The Front Porch Swing

[Beekissed]

Just putting in my order for chicks... this will be our first time brooding... They should arrive mid-end June. I am planning to put them in a large rubbermaid container with a heat lamp, wood shavings, and fermented feed... Should I be vaccinating them? Medicating feed? Finding an healthy broody hen or 5? (getting 50 chicks)

Any suggestions (or pointers to the best place to look - there's so many I am rather drowning in information on simple and effective!)

I think you may rethink the Rubbermaid container with that many chicks...they'll need more room than any tote size that I've seen...even the large stock tanks are only enough room for them for a few weeks and then they need OUT of that confined space to get air, leg room, running room, etc. For larger batches of chicks I just use hay bales for walls on a brooder and that way I can adjust it out when they grow out of the smaller space or just build it big in the first place. That way you can brood them right in your coop and they are living and forming immunities to the same place they will be residing.

I've never vaccinated or fed medicated feeds but others do, so that's a personal choice...the reasons why or why not are too long to list and discuss here, of course. If you can get your hands one some broody hens, two would do the trick and that would be ideal...but good luck with that little endeavor...that's like finding gold at the end of the rainbow!

Just keep asking questions here and the many folks who do chicks will chime in and give you some good pointers on it all and maybe some good links that will help you.

 

[TexasLisa]

I can't possibly keep up tonight...so many posts!

Know that I always keep you all and your families in my thoughts and prayers, through good times and bad....I promise I'll read up tomorrow and catch up on the latest. In the meantime Little Diane and Dustin's vacation just keeps getting better and better!











The first time Little Diane, Jamie and Austin came out to Wyoming to visit us she was was only 3 years old. We took the kids to Yellowstone and Little Diane fell in love with one spot - LeHardy Rapids. We had the worst time keeping her away from the rushing water, and an even harder time getting her back in the car. And every visit from then on, and then when she came out to live with us, that was "her place." So after she went to bed last night, Dustin, Ken and I sat up talking. Dustin had come to us and asked us where her favorite place in Yellowstone is. He said he'd planned to propose to her when they got back to South Dakota but when he saw how happy she was to be "home" he knew it had to be here. But he didn't have a ring yet. I did. I had Ken's mother's wedding ring, and I was instructed to see to it that my oldest granddaughter was given that ring when she married - not necessarily as a wedding ring but as a symbol of a lasting marriage. So Dustin proposed to our granddaughter with her great- grandmother's ring. Oh, she said "yes!"

I can't stop grinning!

That is so sweet! I was thinking you were coming home with a bear cub!!

Lisa

 

[bruceha2000]

I've been meaning to post some pics of the chicks I acquired within the last couple of weeks, but just haven't had the time to do so. A couple weekends ago I acquired a bunch of chicks - all between the ages of 1.5 to 2.5 weeks of age. I ended up getting 6 BA's (that are from show quality birds), 6 SLW's, 3 Buff Orps, 3 Blue/Black Splash Orps, 5 Blue Laced Red Wyandottes and 2 Bantam Cochin Frizzles. I'm planning to start a breeding program with the SLW's, BA's and BCM's within the next year or two - we shall see how it all works out

I've also been doing some coop renos in the form of an addition to my existing coop; I'm adding a 5'x5' extension. - all materials are recycled with the exception of 2 sheets of "smart board" used on the walls. I hope to have it competed by this weekend so I can move the chicks in by next week. Still need to add windows, a door, nest boxes and roosts !



One more thing... Picked up a breeding trio, plus one, of Bantam Cochin Frizzles (and smooth hens) - they are all just over a year old. The two BCM chicks I have are off-spring from these guys. One question though if any of you can help; one of the hens has a bald head which I'm assuming is a result of the rooster mating with her so much and the other has a really bald butt at the moment. Any idea what I can do to promote feather growth for these two ? They do not have mites or anything if the such so I know the missing rear-end feathers are not a result of that.

Geez, looks like it is time for an addition to the addition and the first isn't even finished yet!

Just putting in my order for chicks... this will be our first time brooding... They should arrive mid-end June. I am planning to put them in a large rubbermaid container with a heat lamp, wood shavings, and fermented feed... Should I be vaccinating them? Medicating feed? Finding an healthy broody hen or 5? (getting 50 chicks)

Any suggestions (or pointers to the best place to look - there's so many I am rather drowning in information on simple and effective!)

What Bee said!!!

50 chicks in a plastic storage container? I had 12 in a bathtub. PLENTY of room for a couple of weeks, then they had enough room and wouldn't even stay in the tub by 4 weeks. Good thing it was mid July by then and warm enough out in the coop. I don't think 50 would have fit in the tub more than a few days, they grow FAST. Plus, you will need more than 1 feeder and waterer for so many, that much 'floor' space used up.

I did not do vaccine or medicated feed. Only 'medical' issue was a couple with pasty butt that needed to be cleaned.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

I can't possibly keep up tonight...so many posts! Know that I always keep you all and your families in my thoughts and prayers, through good times and bad....I promise I'll read up tomorrow and catch up on the latest. In the meantime Little Diane and Dustin's vacation just keeps getting better and better! The first time Little Diane, Jamie and Austin came out to Wyoming to visit us she was was only 3 years old. We took the kids to Yellowstone and Little Diane fell in love with one spot - LeHardy Rapids. We had the worst time keeping her away from the rushing water, and an even harder time getting her back in the car. And every visit from then on, and then when she came out to live with us, that was "her place." So after she went to bed last night, Dustin, Ken and I sat up talking. Dustin had come to us and asked us where her favorite place in Yellowstone is. He said he'd planned to propose to her when they got back to South Dakota but when he saw how happy she was to be "home" he knew it had to be here. But he didn't have a ring yet. I did. I had Ken's mother's wedding ring, and I was instructed to see to it that my oldest granddaughter was given that ring when she married - not necessarily as a wedding ring but as a symbol of a lasting marriage. So Dustin proposed to our granddaughter with her great- grandmother's ring. Oh, she said "yes!" I can't stop grinning! e

Congratulations!!!! What beautiful photos of their special moment. So touched we got to see it. Thanks!!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I'm going to third the idea that totes will be tough with that many chicks.

If you have 5 broodies to have parent them, that's the easiest for sure.

I have a flexible space inside the smaller coop (10' x 22' coop) where I set up a couple pieces of plywood in a corner, but open to the coop. The heat lamps can hang above that ... Food & water closer to the open end. The chicks can explore as far as they want ... The coop also has a nice run.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Here's a good one. A little bit of sharp witted Porch Swing advice could be useful.

My friend is a house cleaner ... she is single, 50, female. Her first husband was an abusive jerk (like her father was), and her second (fabulous) husband JUST died unexpectedly about a year ago (they'd only been married for about a year). One of my friend's male clients likes to ask her "So, are you dating yet?" This really upsets my friend, but she is so deferential to jerky men that she says nothing. She doesn't quit because she needs the money.

Dear Porchers ... What might she say to him? I'm curious to read what you guys might suggest.

 

[enola]

Tell her to smile ear to ear and say sweetly, " I will let you know when I am ready to date. Don't call me......I will call you!"

If it was him asking me, I would just tell him none of his **** business! (As my daughter would say......I am the queen of tactlessness)

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

Those are some really sturdy looking chicks, WBF!  I can't wait to see those BAs as adults...they are one of my favorite breeds and I've never seen show quality BAs in a flock, so I know they will be some kind of special.  You'll have to let me know if they perform as well as hatchery stock BAs in their laying, hardiness, and feed efficiency.  They would be my second choice for breeding stock if I were going to focus on breeding an extra breed than the WRs. 


You should have posted about your coop tweak in the coop tweak thread!  We love to see redos on there and it gives us good ideas....particularly if one is using recycled or repurposed materials...those are the best! 

Thanks, Bee ! I'll be posting my coop renos on that thread as soon as it's all complete ! Stay tuned

 

[sarahsunshine]

I think you may rethink the Rubbermaid container with that many chicks...they'll need more room than any tote size that I've seen...even the large stock tanks are only enough room for them for a few weeks and then they need OUT of that confined space to get air, leg room, running room, etc. For larger batches of chicks I just use hay bales for walls on a brooder and that way I can adjust it out when they grow out of the smaller space or just build it big in the first place. That way you can brood them right in your coop and they are living and forming immunities to the same place they will be residing.

I've never vaccinated or fed medicated feeds but others do, so that's a personal choice...the reasons why or why not are too long to list and discuss here, of course. If you can get your hands one some broody hens, two would do the trick and that would be ideal...but good luck with that little endeavor...that's like finding gold at the end of the rainbow!

Just keep asking questions here and the many folks who do chicks will chime in and give you some good pointers on it all and maybe some good links that will help you.

Thank you!

Our coop isn't big enough, nor does it have power, so that is out! I am hoping to have them in rubbermaids inside for a couple weeks, and then split them up. Some are meat birds and will be growing quickly, and it will be hot summer (well hot on a coastal island in southern Canada), so I hope to get those outside at 3-4 weeks in a chicken tractor. The others I can probably get out in the coop at that time I'm guessing where they will be more protected.

Do you think a dog bed warmer is enough for heat? I guess I should get the thermometer out!

You know, I may be able to find a broody hen or two! I know where to find some, but I wasn't planning to be there. Now, I may be! Definitely requires thought! If I got 2 broodies, do you think I could put 25 eggs under each, keep them in a dog kennel in a chicken tractor, and they should be OK?

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Thank you!

Our coop isn't big enough, nor does it have power, so that is out! I am hoping to have them in rubbermaids inside for a couple weeks, and then split them up. Some are meat birds and will be growing quickly, and it will be hot summer (well hot on a coastal island in southern Canada), so I hope to get those outside at 3-4 weeks in a chicken tractor. The others I can probably get out in the coop at that time I'm guessing where they will be more protected.

Do you think a dog bed warmer is enough for heat? I guess I should get the thermometer out!

You know, I may be able to find a broody hen or two! I know where to find some, but I wasn't planning to be there. Now, I may be! Definitely requires thought! If I got 2 broodies, do you think I could put 25 eggs under each, keep them in a dog kennel in a chicken tractor, and they should be OK?

I had 10 meat birds in the biggest rubbermaid container I could find. They barely fit with room for feed & water. In that little space, they are just too good at spilling the water and they can't really run around enough (IMO) to properly develop their muscles. You can maybe solve the water spilling problem by using a nipple waterer, but finding ways to hang those can be a pain.

Meat birds grow at a mind-boggling rate. Even the first week. The more space you can give the birds, the better. It is also "easier" to regulate temperatures if you have a heat source in one spot, with unheated space around it so the chicks can pick their spot. You will be amazed at how "cold" a chick can get, and how long they are willing to stay cold, and still be happy ... as long as they can warm up when they want to.

Our one Freedom Hen incubated 19 eggs, 18 hatched, 17 are still running around. She is not a big hen. I've tried to squeeze more eggs under bigger hens, but they weren't covered well enough to hatch right. With the Freedom Hen It wasn't too long before the volume of Freedom Mutt chicks exceeded the volume of hen. By about week 3, she wasn't covering the chicks at night, but she does still "mother" them during the day a bit (not so much now because they are off in all directions all day, they are about a month old now). In the breeder coop, the one foster broody that hatched out 10 Delawares at the same time the Freedom Mutts hatched (29th of April) ... she is also not covering the chicks at night, though they have less feathering than the Mutts of the same age. Both batches of chicks sleep in a pile on the floor of a unheated coops. But then they were incubated under broodies who were housed out there, too. So they are used to the temperatures here. We have open sides on our coop unless it is really blowing, snowing, or SUPER cold (we are in Oregon, so our version of super cold is relative -- we had a week in the teens this past winter, that was cold).

What you could maybe do is set up a protected area right near the house, enclosed on one end with the heat lamps, etc. and open on the other. That way you could provide more space and the electricity to run the heaters. Just make sure the space where they sleep is dry and predator proof.

If I don't have a broody, I use heat lamps ... other people prefer other heat sources. I don't worry about temperatures too much unless the space is very enclosed.