go with a heat plate, commercially made or DIY: http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate


2. http://www.jupefeeds-sa.com/documents/GraniteGrit.pdf.
I bought about a 2 gallon bag of granite grit from the local mill, they put it in their chicken scratch. Ran it thru a colander with 1/16" holes. Bagged the smaller stuff for the chicks and sprinkle some over a chunk of sod in the brooder during the second week.

3. Chickens are beggars, don't let them fool you. Like kids with candy, a bit once in while is plenty. Treats can make them unhealthy. Mealworms have a lot of fat.

Welcome to BYC! @taralynnc
Thanks for adding your location!

 

[taralynnc]

Intrigued by the 'granite grit' - my husband works for a natural stone importer!

 

[Mrs. K]

At their age, I think it is good to spend at least part of the day out side, start with 20 minutes if it is chilly, and a bit longer if it is warm. So many times with the best of intentions of keeping them safe, what winds up happening is we keep them in too small of an area, which prevents them from developing strength that comes from movement. Right now, in your set up the only interesting thing they have to do is eat. Eat and not get any exercise.

When you take them outside, they need wind protection, not that they can't go out into the wind, that is good for them, but rather, they can get out of the wind as they need too. Instead of keeping their environment perfect, it is better to give them options as Art says above, cooler spaces and warmer spaces, outside, a shade and wind shelter, and a sunny option. Try a rubbermaid tote on its side.

They will quickly make an incredible amount of dust in the house. My chicks will be getting outside at about a week. Longer and longer each day, but three weeks they will be in the coop/run which will have roosts, platforms, multi levels that they can fly up too. They will be scratching in the dirt. Sunshine and fresh air and exercise are good for their health.

Being kept too warm, being fed too much, being kept too confined is not good for their health.

I would turn off the heat lamp now, and listen to them. If you do take them outside, turn the heat lamp on when they come back in and let them get a good warm up, then turn it off. They will take a good nap.

To me, you space inside is too small, and I think they are healthier outside, do it gradually, a little one day, a little more the next.

Mrs K

 

[Jenthehen127]

I love the names! My girls have old lady names apparently! I have Gertrude (Gerdy), Beatrice (Bea), Dotty who might be a room? And Henny Penny! Yesterday was 2 weeks for my flock. I have read so much about chickens! I'm not sure what all to believe at this point! Don't give treats, don't supplement of feeding commercials feed, etc. I was hoping to find a more experienced chick mama out there and I could trust what they say, but I don't know enough yet to know who to trust! I'm just figuring it out as I go I guess! Lol! Good luck to you!

 

[taralynnc]

I love the names! My girls have old lady names apparently! I have Gertrude (Gerdy), Beatrice (Bea), Dotty who might be a room? And Henny Penny! Yesterday was 2 weeks for my flock. I have read so much about chickens! I'm not sure what all to believe at this point! Don't give treats, don't supplement of feeding commercials feed, etc. I was hoping to find a more experienced chick mama out there and I could trust what they say, but I don't know enough yet to know who to trust! I'm just figuring it out as I go I guess! Lol! Good luck to you!

Thanks - cute names! What I am finding is that much of what I read is opinion rather than fact. I was taking everything as hard and fast rules and then I began to realize it is like asking how to raise a child - different things work for different people. I am listening to all, retaining what I can and relying on plain old common sense/instinct. It's been 2-days, I've spent WAY too much time reading, thinking and shopping but I am having fun and the chicks seem happy. We are all figuring it out as we go - good luck to you as well -!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I agree they need space. They are also fully feathered now and can go outside anytime. Temps in NJ must be over 50 now and that's more than warm enough.

Turn off the heat source now. Let them acclimate two or three days inside without it then put them out.

 

[aart]

What I am finding is that much of what I read is opinion rather than fact. I was taking everything as hard and fast rules and then I began to realize it is like asking how to raise a child - different things work for different people.

Yeppers!
There are also gobs of 'myths' that get passed on and on and on and on....

But they really do need more space and probably less heat.

Rhetorical question......how many opinions does it take to make a fact?
Answer, depends on whose opinions.

 

[Jenthehen127]

Thanks - cute names! What I am finding is that much of what I read is opinion rather than fact. I was taking everything as hard and fast rules and then I began to realize it is like asking how to raise a child - different things work for different people. I am listening to all, retaining what I can and relying on plain old common sense/instinct. It's been 2-days, I've spent WAY too much time reading, thinking and shopping but I am having fun and the chicks seem happy. We are all figuring it out as we go - good luck to you as well -!

Completely agree! I continue to devour anything I can find d for information, and yes, shopping! Lol! Its raining today, but tomorrow the work on the coop begins! Wish us luck, as we are moving a good sized coop/run from a friend!