Just found out that we will be getting our chicks this week!
I thought it was going to be a dozen or so, but Rich (the chick's grandpa) is very generous and said we are getting 50!!
Yikes!
There will be a variety of breeds and it's a straight run , so we'll need to see who is boys and who is girls!
We mainly want layers, so we'll see about rehoming the boys.
We're clearing out the garage and setting up a large area for them all. I was going to use a really big dog kennel, but with this many we'll have to improvise. The only major concern will be keeping them from being dinner for the cats.
I have a very large child play yard, actually two of them. Bit we'll see is one will do first.
http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog...Affs&cm_cat=k97475&cm_ite=siz panel superyard
We'll put cardboard under, then cover with newspapers (and straw?). The top needs to be covered with wire and we have a red bulb brooder light too. Probably will put cardboard or wire around to keep little heads and puddy paws from going through the panels.
Water and feed containers are already bought, though I need to see what feed to get. I did find two Polish that the boys wanted too, though they will be older. Will that be a problem to house them with the smaller ones? They would be about 7 weeks and these will be about 2 weeks. If there is plenty of food, would that stave off bad behaviors? Rich mentioned a red heat lamp keep them from getting cannibalistic too. Opinions on coffee chaff for chicks?
Any ideas and tips are welcomed! We've had chickens in the past, but they were big pullets, not wee chicks. Thanks!
I thought it was going to be a dozen or so, but Rich (the chick's grandpa) is very generous and said we are getting 50!!
Yikes!
There will be a variety of breeds and it's a straight run , so we'll need to see who is boys and who is girls!
We're clearing out the garage and setting up a large area for them all. I was going to use a really big dog kennel, but with this many we'll have to improvise. The only major concern will be keeping them from being dinner for the cats.
I have a very large child play yard, actually two of them. Bit we'll see is one will do first.
http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog...Affs&cm_cat=k97475&cm_ite=siz panel superyard
We'll put cardboard under, then cover with newspapers (and straw?). The top needs to be covered with wire and we have a red bulb brooder light too. Probably will put cardboard or wire around to keep little heads and puddy paws from going through the panels.
Water and feed containers are already bought, though I need to see what feed to get. I did find two Polish that the boys wanted too, though they will be older. Will that be a problem to house them with the smaller ones? They would be about 7 weeks and these will be about 2 weeks. If there is plenty of food, would that stave off bad behaviors? Rich mentioned a red heat lamp keep them from getting cannibalistic too. Opinions on coffee chaff for chicks?
Any ideas and tips are welcomed! We've had chickens in the past, but they were big pullets, not wee chicks. Thanks!
