Really? Why do we think they are so fragile?

[cva34]

At my school they think we were.

Like I told my Kid's when they got out of High school. You now have a choice " a BOOK or a SHOVEL" ...cva34

 

[TabbyG]

Thank you for your post - I'm a newbie, and while what you said is common sense, it made me think a little differently about raising my new babies!

 

[mkcolls]

To the OT:

What great and timely advise at this time of year when many newbies are jumping into poultry ownership. Now if I could just get my DH to understand.

 

[suebee]

Years ago I wrote thread called "Broody Mom...I'm Calling Social Services!" It was about my broody hen raising her chicks in what I thought was an appalling manner. She got right up after the last chick was born and start fervently scratching and digging...the poor chicks were covered in bedding from head to toe. Not to mention she'd trip over them constantly.

She'd take them out when I thought too cool, give them bugs that I thought were too big, etc. She finally brought them back in the coop in the evening. Poor things were so tired and dirty. Oh the HORROR! Well, she would quietly settle in the corner coaxing them under her for the night and all you'd hear was the happiest, most content purring coming from those chicks. OK, she didn't do it my way but they grew up into the most healthy and happy chickens ever.

 

[Tigertrea]

I also thank you for this post. I admit I have been somewhat nervous about getting my chicks. I have been researching and, at times, gotten overwhelmed. Then I think back 20yrs, when I had my first litter of puppies. I was so protective. Checking temp, checking pups, checking mom, doing all the "right" things all the "experts" advised. Now, I look at mom every once in awhile during labour. Experience has taught me to not be so worried. There are concerns but, nature takes care of itself a lot.

I also think back 30yrs ago, when my aunt had her chickens on the farm. Her homemade incubator was egg cartons, a wooden box and lightbulbs on an unheated porch. It became the brooder once the eggs were hatched. The chicks were set out to free range as soon as she couldn't keep them in the brooder. There wasn't even a coop on the property, they were set out in the barn and found their own shelter and nests.

I think common sense helps a lot in raising any animal. But, what some may see as common sense is often leaned through experience. Many of us newbies have never raised anything except maybe a housepet. Often these housepets are a bit older when you get them. Starting from day 1 with an animal you expect to live outside for most of it's life is a little different. Day old animals of all species are somewhat delicate. Luckily chicks grow up faster than some other animals and the "stressful" time ends pretty quickly.

Another "common sense" thing is "you will lose some". This can be hard for people who have never raised any newborns other than human babies. it is rare for a human baby to not survive today. In nature it is common. Thankfully by using some experience, advice and common sense we can help nature along and save a few more than would be saved in the "wild".

 

[FreedomLover]

I couldn't agree more!

I'm a new chicken owner. I bought the 250 watt bult and lamp, and decided the first day that it was too much! I downgraded to a standard 100 watt bulb. Less than a week later I downgraded yet again to a 60 watt bulb. Then after another week, I did away with the heat lamp all together. They would avoid being under it so I figured why have it there. By the time they were three weeks old they were in their temporary coop outside with a 15 watt florescent light at night. As a result I feel they are better adapted and they seem to be feathering in a bit faster then chicks who would be under heat for 8 weeks.

During that first three weeks, I always wondered if I should be doing it the way everyone "said" it should be done, but in my eyes, it didn't make alot of sense. The original flock was 13 chicks. They're all alive, never had pasty butt and love their canned corn (that's what I use to get them into the run after letting them run around outside the coop/run) and are happy chickens.

I just got 6 more babies (4 days old) and will be doing the same thing with them. They are livestock to me, not pets. And while yes, I do enjoy watching them, and I do handle them on occasion, they do not get "baby'd" like alot of chicks do!

IMO coddeling leads to "weaker" chickens, just like coddeling kids leads to weaker kids!

 

[OldGuy43]

Add me to the "I agree totally!" list. As I've said since I first came to BYC, "I don't know a whole lot about raising chickens, but the chickens do."

 

[connie001]

Thank you for the wonderful post. I will be getting chicks in the next couple of weeks and was getting more and more uptight about all the precise details. It did not totally make sense to me, but I fell for it. Your post was like a slap to get me out of it. Now I will use common sense and good judgement to manage them. Can't wait.

 

[Knittycat]

Years ago I wrote thread called "Broody Mom...I'm Calling Social Services!" It was about my broody hen raising her chicks in what I thought was an appalling manner. She got right up after the last chick was born and start fervently scratching and digging...the poor chicks were covered in bedding from head to toe. Not to mention she'd trip over them constantly.
She'd take them out when I thought too cool, give them bugs that I thought were too big, etc. She finally brought them back in the coop in the evening. Poor things were so tired and dirty. Oh the HORROR! Well, she would quietly settle in the corner coaxing them under her for the night and all you'd hear was the happiest, most content purring coming from those chicks. OK, she didn't do it my way but they grew up into the most healthy and happy chickens ever.

My mom used to sing this lullyby to me:

There's a queer little house
that stands in the sun
When the good mother calls them the children all run
Though the cold winds may blow
and bluster and storm
The children are happy and cozy and warm.

In the daytime this queer
little house moves away
And the children run after it happy and gay
At night it returns
and the children are fed
and tucked up to sleep in a warm feather bed.

Now this queer little house
has no windows or doors
The roof has no shingles and the rooms have no floors
no fire place or stove
or chimney you see
but the children a happy and warm as can be.

Now the story of this
little house is all true
I have seen it myself
and I know you have too
You can see it one day
when you watch an old hen
as her downy wings cover her chickens again.

 

[suebee]

Years ago I wrote thread called "Broody Mom...I'm Calling Social Services!" It was about my broody hen raising her chicks in what I thought was an appalling manner. She got right up after the last chick was born and start fervently scratching and digging...the poor chicks were covered in bedding from head to toe. Not to mention she'd trip over them constantly.

She'd take them out when I thought too cool, give them bugs that I thought were too big, etc. She finally brought them back in the coop in the evening. Poor things were so tired and dirty. Oh the HORROR! Well, she would quietly settle in the corner coaxing them under her for the night and all you'd hear was the happiest, most content purring coming from those chicks. OK, she didn't do it my way but they grew up into the most healthy and happy chickens ever.

My mom used to sing this lullyby to me:

There's a queer little house

that stands in the sun

When the good mother calls them the children all run

Though the cold winds may blow

and bluster and storm

The children are happy and cozy and warm.


In the daytime this queer

little house moves away

And the children run after it happy and gay

At night it returns

and the children are fed

and tucked up to sleep in a warm feather bed.


Now this queer little house

has no windows or doors

The roof has no shingles and the rooms have no floors

no fire place or stove

or chimney you see

but the children a happy and warm as can be.


Now the story of this

little house is all true

I have seen it myself

and I know you have too

You can see it one day

when you watch an old hen

as her downy wings cover her chickens again.

AWESOME!! Going to copy that!