Will I Ever Be Done With The Urge To Buy More Chicken stuff!

[AnneGirlGG]

Welcome! As chicks in the brooder, mine like small chick-size perches/roosting bars and clumps of grass and dirt. I do give them some cat toys (the plastic balls with bells inside, nothing that can be pecked to pieces) which they also enjoy.

Have you looked into Egyptian Fayoumis? I don't personally own any yet, but I plan to next spring. They're a smaller breed, they're good in the heat, resistant to diseases like coccidiosis, they mature fairly early, and they're productive layers. This is based on research because, as I said, I don't own any yet. But we are in a hot and humid climate and have already dealt with coccidiosis after having birds for less than 3 months. So Fayoumis are very appealing to me. My flock is mostly bantams, and since Fayoumis are smaller, i think they'll integrate well.

Best of luck on your chicken journey!

Oh, in the run now, I have an old bird bath that I have a Flock Block treat block on, and they adore that. I also have large sections of trunk from a tree we cut down that they can fly onto and perch on. The only store bought "toy" is a chicken swing that hangs from the ceiling of the covered run. I think it was about $10 and it's worth every dime. They do love it, and watching a chicken swing makes my day. Every single time.

 

[Bsmac]

Hello! Welcome to BYC! Great advice has been given from numerous members! Have fun picking out breeds and best of luck with them when you are able to get them!

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC and good luck establishing your flock.

 

[Vickie9304]

The only toy my chickens ever appreciated was a plastic cylindrical tube that could be filled with mealworms and had slots so the hens could roll it and pick out the treats. However, please see previous posts regarding poop and dust particles.

Hope you enjoy researching breeds over the winter and are able to choose a reasonable number of chicks (few of us show that much restraint!) in the spring.

Welcome to BYC; please let us know when you start your flock!

Thank you for the reply. I will check into that kind of tube. Yes, lots of restraint that I'm telling myself, not yet. LOL. I guess I'm afraid of putting baby chick's out when it could cold. I'm north of DFW, so you never know what this weather will do.
I'm only going to do a few chick's at first, maybe 4? The coup isn't that big. But I see older chickens sleep outside on a tree limb, is that true for all chickens? It's been fun researching and watching You Tube videos about chicken breeds.
I will put a post up when I start, how exciting!

 

[Vickie9304]

Thank you for the reply. I will check into that kind of tube. Yes, lots of restraint that I'm telling myself, not yet. LOL. I guess I'm afraid of putting baby chick's out when it could cold. I'm north of DFW, so you never know what this weather will do.
I'm only going to do a few chick's at first, maybe 4? The coup isn't that big. But I see older chickens sleep outside on a tree limb, is that true for all chickens? It's been fun researching and watching You Tube videos about chicken breeds.
I will put a post up when I start, how exciting!

Also, do you have several of those tubes so they don't fight over it? I bet that's fun to watch. I could stare at my neighbors chickens all day! They come up to me and hoping for food. I do and don't want to throw food their way. LOL

 

[N F C]

Thank you for the reply. I will check into that kind of tube. Yes, lots of restraint that I'm telling myself, not yet. LOL. I guess I'm afraid of putting baby chick's out when it could cold. I'm north of DFW, so you never know what this weather will do.
I'm only going to do a few chick's at first, maybe 4? The coup isn't that big. But I see older chickens sleep outside on a tree limb, is that true for all chickens? It's been fun researching and watching You Tube videos about chicken breeds.
I will put a post up when I start, how exciting!

If chicks don't have a mother hen to keep them warm, you'll have to help them for a few weeks. Their first week they should be kept around 95* and then that can gradually drop by about 5 degrees every week afterward.

Some people use a red heat lamp to keep their chicks warm but those can present a fire hazard. A mama heating pad is safer: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/

 

[GodLovesU]

 

[BoundlessLove]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens!
Sounds like you’ve been given lots of helpful advice and tips.

 

[Vickie9304]

What part of Texas? Do you have any wants in terms of breeds? That will help narrow it down.

I'm sure others will disagree but don't bother with the toys. Focus on what they need first and then see what might be fun. I once put a mirror in the run. They looked at it for about 5 seconds and lost interest. The mirror was covered in dust and poop particles after just one afternoon. They much prefer digging and dust bathing, honestly.

Hi WingItRanch, I should have come up with a cool name myself.
I don't know what kind of chickens I want. I want to produce eggs for my family mainly. I want friendly, and cute chickens. Right now, I'm think no more than 4 at most. Any suggestions? I'm north of DFW TX.

 

[Vickie9304]

If chicks don't have a mother hen to keep them warm, you'll have to help them for a few weeks. Their first week they should be kept around 95* and then that can gradually drop by about 5 degrees every week afterward.

Some people use a red heat lamp to keep their chicks warm but those can present a fire hazard. A mama heating pad is safer: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/

Thank you. That's why I'm waiting until Spring to start. I'll look into a heating pad