So many questions where to start :-D

[janicewisdom]

I am somewhat new to raising chickens.I have had RIR before and it was fairly easy but I want as hands on as I am being with my new chicks.I am the main person that interacts with the four chicks we currently have. I LOVE THIS SITE it had helped me somewhat determine the sex of my chicks. They are three weeks old,I am leaning towards two roos and two hens they are a barred rock and black Australorp mix. Some of the questions I have are: When can I put them outside? Will they need a light/heat lamp? (I live in East Texas so it is not cold at night) I am kind of scared to put them in their coop yet,I don't wantanything to get them. My RIR were almost laying she when my ex husband let them out to free range and then didn't put them up and they never came home. I am going to try and get some Easter Egger chicks today. Do day old chicks need something different from chick starter? I am pretty sure I know this answer, but I can't put the new chicks with my older chicks right? I don't want them to harm them either. I'm sure I can probably find all the answers on the website, I'm just nervous I don't want anything to happen to my little chickies or to the new little chickies. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

 

[MichStep]

I am somewhat new to raising chickens.I have had RIR before and it was fairly easy but I want as hands on as I am being with my new chicks.I am the main person that interacts with the four chicks we currently have. I LOVE THIS SITE it had helped me somewhat determine the sex of my chicks. They are three weeks old,I am leaning towards two roos and two hens they are a barred rock and black Australorp mix. Some of the questions I have are: When can I put them outside? Will they need a light/heat lamp? (I live in East Texas so it is not cold at night) I am kind of scared to put them in their coop yet,I don't wantanything to get them. My RIR were almost laying she when my ex husband let them out to free range and then didn't put them up and they never came home. I am going to try and get some Easter Egger chicks today. Do day old chicks need something different from chick starter? I am pretty sure I know this answer, but I can't put the new chicks with my older chicks right? I don't want them to harm them either. I'm sure I can probably find all the answers on the website, I'm just nervous I don't want anything to happen to my little chickies or to the new little chickies. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

Welcome to Back Yard Chickens!!!
I have heard of medicated feed but I don't use that I just give them the starter and no I wouldn't put really young chicks with really old chicks but my friend done that this year he put his chicks with his juners and it worked out fine so I guess it is what you are comfortable with doing.

 

[MichStep]

Also if you put your younger chicks with the older chicks watch them for a while and see if they get along if so then cool if not then take them out the little ones can get easaly over powered and die.

 

[janicewisdom]

Thank you. I will try them together and watch them if it works out good that will be awesome. I have four chicks now if I get 5 more how many nesting boxes should I have. I have four in the coop right now.

 

[MichStep]

Thank you. I will try them together and watch them if it works out good that will be awesome. I have four chicks now if I get 5 more how many nesting boxes should I have. I have four in the coop right now.

OK I have 17 laying hens right now and I have 7 nesting boxes but they have only ever have used 2 of them.

 

[MichStep]

Also your welcome and hope every thing works!

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree 2 nesting boxes, and don't be surprised if they all use one.

Wait two weeks with the babies, then try....... day old chicks are rather fragile, but toughen up quickly. As stated, might get lucky, might not.

I would use chick starter on all, and I have used both the medicated and non medicated..... depending on what I can get.

Feathered birds can keep them selves warm unless even when young, unless it is extremely cold, they should not need extra heat...... but I am assuming you have them under a heat lamp now, so ween them off a little at a time. Put your lamp so as the birds can go under it, or get away from it as they want. Every day, move the lamp higher, further away from the chicks, after two or three days turn off the lamp during the daytime, then turn off at night.

If the chicks peep incessantly, they are probably too cold. Once I took mine to summer camp in air conditioning, and they were peeping like mad, when I went home, we got into a hot car, and they all laid down and went to sleep! haha

Good luck,

Mrs K

 

[One Chick Two]

Right now, we have been integrating many ages of many different hatches together. At least, so far, all the different ages (smallest in different brooders, or grow out pen areas for juvies, have been working out well. (About 50 chicks/ juvies juggled in different areas for different stages of growth.) The older chicks seem to take care of the younger chicks. The reason they may be getting along may be from all of the constant socialization.

With the juvies, we now have them living in a fully protected pen quarters, with more protection from the elements than older juvies or adults. We have had ravens kill some of our good-sized, 2 month old pullets before while (supervised) free ranging, so now we don't let any join our adult free ranger flock until they have plenty of weight, also so they will not be badly bullied by older chickens. That said, last Xmas, we had a raven swoop down, and nearly kill our biggest cockerel who was 7 1/2 lbs (at the time) during supervised free ranging time. (He lost sight in one eye.) So you have to be aware, predators can always be an issue.

 

[6of6chicks]

Some of the questions I have are: When can I put them outside? Will they need a light/heat lamp? (I live in East Texas so it is not cold at night) I am kind of scared to put them in their coop yet,I don't wantanything to get them.

I'm in southeast Texas - Gulf Coast Region - and I put my two week old chicks in their outside coop a month ago. I closed up all the windows/vents at night except for one strip of ventilation across the top and ran an extension cord to put the brooder lamp in the coop. At the time I put them out there the overnight temps were just above 70 and daytime highs were mid 80s. I think they actually got too hot with the brooder lamp. I never once saw them huddled under it and they usually slept on the other side of the coop away from the lamp. So I only kept it in there for two weeks - the first week 24/7 and the next week only at night. It's so warm where I live that it just wasn't necessary.

I was worried about them too - these are my first chicks! I was probably obsessive about going out there and playing with them during the day and checking on them in the middle of the night. I had one predator (raccoon, I think) try to chew through the coop doors but wasn't able to get in. That made me worry, so I added another layer of hardware cloth everywhere. So far nothing else has tried to get in (that I'm aware of) and my girls are thriving.

 

[janicewisdom]

I spoke with the person I'm purchasing the chicks from and the chicks aren't going to be a day old he timed the hatching wrong so I'm getting four 2 week old Ameraucana chicks. I'MSOHAPPY THESE ARE THE CHICKS I'VE ALWAYS WANTED.