Spring 2011 RAISE-A-LONG!

[trailgurl]

Hey, I just got some chickies- 1 RIR and 1 Barred rock-and 10 more bantam cochin chicks on the way!!

 

[foREVer]

Quote:
Yay! Make sure to post pics when you can!!

 

[foREVer]

Have any of you guys used pellet bedding before? My chickies keep getting their wood shaving bedding in thrie waterer and feeder, and I was wondering if switching to pellets would stop that.

 

[happyhensny]

Quote:
How would you clean the pellets? I thought about it just beacuse of the dust. Brooder in the house.

But, I can do "end of spring hatching cleaning" for the dust, I couldn't handle stinkiness though.

 

[foREVer]

Quote:
How would you clean the pellets? I thought about it just beacuse of the dust. Brooder in the house.

But, I can do "end of spring hatching cleaning" for the dust, I couldn't handle stinkiness though.

Well, I plan on cleaning it by just getting rid of the dirty dust/pellets with a cat litter scooper, and when it needs to be replaced completely, just dump it in the manure pile. Supposedly the pellets are supposed to cut down on smell by a LOT.

My brooder is a kid's playpen my neighbor gave to us, and it is located in our garage.

 

[suzeqf]

I'm in week two of chick ownership and so far all my chicks are healthy and happy I've got 12 and 6 are around 3 weeks old and 6 are around 2 weeks but they aren't to crazy about all the wind we've been having lately especially when it rattles the fiberglass wall of the shop and most of them have started eating out of my hand even my shy teeny tiny little banty hen. My "big" girls which are supposed to be sex link reds are getting their feathers and Tink my biggest girl has taken up with my smallest banty if Teeny peeps Tink comes running it's so cute.

 

[BrynnRDH]

Well I went to a chick class at the feed store last night and ended up coming home with a Golden Laced Wyandotte chick and a bantam chick! That brings my total up to 5. The new chicks can almost walk underneath the two week old chicks and the little bantam keeps trying to snuggle up under our Speckled Sussex like she thinks it's her mama! So cute!

 

[suzeqf]

Teeny snuggles up with Tink or whoever is laying down it's so cute

 

[trailgurl]

here are pics of my chickies:

Betty Jane

and we haven't named her yet:/
sorry for the blurry-ness

 

[zookyla]

Thought I would join in on the Raise-A-Long.

I picked up 6 pullet chicks from Tractor Supply last Wednesday. 4 were from the assorted Red tub and the two from just a hatchery choice assorted tub. Then on Saturday, I picked up 6 straight run chicks from a private breeder I found on Craigslist. 3 are Wheaten Ameraucanas and 3 are Olive Eggers. I'm hoping most of them are pullets so I don't have to rehome a bunch of roosters. ;-) My husband wouldn't let me keep them in the house, concerned about fire with the heat lamp, so they are staying in our storage room. I'm using a 50 gallon Rubbermaid tub for a brooder. I also have a second one set up for when I need to start splitting the group up.

I took this pic a few days ago while cleaning their brooder.

All the little fuzzy butts after I put them back.

I am currently feeding them Manna Pro Medicated Chick Starter. How long do most of you keep your chicks on the medicated starter? I was thinking about switching to regular after this bag is gone.

Also I was wondering about putting a little Apple Cider Vinegar in their water? I do it with my older hens but wasn't sure if I could start putting it in the chick water yet.

I look forward to reading everyone's posts about their chicks. It's my first time raising chicks as my 3 hens were young pullets when I got them. I really enjoy watching their antics! I want to get more but my husband cut me off until we get the addition built on our coop.