Ok, it's the first time I've attempted this raising chicken thing. I've been reading, reading, and searching to find answers to questions I have. Thus far, it seems like someone else has had the same questions as I do.
I've purchased 6 straight run Buff Orphingtons and 6 Rhode Island Red pullets. A coworker is saying I should get an RIR rooster so we can breed it with his Delaware somthing or other and get Sex-link chicks(supposedly something like a RedStar). He has yet to place his order, so I asked him to get me 3 Red Star pullets.
The chicks are in a cardboard box measuring 32" long, 17" wide, and 22" tall. It has one 250W heat lamp with red light. The bottom of the lamp is 14" over the top of the box. I lined the bottom with about an inch of wood shavings. I have a one quart chick waterer and a one quart feeder. I've purchased Dumor chick starter/grower. I gave them water and food such that it was constantly available. Today is the end of their first week here. They are in my living room. The RIR were said to be one week old at the time I got them and the BO were new. These little critters eat and drink ALOT.
My coworker mentioned vitamins in water and medicated feed, so I ran out and got Manapro medicated chick starter and Durvet "vitamin and electrolytes". I had already purchased "chick grit" and it says to use that after two weeks, so that's my plan.
I've learned some already when faced with an issue. I'd purchased a galvanized steel 28 gallon container to keep them in. On the second night they were in my house, I got home to find one of them running my living room...Well, into the larger box they went.
Until today they alternated between running the whole box to huddling under the lamp. Today, however, they seem to be staying out of the light all together. I suppose that I should raise up the lamp if that means that they're too warm.????
I started giving them the Duravet in every third quart of water, and the medicated feed every third quart of feed.
Anyway, that's what I'm doing. Nice to be here. Anyone with comments about what I'm doing should peep(pun intended) right in.
Enjoy.
I've purchased 6 straight run Buff Orphingtons and 6 Rhode Island Red pullets. A coworker is saying I should get an RIR rooster so we can breed it with his Delaware somthing or other and get Sex-link chicks(supposedly something like a RedStar). He has yet to place his order, so I asked him to get me 3 Red Star pullets.
The chicks are in a cardboard box measuring 32" long, 17" wide, and 22" tall. It has one 250W heat lamp with red light. The bottom of the lamp is 14" over the top of the box. I lined the bottom with about an inch of wood shavings. I have a one quart chick waterer and a one quart feeder. I've purchased Dumor chick starter/grower. I gave them water and food such that it was constantly available. Today is the end of their first week here. They are in my living room. The RIR were said to be one week old at the time I got them and the BO were new. These little critters eat and drink ALOT.
My coworker mentioned vitamins in water and medicated feed, so I ran out and got Manapro medicated chick starter and Durvet "vitamin and electrolytes". I had already purchased "chick grit" and it says to use that after two weeks, so that's my plan.
I've learned some already when faced with an issue. I'd purchased a galvanized steel 28 gallon container to keep them in. On the second night they were in my house, I got home to find one of them running my living room...Well, into the larger box they went.
Until today they alternated between running the whole box to huddling under the lamp. Today, however, they seem to be staying out of the light all together. I suppose that I should raise up the lamp if that means that they're too warm.????
I started giving them the Duravet in every third quart of water, and the medicated feed every third quart of feed.
Anyway, that's what I'm doing. Nice to be here. Anyone with comments about what I'm doing should peep(pun intended) right in.
Enjoy.