Washingtonians

[mikeyb]

Thanks everybody for the comebacks; (my old trucker lingo getting in here). The info and hints and do's,don'ts are very, very helpful.
I'm probably 1 -2 weeks from making the coop and ordering the chicks (or buying locally).
I have space in my garage to raise the chicks. Will the concrete floor present any problems? Should I lay a piece of plywood down? Oh, has anybody have experience using the corrugated paper for a chick pen? Does it work well or are there pitfalls I should look out for?

Mikey

 

[Illia]

Good evening Washingtonians! Today was a beautifully sunny day, a rarity for my tiny town - And the forecast shows that it should be sunny all week and weekend!!

Perfect for Wednesday, when I should be getting some baby Yaks, and tomorrow, when I should be expecting two home-grown chicks to hatch!

I finally got my Black Copper Marans chicks today, they were born yesterday in Gig Harbor from Lyn Apodaca (Lyn, you reading this?

) I ended up getting four instead of the estimated 8 or more, but I'm quite content. The parents were nice, I think my jaw dropped to the sight of the main rooster over the group of girls. They're Bev-Jeane lines, if anyone is curious.

Next stop - Some pure Jeane line Black Copper eggs to pick up on Friday the 26th! . . . A long with a lovely batch of more blue Ameraucana eggs I'm expecting around then.

All the babies are doing fine - I introduced Friday's Ameraucanas I got to our new BC Marans, and they're getting along great. No problems so far.

One thing I noticed though is that Lyn's birds were two to three times as big as mine . . . Even my Brahmas, which is not right! . . . I'm really starting to question hatchery quality birds. Brahmas should be bigger than any other breed she or I raise.

 

[Nyrial]

Quote:
Hey who did you drive for??

I would say the concrete will be cold but give less traction, I don't see why plywood wouldn't be okay, it has good traction and insulates from the floor, but you will want to put something over it like paper towel for the first few days, and then shavings (not cedar!) or pellets or something after that because they'll just fall down and pass out in a pile on the floor. The first time it happened to me I thought they passed out dead.

Corrugated paper or corrugated cardboard? The latter would be too slippery methinks.. I know some people use paper and swear by it, I personally think it's too messy once it gets wet.

 

[Eagle2026]

Quote:
I recommend that you buy locally to help support our local farmers.
I always if possible like to use newspaper for the first week and then switch to white chips.
If you have some linoleum you might want to glue that to the plywood first for easier cleanup later.

Just food for thought,
Mike

 

[Illia]

About the Corrugated Paper - We actually use that as walling for our current and past chicks. We have a slightly covered box with a heat lamp in it, and cut a hole so they can leave the box to the pen of corrugated paper walling. It moves around if not held or fastened of course, but works for now. In a couple days we'll be using a simple, large tub (like a pool or huge tupperware type bin) for them but the corrugated stuff works fine for now.

And yes, please buy chicks locally. Hatcheries are huge businesses, local chicks are from your neighbors who'd actually love and need the support, plus you see and know that they are from healthy birds.

 

[Eagle2026]

This is my favorite setup I have ever had.
Love the tub!!!
Mike

Chick season is upon us

 

[mikeyb]

I drove for several co's. The last was C R England out of Salt Lake City. Spent 16 years with them. Altogether I pounded the highways for 23 years all long haul trucking. Retired 3 1/2 years ago. Nope, don't miss it at all.

Thanks for the tip on the corragated paper needing fastened down to hold the wall in place. Simple things you never think about!

The tubs are a great idea and easily cleaned too I betcha.

Buying locally is an idea that I really like, any info about prices for chicks? Transportation of the little critters?

 

[RonB]

mikeyb
My coop is in the barn I did lay 1/2" plywood down. I am able to get heavy and light cardboard off of the pallets at work. the cardboard is about 3'x3' . I lay that down on the floor and then just throw loose straw or hay on top of that. with TEN chickens I change the hay about every 10-14 days and the cardboard once a month

 

[Illia]

About prices and transportation - A good place to look for chicks for sale is here and Craigslist. When it comes to transporting them, you basically need a good box with newspaper or pine shavings on the bottom with possible food or water. Put the desired chicks in there, and place them in a safe place in your car while you go back home.

I always like to be the passenger, so I can hold the box and get really aqainted with my new babies!

As for prices, chicks vary from $3 to $12 a chick, depending on breed and quality. If you just want layers, you can look or ask around and get some cheap, fair prices. I think that for anyone who lives in the Seattle or Bremerton area is in a good place, because your sellers are close by. People like me, though, drive 5 hours just to pick up some chicks.

Starting March we'll be selling chicks, but since practically noone lives out here and I doubt people are willing to drive this far like we are, we're taking ours to bigger cities to sell for a day. (co-ops, feedstores, etc.)

Eagle2026: Yeah, that's about what we're going to to, except it will be one giant tub.

 

[mikeyb]

Ron B, I assume (there's that word again) your mean slip sheets? (cardboard off the pallets)..Man, what a great idea. Now all I have to do is find a source of used slipsheets and that shouldn't be too difficult.
Great tip Ron, I really appreciate your info.

Just happened to pick up my heatlamp/bulb and thermometer today. Caught them on sale at the hardware store quite by chance. Dang, moving forward with this I guess. I got my plywood on hand (floor) just need to clear some space in my garage and I'll be ready for some chicks very soon.

Coop is still in the planning stage. I have gleaned many good ideas from this forum and searching the internet. The one thing I did find was the pre-made coops look nice but their costs seem really, really high. Oh well, still thinking, dreaming and planning the coop and run. Mikey