So we have 25 chicks coming. School me.

[bearz]

My 8 yr old inherited his grandma's chicken business when she died this spring. He is doing great and taking great pride in bringing me eggs to eat and eggs to hatch every day.

Since he has been taking such good care of them I decided to let him order some day old baby chicks. They will be here Monday and the chicks in the incubator will hatch a week later.

So, give me some ideas. We havea 16 x 24 chicken coop, new and predator safe, but I'm thinking that for the first week or 2 we should keep them in the house, just because I want them to imprint on him and get used to him. He ordered the colorful egg laying mix since he loves brown eggs the best and thinks it will be fun to have different colors. We currently have silkies and red bantam cochins.

We have a brooder but its really not something I want to bring in our house so I'm thinking maybe an aquarium? We have an extra we can clean out and put shavings in and he has already rigged up a light to put over the top. Will that be OK for a week or so? Then what do I do with them? I'm so new to this. We have one baby chick that hatched under a broody hen. Its about 3 weeks old and we just left it with the hen and its fine. Has the run of the coop but goes back to mama whenever we come in. Can I give the other chicks run of the coop after a few weeks. Its so warm in WI this time of year that I'm sure the coop was at least 80 or so today.

 

[Eggseronious]

I keep my fresh hatched chicks in the house for the first week then they have to go elsewhere, coop, shed, garage, barn, because the stink gets a bit loud. One must remember that these chicks grow fast, very fast. When they arrive I would have something in the order of 2' X 3' for 25 chicks. (remember they grow fast) Get a thermometer and place it about the height of the chicks. Thermometer is a chicks best friend. Keep the temps around 95* for the first week then lower it 5* per week. Its hard to adjust the temps if the room is not stable, then you will need a bigger box so if the temps are too high the chicks can get away from the higher temps. You will need a chick starter/medicated for shipped chicks of about 20% protein, also they will need water, and some type of bedding, paper towels is ok I like to sprinkle the feed on the paper towels the first day or so. I use a 40 watt bulb for chicks in the house where its around 72*

Im sure I have forgot something. But that should cover the bases.

 

[bearz]

Thanks so much. I have all of that, including the chick starter, so I'm ready to go. I think, with the heat, instead of putting them in the incubator during the day I'll try a big box have with the light above it.

 

[chickiebaby]

congrats to you for letting your kids set up in business. My nine year old runs a lot of the operation around here and she makes a decent chunk of change to. The chickens are completely her reason for living right now and she's covered her room in dog pics and chicken pics.

She is super competent and responsible, perhaps because of being treated like she is capable. Kids d rise to the occasion. Send us some pics of your little guy with his chicks, if you feel like it. It occurs to me that I've never sent in mine, now that I think of it. Bwtter take my own advice ans share some too!

Great good luck to you and the little guy.