Tips and tricks?

[Morgan7782]

I have been reading very religiously on this site and others that seem to fit my bill, and I cannot sleep because I am so excited and eager to do this process over again! I had two barred rock chicks I got from the county fair, they ended up being wonderful. Both have passed since, but now I will be getting two new chickies in the end of April. I am getting one EE chick, and one Barred Rock. (EDIT: I will be getting these from a good feed store in Sacramento County. I have been asking around for reccomendations so if anybody here has any for Sacramento area, let me know! If it is even outside of Sacramento please let me know. Good quality chicks and small livestock.) I can't wait! I am working on my coop/run right now, and my goal is to have that finished before I even bring them home. It has been a few years since my last hens were chicks, so any tips or tricks would be helpful. Such as:

Bedding? And what to use around what ages?

Best time (AGE) to let spend the night in the coop outside? (It will be secure and safe)

I will only be getting two chicks, it seemed to work well with my barred rock hens, but is it bad for them to be in such a small 'flock'? I live in an urban area, and two is a just right number. I am sure I can handle three, but how important is quanity for happy mentality?

Best FIRST home? Rubbermaid tub? Cardboard box? Some sort of reptile cage?

Chick Starter? I am looking for something common. The closest feed store only carries medicated chick starter, or organic. No just non medicated starter. Can anybody suggest a good starter?

How common is it for chicks to choke? How can that be prevented?

ANY and all information is great! When I did this the first time it was very casual, learned from ranchers, and truth be told they were "easygoing" in their care of the chickens. Throw some food, and they lived on a ranch free range. Now that I live in an urbanish area, I would like to go about it in a different way.

 

[Crazyland]

I used pine shavings from the start.

We use medicated chick starter. Nutrena

I would say it would depend on the temp for what is best to move outside. I wait till they are 9 weeks old and fully feathered, not needing a heat lamp.

They start out life at my house in a wire dog crate with a sheet wrapped around it. keeps the dust down just a little.

Chicks choking? I don't think you can do anything if they do. I have never seen it though.

Everyone does things in their own way as we all live in different areas. You will have to find what is best in your area.

I have about 30 chickens under 7 months age. numbers go back and forth do to roos and sickness. For everything I have done they still caught Cocci.