Raising 400 chicks

[21hens-incharge]

One thing....the red pullet with the naked back...that is from being plucked by the other birds. You may need to add saddles to any getting plucked like that.

I was worried a greenhouse would be HOT during the day and plummet at night. Are you still running the heat in the boxes? It sounds like yes but .

 

[Sally PB]

Thanks for the update! What a great thread this has been. Keep posting, please.

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

Great thread! Please continue to keep us updated!

 

[Allthefloofs]

This is so cool! I love seeing so many chickens at once. We have a small backyard pet flock so it boggles my mind to see so many .

 

[howdyitsmia]

This is amazing omg.

Did you buy female chicks or straight run? What's your plan for the cockrells?

The piling could be from being too cold. I'd consider adding a heat source. I know its risky for a bunch of reasons but it stopped my piling problem immediately. I hang the heat lamps so they cant fall even if the clip or bracket were to break.

We bought female chicks. We’re probably going to try and sell as many as possible, and then slaughter the ones we don’t sell and sell the meat. We do have a heat source under the brooders, for some reason they just wouldn’t go under the other two.

 

[howdyitsmia]

We bought female chicks. We’re probably going to try and sell as many as possible, and then slaughter the ones we don’t sell and sell the meat. We do have a heat source under the brooders, for some reason they just wouldn’t go under the other two.

The roosters I mean

 

[howdyitsmia]

One thing....the red pullet with the naked back...that is from being plucked by the other birds. You may need to add saddles to any getting plucked like that.

I was worried a greenhouse would be HOT during the day and plummet at night. Are you still running the heat in the boxes? It sounds like yes but .

Those saddles are good thing to know about. I was hoping we wouldn’t have any issues because there’s enough space that whoever’s getting picked on could get away, but I’ll probably get a couple of those saddles. When feather picking happens, does it still leave fuzz? Cause the two or three that I’ve seen like that still have baby fuzz with pin feathers growing in. I am running heat in the brooder boxes.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Those saddles are good thing to know about. I was hoping we wouldn’t have any issues because there’s enough space that whoever’s getting picked on could get away, but I’ll probably get a couple of those saddles. When feather picking happens, does it still leave fuzz? Cause the two or three that I’ve seen like that still have baby fuzz with pin feathers growing in. I am running heat in the brooder boxes.

The saddles can be made super simply using fleece. It does not unravel so can be a no sew project. It is as simple as cutting the shape and then 2 slits for the wings.

Yes there will be fuzz. It isn't actually baby fuzz but rather the soft down that even adults have. What tells me it is from picking is the fully feathered heads and bodies with such a naked back. Picking happens in the best of flocks. It is nothing you caused just how chickens can be.

 

[ackie]

Those saddles are good thing to know about. I was hoping we wouldn’t have any issues because there’s enough space that whoever’s getting picked on could get away, but I’ll probably get a couple of those saddles. When feather picking happens, does it still leave fuzz? Cause the two or three that I’ve seen like that still have baby fuzz with pin feathers growing in. I am running heat in the brooder boxes.

Maybe they just need more places to hide?

 

[kelzey]

i agree with adding more places for them to hide in and such! and maybe even another set of roosts like you already have, otherwise it seems like it’s going good!