Should I?

[HowIsItDone]

Sounds like you have many special considerations to make and work around. Mosquitoes being one of the biggies (they are annoying and *can* transmit Pox, etc).. but they'll be there every year.. so is this consideration for you or the chicks? And I wonder how folks in your region deal with it? The mosquitoes are here year round in my climate with peak times.

How long chicks are content inside any brooder, depends on size of brooder verses size of brood (and also breed even sometimes).. My kennels are large enough to support a brood of 4-8 a full 6 weeks regardless of where I keep it. I add in paintings made of polka dots and other enrichment stuff.. little roosts, etc. Shaving are contained via taped on cardboard sides or cling wrap.. usually high enough (5-6 inches) that by the time they wanna jump up there are actually to big to fit through the bars. While I use paper towels until they have figured out the food and water (a few days to a week).. then peel it off the top of the shavings and they go to town.. pecking around, dust batching, etc. Using puppy pads or the like and not having anything to scratch through is a good way to rapidly induce boredom.

If boredom starts to set in before going out full time, usually around 2-3 weeks of age.. bringing in a clump of grass with dirt attached will give some enrichment and allow them a little exposure to build some immunity before going out full time in addition to possibly being a source for a little naturally occurring grit. Using a heat source that allows for full night time darkness is even better than red bulbs (which are better than white ones) and goes a long way towards their mental health for lack of a better term. Boredom always breed mischief. Moving from smaller to larger spaces is helpful both in ensuring a feeling of security early on and in providing the feeling of expanse.. in correlation to their confidence and curiosity level.

For me.. when I have the option of choice.. the later in the year (may/june) the hatch comes the less likely I'll be seeing eggs before the next year (jan/feb).. and they'll be sure to molt at the end of that next year . meaning maybe less than 9-10 months of eggs. Earlier hatched chicks say march April.. usually start laying by august/sept.. and keep laying all the way through until the following October. So more like 13 months of eggs the first laying season.. followed by standard lay/molt cycle every year.. varying according to individual. I'm a little north (at the cal/or border in US) and use natural lighting. January hatched birds.. have also been too soon.. still causing them to molt that first year/lay season.. reducing it even further! Some birds will not comply with my statements, no matter HOW much planning I've done to combat the winter egg lull.

Artificial lighting may especially net different result than I'm reporting. And being on the coast as I am we're fogged in a good portion of the summer. So anyone's mileage is expected to vary some.

Whether you start them indoors or somewhere else is dependent on you. Some folks can't stand the dust or the noise.. others run air filters, and some don't fret. I've done them all including allowing broody's to raise them.

So on the back of what's mentioned previously.. I like to only get the amount of birds I need to meet the egg production value.. while leaving room in my set up to add a few new comers each year to combat that winter lull in eggs that IS inevitable by the time year 2 arrives.

Alas.. too much information kills adventures and dreams.

Individuality maintains the mystery though! What fun breeds are you looking at, anything specific? Have you already found hatcheries or breeders in your area? Planning to have a rooster or hens only? Are you eventually eating some chicken or is that not part of your goal at this or any point? Sorry if this has been discussed already, I'll be reading through the pages I missed before replying now.

ETA: okay most my questions were answered!

Hi EggSighted4Life, Ted Brown,
and everyone who replied to this thread,

I thought it was only fair to post an update after all your helpful replies.

I'll be getting the chicks in 11 days, from Peavey Mart. They are supposed to be sexed as pullets at a 90% accuracy rate.
3 Barred Plymouth Rocks, and 3 Buff Orpingtons.
I know, how boring, lol.

I was wrong about Frey's Hatchery. You can get sexed chickens from them as well, just not Buff Orp., and I wanted those for their disposition. I'm going to be tilted when the 3 of them go broody next year, aren't I?

I'm starting with a cardboard box for the first few days or a week, then I will move them to a 5 foot diameter, 30" high dog pen.
My brooder plate came with a cute little perch set up, but there is no room in the cardboard box for that. Once I have the dog pen set up, I can add a proper dust bath, and wood from outside for them to play on as well.
https://www.amazon.ca/ZuHucpts-Portable-Foldable-Enclosure-Grooming/dp/B07FT1Z4S5

I think I will put it in the living room to start, but after a few weeks (3-4) move it to the garage,(Mosquito season is almost over!) or even just move them to the coop at 5-6 weeks, if it's ready. I can get power out there for the brooding plate if they need it... but that would be the middle of August. They'd be fine...
I worry too much.

The 10' X 12' coop is 1/2 built, meaning that the doors, windows, siding and the metal roof are not installed yet, but the main structure is there.
I plan to have all the vents at the top left open, covered with hardware cloth. That should help in the winter.
I went with a "run-chicken" door, which I hope to install next week.
The 12' X 15' run will be on the left hand side of the coop.

That's the plan, anyway.

I've probably messed up the whole cycle-of-life thing by getting them started this late in the season, but I finally feel somewhat prepared.
Better late than never, eh?


Tell me how your flocks are doing!

 

[janiedoe]

Hi EggSighted4Life, Ted Brown,
and everyone who replied to this thread,

I thought it was only fair to post an update after all your helpful replies.

I'll be getting the chicks in 11 days, from Peavey Mart. They are supposed to be sexed as pullets at a 90% accuracy rate.
3 Barred Plymouth Rocks, and 3 Buff Orpingtons.
I know, how boring, lol.

I was wrong about Frey's Hatchery. You can get sexed chickens from them as well, just not Buff Orp., and I wanted those for their disposition. I'm going to be tilted when the 3 of them go broody next year, aren't I?

I'm starting with a cardboard box for the first few days or a week, then I will move them to a 5 foot diameter, 30" high dog pen.
My brooder plate came with a cute little perch set up, but there is no room in the cardboard box for that. Once I have the dog pen set up, I can add a proper dust bath, and wood from outside for them to play on as well.
https://www.amazon.ca/ZuHucpts-Portable-Foldable-Enclosure-Grooming/dp/B07FT1Z4S5

I think I will put it in the living room to start, but after a few weeks (3-4) move it to the garage,(Mosquito season is almost over!) or even just move them to the coop at 5-6 weeks, if it's ready. I can get power out there for the brooding plate if they need it... but that would be the middle of August. They'd be fine...
I worry too much.

The 10' X 12' coop is 1/2 built, meaning that the doors, windows, siding and the metal roof are not installed yet, but the main structure is there.
I plan to have all the vents at the top left open, covered with hardware cloth. That should help in the winter.
I went with a "run-chicken" door, which I hope to install next week.
The 12' X 15' run will be on the left hand side of the coop.

That's the plan, anyway.

I've probably messed up the whole cycle-of-life thing by getting them started this late in the season, but I finally feel somewhat prepared.
Better late than never, eh?


Tell me how your flocks are doing!

Congratulations on your upcoming flock!

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi EggSighted4Life, Ted Brown,
and everyone who replied to this thread,

I thought it was only fair to post an update after all your helpful replies.

I'll be getting the chicks in 11 days, from Peavey Mart. They are supposed to be sexed as pullets at a 90% accuracy rate.
3 Barred Plymouth Rocks, and 3 Buff Orpingtons.
I know, how boring, lol.

I was wrong about Frey's Hatchery. You can get sexed chickens from them as well, just not Buff Orp., and I wanted those for their disposition. I'm going to be tilted when the 3 of them go broody next year, aren't I?

I'm starting with a cardboard box for the first few days or a week, then I will move them to a 5 foot diameter, 30" high dog pen.
My brooder plate came with a cute little perch set up, but there is no room in the cardboard box for that. Once I have the dog pen set up, I can add a proper dust bath, and wood from outside for them to play on as well.
https://www.amazon.ca/ZuHucpts-Portable-Foldable-Enclosure-Grooming/dp/B07FT1Z4S5

I think I will put it in the living room to start, but after a few weeks (3-4) move it to the garage,(Mosquito season is almost over!) or even just move them to the coop at 5-6 weeks, if it's ready. I can get power out there for the brooding plate if they need it... but that would be the middle of August. They'd be fine...
I worry too much.

The 10' X 12' coop is 1/2 built, meaning that the doors, windows, siding and the metal roof are not installed yet, but the main structure is there.
I plan to have all the vents at the top left open, covered with hardware cloth. That should help in the winter.
I went with a "run-chicken" door, which I hope to install next week.
The 12' X 15' run will be on the left hand side of the coop.

That's the plan, anyway.

I've probably messed up the whole cycle-of-life thing by getting them started this late in the season, but I finally feel somewhat prepared.
Better late than never, eh?


Tell me how your flocks are doing!

That portable pen you linked, we have one outside right now with 5-day-old chicks and 2-week-old chicks in it having the time of their lives! You will find many uses for it down the road!

 

[Kenneth Zweerink]

Thank's for the update and the Best of Luck with your plans.

 

[HowIsItDone]

That portable pen you linked, we have one outside right now with 5-day-old chicks and 2-week-old chicks in it having the time of their lives! You will find many uses for it down the road!

5 day olds? Oh good!
I think it will work well for me too.

I set up the cardboard box, with the brooder plate, water and food containers I bought. It looks great, except there's no room for the chicks!

I'm going to get a smaller water dispenser, something that can screw into the lid of a mason jar, and hope that I can move them into the pen after a few days.

Is your pen in a protected area? I don't really have any protected outdoor areas yet.

 

[Debbie292d]

5-day-olds only because it was 80's the last two days and they get to be in half sun/half shade. The sooner you can get them out, the faster they build up immunities and resistances.

We use a verticle nipple bottle. You can take a piece of wire or wire coat hanger, wrap it around the top, and make a hook on the end. Then it's off the ground and there's no waterer to clean. Just keep the lid on the top cracked. You can get verticle nipples on Amazon.

They're out by our picnic table, and our yard is safe...two dogs, two cats, and two roosters, and our flower pot planting projects have been on the picnic table.

 

[HowIsItDone]

5-day-olds only because it was 80's the last two days and they get to be in half sun/half shade. The sooner you can get them out, the faster they build up immunities and resistances.

We use a verticle nipple bottle. You can take a piece of wire or wire coat hanger, wrap it around the top, and make a hook on the end. Then it's off the ground and there's no waterer to clean. Just keep the lid on the top cracked. You can get verticle nipples on Amazon.

They're out by our picnic table, and our yard is safe...two dogs, two cats, and two roosters, and our flower pot planting projects have been on the picnic table.

I haven't set up the pen yet, because it will take over my living room, so I'm not sure which parts I could tie things to.
When you move it outside, can you take the bottom off???

Could I impose on you for a picture of your set up, when you get a chance?


And, 2 roosters?

 

[Debbie292d]

I haven't set up the pen yet, because it will take over my living room, so I'm not sure which parts I could tie things to.
When you move it outside, can you take the bottom off???

Could I impose on you for a picture of your set up, when you get a chance?


And, 2 roosters?

Yes, the top and the bottom are off.

We use big rocks inside to keep it down in case of wind.

I use clothes pins or potato chip bag clips to pin a towel or blanket on a couple of sides for either shade or to block the wind.

It's 65F and raining so I can't put them out today. I'll get a better picture of them there, but here it is being used as a broody jail. We changed the jail to a wire dog pen now so the young ones could have this.



Here is a former group of chicks that were in it. Here we used rocks and logs to keep it in place.




This shows the two nipple waterers in the brooder. At this point, we were teaching them to use a horizontal nipple as when they get outside, that's what's in the coops.


This was last summer and are two pictures showing my dogs "guarding" them.



The two roosters roam the yard and if they think there's danger, they sound the alarm. I've had a rooster tell his hens to get in the coop and he stood up to 2 dogs that got out and came here from down the road. The dogs (blue tick healers) stood there staring him down until our dogs saw what was going on and chased them off.

 

[Debbie292d]

I haven't set up the pen yet, because it will take over my living room, so I'm not sure which parts I could tie things to.
When you move it outside, can you take the bottom off???

Could I impose on you for a picture of your set up, when you get a chance?


And, 2 roosters?

I just got them out. These pens have tabs to stake them down, so my hubby just did it with tent spikes as it's windy.

I just sprinkle their starter all over the place and put a dish in there as well. You can see their water bottle on the left. The box in there with the rock in it is merely for fun or shelter should I miss that the sun moved and they need shade, etc.

The pen walls are rather dirty but I take a hose to it every so often and they clean right up.

A lot of folks do similar, so I'm sure there are other ideas too. This is just how I've done it and it works well.

Oh, forgot, how do all these little nuggets get out here? A laundry basket from brooder to the pen. Now they know what's coming and jump to get in/out.

 

[HowIsItDone]

I just got them out. These pens have tabs to stake them down, so my hubby just did it with tent spikes as it's windy.

I just sprinkle their starter all over the place and put a dish in there as well. You can see their water bottle on the left. The box in there with the rock in it is merely for fun or shelter should I miss that the sun moved and they need shade, etc.

The pen walls are rather dirty but I take a hose to it every so often and they clean right up.

A lot of folks do similar, so I'm sure there are other ideas too. This is just how I've done it and it works well.

Oh, forgot, how do all these little nuggets get out here? A laundry basket from brooder to the pen. Now they know what's coming and jump to get in/out.

View attachment 3864501

I just love that!
Look at how happy they are. Excellent.

I love the water bottle set up too!