What all Should I buy to prepare for chicks?

[Xelajason]

My fiance and I will be getting chicks from Meyer Hatchery soon I am soo excited But before I order I would Like to get an idea of all I need so I am trying to make a checklist of things I should Buy before I Order them.. I have already Got some Untreated wood to start bulding a coop. & I have the makings of a brooder.. Not sure what kind of bulb to get for the lamp. I plan On going to TSC here in the next week though.. I am new to BYC so hello everyone sorry for ranting Im just to darn excited.. Grew up around chickens.. But These will be the first chickens of my own.

 

[Angiebubs]

Xela: For the new chicks: brooder, red heat bulb, heat lamp (the kind that have a heat reflector-looks like the collars they put around a dog neck), thermometer, pine shavings, chick waterer, and feeder, chick starter feed (medicated or unmedicated) and maybe some chick vitamins.

For older: coop, waterer (I prefer the 5 gal plastic) feeder, oyster shell, grit if no outside dirt access, pine shavings, something to roost on (2 x 4s) and nestboxes.

TSC or Fleet farm will have all of these and will be able to help you find the right ones for chickens.

Good luck!

 

[Tamma]

I have 5 polish chicks 1 week old. My first chicks (red sex link) were on pine shavings with no problems. But these polish started eating the shavings immediately. They are just on paper towels right now and I'm trying to decide what to try next, cut hay... wood pellets... sand... I don't know, but I'm going to keep them on paper towels another week so they can really learn what food is. Just my experience...

 

[Xelajason]

I have the brooder set up and ready to go. We should be getting our chicks in the mail any day now. We went thru meyer hatchery and I ordered 2 easter eggers, 15 leann adopt me bargain, 1 meyer meal maker, and 1 free chick Cannot wait to see what we get. I bought everything Suggested we ended up going with non medicated feed. Gonna start out with paper towels and non skid in the bottom of the brooder. Then to flake pine after the first week or so. Cant wait

 

[NovaAman]

Be prepared with save a chick in the water from the get go. Call you post office let them know you expecting them, maybe even go pick the up yourself from the depot. Watch the tracking on them too, so you know where they are from the moment you are told they are shipped. There are shipping Yay! They made it, and shipping horror stories. Be prepared for horror stories. Do everything YOU can like even picking them up even if its from a central hub point two hours away. Sometimes that 2 hours away can turn into a day for the chicks, or more if its a Saturday.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

The learning curve is very steep. Really chickens are the easiest pet/livestock to keep. It's all common sense and paying attention to their behavior, not what you think they need but what they tell you they need. Some heat coops and likely do leg massage for their chickens and others just let them be chickens but all enjoy the experience.

Have fun with it.

 

[debid]

How many chicks and how are you brooding them? I can't tell you how many times newbies choose too small of a brooder and too hot of a lamp. The second most common newbie mistake is ordering chicks before starting coop construction. If the coop isn't nearly finished when the chicks arrive, you may be one of those with grown chickens in their bathroom because watching chicks is SO highly addictive that construction tends to slow to a crawl once they arrive.

 

[acemario]

I have 5 polish chicks 1 week old. My first chicks (red sex link) were on pine shavings with no problems. But these polish started eating the shavings immediately. They are just on paper towels right now and I'm trying to decide what to try next, cut hay... wood pellets... sand... I don't know, but I'm going to keep them on paper towels another week so they can really learn what food is. Just my experience...

I used shredded newspaper, it worked great!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have my babies on newspaper, not the shiney stuff, and I put homemade chick sized quilts on a little cigar box under the light. they love it.

 

[TexasLisa]

I have my babies on newspaper, not the shiney stuff, and I put homemade chick sized quilts on a little cigar box under the light. they love it.

Hi Gimmie! What kind of chicks are those in the bottom picture? TSC had those for sale.

Thanks!

Lisa