What one thing do you find indispensable?

[CyndieRauls]

In all of your experience raising chickens (3 days and counting for me,) what one thing do you find indispensable?

For me, I purchased an inexpensive coffee grinder specifically for chick use... and have used it daily. My chick starter crumbles were a bit too big for the wee ones, so I grind their feed finer and they go bananas for it!

I was looking for other’s nuggets of wisdom and ingenious flock raising hacks.
Thanks in advance.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Dog nail clippers for toenails, and beak trimming when necessary. I use my blender to grind up my chick feed for bantams.

 

[CyndieRauls]

Dog nail clippers for toenails, and beak trimming when necessary. I use my blender to grind up my chick feed for bantams.

That's a great idea!!!

 

[Mrs. K]

Instead of grinding your feed, add a bit of water, about like good sand castle material. Commercial feed can be quite dehydrating, so adding water helps with that. And it kind of keeps them from spill and wasting too much feed.

 

[pozees2]

Something you won't have to worry about for a while, but for me, heated waterers make all the difference. They are a pain in the neck with the extra weight and cords and trying to empty and refill in cold weather, but it beats the heck out of bringing them in every night and knowing unheated water will freeze in a very short time for parts of the winter.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I use gallon garden watering cans to carry out hot water for my critters in the winter. It spills less than a bucket, and is easier to pour. I use rubber pans in winter which I top off with the hot water until they are full, than they get bashed out and I start over.

 

[CyndieRauls]

Instead of grinding your feed, add a bit of water, about like good sand castle material. Commercial feed can be quite dehydrating, so adding water helps with that. And it kind of keeps them from spill and wasting too much feed.

They’re so messy! Ha ha I will try this

 

[CatWhisperer]

Poop boards and automatic chicken doors.

 

[Scissors65]

Poop boards and automatic chicken doors.

I have not figured out how to incorporate poop boards yet, but I totally agree with you about the automatic pop door opener!

 

[Uff Da]

Bird bath heater. I stick it down in a 5 gal bucket with nipple waterers, and it keeps the water unfrozen even when it is subzero. It's not heavy, not bulky, and a 5 gal bucket lasts a long time compared to many heated waterers. I just top it off with a gallon of water from a milk jug every couple of days.