Spring 2017 first timers post!

[Lamaremybabies]

 Hey ya! First Timer getting ready to place my order for my chicks this spring! 

I've already decided on Silver Laced Wyandottes as my main birds, not sure if I want to also get some Golden Laced or maybe some Blue Laced Red (However it'll be after May when I get my chicks if I do get the Blue Laced Red since my local Feed Mill that I'll be ordering from won't have them in till then.) 

My Boyfriend, Keith, and I are starting to work on the chicken coop and run. So far we got a really old busted up chicken coop and run for free that I found on Facebook, we're gonna salvage what we can from all of that and then build it up from there. We're planning on making it big enough for about 20 chickens so hopefully we won't have too much trouble with all the math. 

Now I've been thinking about my hen to roo ratio, and Keith's been saying you want 15-20 hens per 1 rooster. Would that work or should I have a second rooster just in case? 

15-20 hens and one rooster is fine you could do two if you'd like but one will definitely get the job done.

 

[fangedknight]

15-20 hens and one rooster is fine you could do two if you'd like but one will definitely get the job done.

Awesome! I just got back from the feed mill and placed my order. 20 chicks, 9 SLW hens and 1 SLW Rooster, 9 GLW hens and 1 GLW Rooster!

I hope Keith doesn't kill me when I tell him, oops. We also got a 100gal stock tub to start them out in for the first few weeks, and just need to find my heat lamp (get a bulb for it) and then I'll get the rest of the stuff when I pick them up! Good old store specials!

 

[mcclucker]

Wyandotte roosters are really beautiful. I had one (a surprise rooster) and was a good looking dude. You will have some beautiful chickens!

So my local forum post to ask to combine orders with my neighbors has gotten pretty out of control! I'm going to get 2 dozen chicks in the mail!

 

[fangedknight]

Wyandotte roosters are really beautiful. I had one (a surprise rooster) and was a good looking dude. You will have some beautiful chickens!

So my local forum post to ask to combine orders with my neighbors has gotten pretty out of control! I'm going to get 2 dozen chicks in the mail!

I can't wait to get everything built and ready for the babies to show up! I love how beautiful the laced Wyandottes are so I'm super excited. Holy hand grenades! And I thought me getting 20 chicks was a lot!

 

[Lamaremybabies]

Awesome! I just got back from the feed mill and placed my order. 20 chicks, 9 SLW hens and 1 SLW Rooster, 9 GLW hens and 1 GLW Rooster!

I hope Keith doesn't kill me when I tell him, oops. We also got a 100gal stock tub to start them out in for the first few weeks, and just need to find my heat lamp (get a bulb for it) and then I'll get the rest of the stuff when I pick them up! Good old store specials!

Oh, how eggciting! I just love little chickies. You'll have a gorgeous flock that's for sure! I can't imagine 20 chicks at once... I'm getting 5 chicks and my first batch last year was 6. Although you have to keep in mind that there's a high chance you'll end up with 17-18 in the end. :/ one of the sad parts of raising chicks..

 

[fangedknight]

Oh, how eggciting! I just love little chickies. You'll have a gorgeous flock that's for sure! I can't imagine 20 chicks at once... I'm getting 5 chicks and my first batch last year was 6. Although you have to keep in mind that there's a high chance you'll end up with 17-18 in the end. :/ one of the sad parts of raising chicks..

Yiss we shall! There will be lots of pictures once we get the coop built and the babies arrive. Annnddd yeeeaaahhh... one of the reasons I wanted to get 20 was just in case we lost a few. I'm hoping we won't but I'll at least try to be prepared for it if it happens. But we're still gonna have a whole lot which is a good thing!

 

[Lamaremybabies]

Yiss we shall! There will be lots of pictures once we get the coop built and the babies arrive. Annnddd yeeeaaahhh... one of the reasons I wanted to get 20 was just in case we lost a few. I'm hoping we won't but I'll at least try to be prepared for it if it happens. But we're still gonna have a whole lot which is a good thing!

That's good! Can't wait for chickie pictures!!!

 

[fangedknight]

Me either!

 

[Ciao]

New member here and I have 15 banty ee chicks coming in this week. Currently setting up my brooder. Any advice is welcomed.

 

[KABerries]

It is day 4 with our "girls" and I am so amused by them. They still get skitterish when we go to pick them up, but they are getting friendlier bit by bit. Once I'm there talking to them for a few minutes, they get curious and move toward me and I swear they look so attentively at me as I chat with them. One already has some cute little tail feather sprouting - she's also the one with the longest wing feathers. And one of them has darker colors (almost stripes) down its back. A few of them have even started flapping their little wings. So fun!


(t=They like to move as a little herd.)


(When I first approach, they often give me the backside...)


(The darker-colored chick. Hopefully not a cockerel.)


(Longer wing feathers, some little tail sprouts, and even a few coarser bits mid back between her wings.)