EarthToWitness
Chirping
Hi guys,
New owner here with ten 2 week old baby chicks.
They’re supposedly Rhode Island Reds and white leghorns, all layers but “no guarantees”.
Tonight they are finally in a suitable enclosure. Omg. I started with a chicken transporter (fold up metal cage thing), and EVERYTHING went wrong. They would escape through the holes, peck at and try to eat the crafting fabric I wove around the bottom rows to keep them in, and then they scratched up all the bedding and started at the insulation we fit to the bottom too!!
I was in a pretty good panic, having NO back up plan. I was sweating and on my own for this. I racked my brain for anything I’d read, or watched, or heard from farmers or even anyone else, that might help me relocate them immediately.
The tub. The TUB! They loved that. I did too. But it’s a shared house here so the move wasn’t over. Less panicked but still fairly stressed, I was pleased to find that a pet carrier is actually a very appropriate enclosure. What a relief. Safe and sound for the night.
That was 2 nights ago. They looked pretty cramped in there today, so I found a large dog crate/carrier for cheap and picked it up, braving bad weather conditions for an hour, in the dark, because I couldn’t stand to see them restless like that for one more night.
So all in all I think things are going well. They are 9 days old, healthy, using a 1 gal waterer with marbles and for now just a plate with medicated starter. 175w red bulb between the carrier and window in my bedroom. Not great I realize, but it works. They’re at 80-83 degrees.
Me: 29yo female, Registered Nurse, Ontario. Other hobbies: volunteering at hobby farm, nature walks/feeding birds, meditation, yoga.
Thanks for reading, I know it was quite long. But I think it really just shows what we all go through at first. Nerves, lots of work, and true love.
Danielle
New owner here with ten 2 week old baby chicks.
They’re supposedly Rhode Island Reds and white leghorns, all layers but “no guarantees”.
Tonight they are finally in a suitable enclosure. Omg. I started with a chicken transporter (fold up metal cage thing), and EVERYTHING went wrong. They would escape through the holes, peck at and try to eat the crafting fabric I wove around the bottom rows to keep them in, and then they scratched up all the bedding and started at the insulation we fit to the bottom too!!
I was in a pretty good panic, having NO back up plan. I was sweating and on my own for this. I racked my brain for anything I’d read, or watched, or heard from farmers or even anyone else, that might help me relocate them immediately.
The tub. The TUB! They loved that. I did too. But it’s a shared house here so the move wasn’t over. Less panicked but still fairly stressed, I was pleased to find that a pet carrier is actually a very appropriate enclosure. What a relief. Safe and sound for the night.
That was 2 nights ago. They looked pretty cramped in there today, so I found a large dog crate/carrier for cheap and picked it up, braving bad weather conditions for an hour, in the dark, because I couldn’t stand to see them restless like that for one more night.
So all in all I think things are going well. They are 9 days old, healthy, using a 1 gal waterer with marbles and for now just a plate with medicated starter. 175w red bulb between the carrier and window in my bedroom. Not great I realize, but it works. They’re at 80-83 degrees.
Me: 29yo female, Registered Nurse, Ontario. Other hobbies: volunteering at hobby farm, nature walks/feeding birds, meditation, yoga.
Thanks for reading, I know it was quite long. But I think it really just shows what we all go through at first. Nerves, lots of work, and true love.
Danielle
Welcome!
. Danielle you are now a fully accredited member of Backyard chickens.
Congratulations
