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Posted: 8/8/2017 11:12:21 PM EDT
[#1]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Weve got chicks! All seemed to have made the ride so far. Busy getting them settled in and comfy https://s5.postimg.org/3x4mlqwnb/chicks1.jpg https://s5.postimg.org/4y09x4o93/chicks2.jpg https://s5.postimg.org/k5g9hhg3r/chicks3.jpg 
Ain't nuthin' cuter than baby chicks. A bale of cedar chips or the "sawdust chips" that come in bales will do good for you and make cleanup less frequent and easier. Plus as they grow a little they'll learn to scratch around and that'll be fun for them. I personally think cedar is beneficial, but there are those who take issue with that. |
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Posted: 8/9/2017 9:34:55 AM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Ain't nuthin' cuter than baby chicks. A bale of cedar chips or the "sawdust chips" that come in bales will do good for you and make cleanup less frequent and easier. Plus as they grow a little they'll learn to scratch around and that'll be fun for them. I personally think cedar is beneficial, but there are those who take issue with that. |
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Posted: 8/9/2017 9:35:10 AM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I personally think cedar is beneficial, but there are those who take issue with that. |
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Posted: 8/9/2017 3:06:04 PM EDT
[#4]
Im having trouble regulating the temp in the brooder. Its been in the 80s and ambient air in the barn is already in the 90s. With the 250w bulb it doesnt take much to overheat them. Ive raised the bulb up and will see how that goes. I go back to work all day tomorrow so Im worried the wife wont baby them like Ive been doing
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Posted: 8/10/2017 10:24:16 AM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Im having trouble regulating the temp in the brooder. Its been in the 80s and ambient air in the barn is already in the 90s. With the 250w bulb it doesnt take much to overheat them. Ive raised the bulb up and will see how that goes. I go back to work all day tomorrow so Im worried the wife wont baby them like Ive been doing With those types of temps, I would certainly drop down to a 125 or less watt red bulb, and make sure its completely over on only half of the brooder so the chicks can self-regulate their temp. You can cook them, so be observant. They will tell you if they are too hot or cold. |
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Posted: 8/10/2017 4:47:52 PM EDT
[#6]
I may have to do that during the day and switch to the 250 at night. It gets down to 60s in the barn so it will cool down fast. Looking to build a bigger brooder tomorrow so they can move around in the heat to get away if need be
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Posted: 8/12/2017 10:46:59 AM EDT
[#7]
Ok, so I spent all day yesterday building the 19 chicks a 4x8 brooder. They LOOOOOOOVE it. Im hoping it will be easier for them to regulate the temp when it gets warm during the day by spacing out some. Now my firemission is to figure out a watering system that keeps bedding out and to keep some clean butts. Ive noticed 3 of the yellow ones have poop stuck to their rears. We were out at 1030pm last night wiping chick ass and trimming a little hair. I got them some probiotic stuff for their waterer, any other ideas?
Pics of the beheamouth 
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Posted: 8/12/2017 11:27:47 AM EDT
[#8]
Looks good.
Once they are flying around in there, be or about 2 weeks old, you can introduce them to chicken water nipples. |
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Posted: 8/13/2017 12:23:21 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Interesting, I was always told that cedar shavings are toxic to chickens. How would you consider it beneficial over using pine shavings or other media? I had heard that, about avoiding cedar, but thought it was not true, simply because I've never had any issues. It's possible that there's something to it, and if you have any doubt, go with pine. I've never had trouble with cedar, but that doesn't mean somebody won't. If anybody can find something solid on that, definitely post it here. Good knowledge for all. |
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Posted: 8/13/2017 12:27:57 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Ok, so I spent all day yesterday building the 19 chicks a 4x8 brooder. They LOOOOOOOVE it. Im hoping it will be easier for them to regulate the temp when it gets warm during the day by spacing out some. Now my firemission is to figure out a watering system that keeps bedding out and to keep some clean butts. Ive noticed 3 of the yellow ones have poop stuck to their rears. We were out at 1030pm last night wiping chick ass and trimming a little hair. I got them some probiotic stuff for their waterer, any other ideas? Pics of the beheamouth https://s23.postimg.org/6ojamqkej/20814225_10214289698026927_41558467_n.jpg https://s23.postimg.org/my9gpmv2j/20792981_10214289698106929_454604700_n.jpg See how the probiotic does. For years I have put about a half teaspoon of bleach in about a quart of water for babies. I was taught that by my family and the lady down the road who actually taught me to raise chickens (and left me her incubator when she died.) This has always worked, but the probiotic may be just as good or better. These were old timers, doing what they knew how to do, and since it worked so well, I kept doing it. (I've gone by, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" when it comes to raising chicks.) That does not mean there is not a better way. |
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Posted: 8/22/2017 9:12:06 AM EDT
[#11]
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Posted: 8/22/2017 9:13:44 AM EDT
[#12]
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Posted: 8/22/2017 9:14:32 AM EDT
[#13]
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Posted: 8/30/2017 8:42:35 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote History
Y'all are makin' me miss baby chicks somethin' awful. |
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Posted: 8/30/2017 10:30:02 PM EDT
[#15]
Chicks are 3 weeks old now and growing like weeds! Weve only lost one,a White leghorn, so far. Im not sure but I think the others killed it because it was runtish. Im starting to throw a coop together to get them in before it gets too cold
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Posted: 9/10/2017 10:01:15 PM EDT
[#16]
Threads been quiet, Ill chime in
Birds are 5 weeks old tomorrow and doing good. We let them out in the yard today for the first time in a small run the previous owners left. They loved it! 
We also started working on a coop. Will be an 8x10 coop with attached run. I keep hearing mixed ideas on how big the coop and run should be, hopefully it will be big enough 
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Posted: 9/10/2017 11:08:47 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Threads been quiet, Ill chime in Birds are 5 weeks old tomorrow and doing good. We let them out in the yard today for the first time in a small run the previous owners left. They loved it! https://s5.postimg.org/f37amicp3/chicksweek5.jpg We also started working on a coop. Will be an 8x10 coop with attached run. I keep hearing mixed ideas on how big the coop and run should be, hopefully it will be big enough https://s5.postimg.org/siubbyl6v/coop.jpg |
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Posted: 9/14/2017 11:52:39 AM EDT
[#18]
Wife got her first egg this morning, she doesn't know who did it but thinks it maybe one of these two girls
 Attached File |
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Posted: 9/14/2017 12:20:42 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Wife got her first egg this morning, she doesn't know who did it but thinks it maybe one of these two girls https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/361826/FB_IMG_1505404201488-307295.JPG 
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Posted: 9/19/2017 9:04:27 AM EDT
[#20]
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Posted: 9/19/2017 12:54:10 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote History
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Posted: 9/28/2017 9:31:21 AM EDT
[#22]
Came home from duty to find a dead hen. There was no damage noted to the body. The water bucket was knocked off center so it ran dry. My wife admits she didn't physically go out to the coop yesterday but says she could see last night that the water appeared to be full and they appeared to be on the roost. I will admit I don't believe her 100% that she even looked there way at all yesterday.
Night before I went to shift (24hr shift) the mosquito fogger came by while I was out tending to them and the coop and myself were engulfed in a sudden and thick fog. Could that have made the chicken sick? Does this happen sometimes were a relatively young hen just dies (9mos old) or do we think it may have been heat related if they did knock off the water earlier in the day? |
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Posted: 9/28/2017 11:56:41 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Came home from duty to find a dead hen. There was no damage noted to the body. The water bucket was knocked off center so it ran dry. My wife admits she didn't physically go out to the coop yesterday but says she could see last night that the water appeared to be full and they appeared to be on the roost. I will admit I don't believe her 100% that she even looked there way at all yesterday. Night before I went to shift (24hr shift) the mosquito fogger came by while I was out tending to them and the coop and myself were engulfed in a sudden and thick fog. Could that have made the chicken sick? Does this happen sometimes were a relatively young hen just dies (9mos old) or do we think it may have been heat related if they did knock off the water earlier in the day? |
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Posted: 12/11/2017 10:58:30 PM EDT
[#24]
Ok, so need some advice. A coworker just gifted us these " Isa brown" chickens since he had to get rid of them. Im guessing they are at least a year old, what is the best way to integreate these with our 4 month old girls?
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Posted: 12/12/2017 12:54:50 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Wife got her first egg this morning, she doesn't know who did it but thinks it maybe one of these two girls https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/361826/FB_IMG_1505404201488-307295.JPG If you want to find the layer, look around for the hen with the "wtf just happened????" expression on her chicken face. Yep, I've seen that expression as I watched a pullet lay her first egg, and it looks sort of like this:  No, I am not making this up. The pullet was looking at her butt, then looking around, then at me and going, "wtf?" |
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Posted: 12/12/2017 12:58:58 AM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Ok, so need some advice. A coworker just gifted us these " Isa brown" chickens since he had to get rid of them. Im guessing they are at least a year old, what is the best way to integreate these with our 4 month old girls? https://s5.postimg.org/wsens6pc7/25353421_10215315661835381_653743723_o.jpg If you can divide your coop for a week or three, that will help a lot. There is a CHANCE that because the new donations are at a loss because of the change in location, they will not attack the younger ones. But NORMALLY, introducing younger and older chickens does not work well, because the older chickens beath up (and often kill) the younger ones. Four months is a little young. You could let them in the pen together for a limited time, watch them, and see what happens, then separate them. Rinse and repeat. But that takes supervision, which takes your time. I would not just dump them in with the younger chickens. |
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Posted: 12/12/2017 2:05:00 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The best way is to NOT integrate them until they are all of a similar size and strength. If you can divide your coop for a week or three, that will help a lot. There is a CHANCE that because the new donations are at a loss because of the change in location, they will not attack the younger ones. But NORMALLY, introducing younger and older chickens does not work well, because the older chickens beath up (and often kill) the younger ones. Four months is a little young. You could let them in the pen together for a limited time, watch them, and see what happens, then separate them. Rinse and repeat. But that takes supervision, which takes your time. I would not just dump them in with the younger chickens. |
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Posted: 12/13/2017 9:50:35 AM EDT
[#28]
Well I have them living in the broader in the barn. I let them roam the barn during the day and they sleep in there at night. They must not mind it too much, found these puppies last night
Around what age do you think they will be grown enough to integrate? Our original girls were 16 weeks old 12/7 |
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Posted: 12/13/2017 12:16:45 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Well I have them living in the broader in the barn. I let them roam the barn during the day and they sleep in there at night. They must not mind it too much, found these puppies last night
https://s8.postimg.org/vq9u0t2et/IMG_20171212_173301_919.jpg Around what age do you think they will be grown enough to integrate? Our original girls were 16 weeks old 12/7 Once they are together they will re establish the picking order. Not much you can do at that point except not worry about it. You can try to intervene all you want but it wont make a difference. |
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Posted: 12/13/2017 3:13:34 PM EDT
[#30]
My original girls are a mix. They are good size, but not quite the same size as our new ones. I can keep them in the brooder in the barn for awhile. I was planning to for a few weeks just to make sure they didnt have anything to pass on to my flock
I will probably let them intermingle in the field between the barn and coop and see how it goes, then start with the run, then maybe the coop |
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Posted: 12/13/2017 7:08:21 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My original girls are a mix. They are good size, but not quite the same size as our new ones. I can keep them in the brooder in the barn for awhile. I was planning to for a few weeks just to make sure they didnt have anything to pass on to my flock I will probably let them intermingle in the field between the barn and coop and see how it goes, then start with the run, then maybe the coop The more space they have, and the more hidey holes, the better. The little ones just have to be able to get away from the bigger, older ones. Chickens are kind of mean by nature, when it comes to one another. The pecking order is a constant fight. When you do integrate, make sure there are enough perches, so that all chickens get to roost, even the very lowest ones in the pecking order. |
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Posted: 12/13/2017 11:07:11 PM EDT
[#32]
I was looking at the coop tonight and thinking I coould always add a few more roost poles for the new birds. I would like to get some chickens for meat but may have to wait since these guys are in our brooder
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Posted: 12/13/2017 11:35:47 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I was looking at the coop tonight and thinking I coould always add a few more roost poles for the new birds. I would like to get some chickens for meat but may have to wait since these guys are in our brooder The birds on the highest roost are the top birds. The birds on the second tier are the middle class. The birds on the low tier (or on the ground) are the bottom birds. Even the bottom birds in that new group you are introducing...they will beat up your young birds, because hey....they won't be the bottom birds anymore if they have somebody to beat up, right? That's how chicken operate. I don't like it, but I work with it, because I like chickens. |
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Posted: 1/1/2018 11:51:56 AM EDT
[#34]
Lost a bird the day before Christmas, the alpha bird. She was still in the run after dark so I put her into the coop when I went out to check on the water and food, the next morning she was dead just sitting in the wood chips in the coop. The other birds are fine, and they are a bit calmer now that the little alpha bully bird is gone. That being said the single digit temps we are having is pretty crazy, been going on for about 2 weeks now and they are forecasting it to continue all this week. We get cold in the winter but usually not for this long of a spell. The heated water fount has been a great thing, the water stays flowing pretty well. Been giving the birds extra scratch to help them cope with the cold. They hate snow, they won't come out of the coop if there is snow on the ramp
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Posted: 1/1/2018 12:18:58 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Lost a bird the day before Christmas, the alpha bird. She was still in the run after dark so I put her into the coop when I went out to check on the water and food, the next morning she was dead just sitting in the wood chips in the coop. The other birds are fine, and they are a bit calmer now that the little alpha bully bird is gone. That being said the single digit temps we are having is pretty crazy, been going on for about 2 weeks now and they are forecasting it to continue all this week. We get cold in the winter but usually not for this long of a spell. The heated water fount has been a great thing, the water stays flowing pretty well. Been giving the birds extra scratch to help them cope with the cold. They hate snow, they won't come out of the coop if there is snow on the ramp . |
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Posted: 1/2/2018 3:31:57 PM EDT
[#36]
Last year I tried a bucket de-icer with my chicken nipple bucket but it didn't work very well. The actual ball bearing inside the nipples would freeze up. The water stayed liquid in the bucket but the hens couldn't get it to come out. I sent that one to someone here in this thread that lived in a bit warmer environs IIRC.
 Attached FileI bought this 3 gallon electric fount at Rural King that has worked very well since then, even in the single digit and below temps we have been experiencing the past few weeks.  Attached File. When we no longer have freezing temps I change back to my bucket that has the nipples since the water stays clean. When I use the electric fount I put it up near their head level so they don't kick leaves and crap into the water. |
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Posted: 1/3/2018 10:38:53 AM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Last year I tried a bucket de-icer with my chicken nipple bucket but it didn't work very well. The actual ball bearing inside the nipples would freeze up. The water stayed liquid in the bucket but the hens couldn't get it to come out. I sent that one to someone here in this thread that lived in a bit warmer environs IIRC. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/29926/c-50p-deicer_1-408929.JPG I bought this 3 gallon electric fount at Rural King that has worked very well since then, even in the single digit and below temps we have been experiencing the past few weeks. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/29926/hpf-100-408931.JPG. When we no longer have freezing temps I change back to my bucket that has the nipples since the water stays clean. When I use the electric fount I put it up near their head level so they don't kick leaves and crap into the water. We just had about 3 days straight below freezing, down to about 3 degrees at night and our bucket with horizontal nipples and heater sitting out in the middle of the run didn't freeze up at all. Now I know some of you folks get a heck of a lot colder than that though. |
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Posted: 1/3/2018 12:31:01 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Were you using horizontal nipples (on the side of the bucket) or vertical nipples (on the bottom of the bucket)? Supposedly the horizontals won't freeze if you use them with a bucket heater. We just had about 3 days straight below freezing, down to about 3 degrees at night and our bucket with horizontal nipples and heater sitting out in the middle of the run didn't freeze up at all. Now I know some of you folks get a heck of a lot colder than that though. 
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Posted: 1/4/2018 12:27:15 AM EDT
[#39]
In those kinds of temps, I've had success with a 150 watt (or maybe 250, don't remember) bucket heater and keep the water to just above the nipples.
Bucket has to be completely out of the wind, or all bets are off. |
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Posted: 1/4/2018 10:49:51 AM EDT
[#40]
The bucket nipple set up was 4 nipples underneath the bucket with the ring heater sitting in the bottom of the bucket. The heater was within a 1/2 inch of each of the nipples but they would freeze from the outside, the water would stay liquid in the bucket but the post and ball bearing in the nipple would freeze up. In any case the plastic heated fount has worked well with our temps that have been single digit at best with sub zero wind chills. High tomorrow is 4 degrees, this cold snap has been pretty brutal the past two weeks.
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Posted: 1/4/2018 12:26:20 PM EDT
[#41]
Putting together an order for chicks. What are some containers you keep them in and in what room of the house do you normally keep them in? How old until they are ready to start venturing outside and how old until they are ready to live in the outdoor coop full time?
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Posted: 1/4/2018 12:48:26 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Putting together an order for chicks. What are some containers you keep them in and in what room of the house do you normally keep them in? How old until they are ready to start venturing outside and how old until they are ready to live in the outdoor coop full time? ETA/ we put them in a utility room in our basement. You will know when its time to move them out, they start creating a lot of "dust."
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Posted: 1/4/2018 2:15:11 PM EDT
[#43]
We use an oval (oval being key to help with smothering in corners) plastic stock tank. A little overkill, but we routinely have 50-100 chicks per year, so it was worth the investment.
Going outside depends on where they are going (they will need something bigger than a brooder quickly), weather, etc. I actually have been putting them in the horse trailer when they outgrow the stock tank. They are only in there a few weeks then they go in the coop. |
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Posted: 1/4/2018 8:22:12 PM EDT
[#44]
We were on a bird kick for awhile, raising lots of chickens and ducks. We ended up building a brooder out of plywood since they would outgrow everything else so quickly.
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Posted: 1/5/2018 4:47:58 PM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Putting together an order for chicks. What are some containers you keep them in and in what room of the house do you normally keep them in? How old until they are ready to start venturing outside and how old until they are ready to live in the outdoor coop full time? if it's only a few (up to, say, 20ish) a nice size cardboard box will be fine. Some shavings in the bottom will help keep it cleaner between cleanings, but newspaper is okay too if you change it every day or so. I keep them in the utility closet in the bathroom, on top of the washer/dryer. Or just in the bathroom floor. Two reasons: 1-It's the warmest spot in the house (Even still, they have a chicken light over one corner.) 2-I have a gazillion cats, and I can keep them out of the bathroom easily. As they get older, I have a chicken brooder with three levels. The top level is actually heated for little bitty babies, but the heater is broken, and I don't have a spot in the house for that big brooder. I don't start chickens this early, though. So keeping them warm OUTSIDE in weather like this is not something I've had to do. I let them feather out in the brooder, then I wall off a section of my henhouse just for them (with a hardware cloth wall, so the big chickens get used to them.) I move them to an outside run as they grow older--also walled off from the main run. They don't go outside until they are feathered out completely, and that's in nice weather. I don't put them together with the older chickens until they are big enough to get away from the mean ones. The door to their side of the coop is much smaller than the one to the bigger chickens' side. So they can get away from the big ones if necessary. I don't think you asked all that, but that's the progression for me.
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Posted: 1/5/2018 5:38:03 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted: How many chicks are you ordering? if it's only a few (up to, say, 20ish) a nice size cardboard box will be fine. Some shavings in the bottom will help keep it cleaner between cleanings, but newspaper is okay too if you change it every day or so. I keep them in the utility closet in the bathroom, on top of the washer/dryer. Or just in the bathroom floor. Two reasons: 1-It's the warmest spot in the house (Even still, they have a chicken light over one corner.) 2-I have a gazillion cats, and I can keep them out of the bathroom easily. As they get older, I have a chicken brooder with three levels. The top level is actually heated for little bitty babies, but the heater is broken, and I don't have a spot in the house for that big brooder. I don't start chickens this early, though. So keeping them warm OUTSIDE in weather like this is not something I've had to do. I let them feather out in the brooder, then I wall off a section of my henhouse just for them (with a hardware cloth wall, so the big chickens get used to them.) I move them to an outside run as they grow older--also walled off from the main run. They don't go outside until they are feathered out completely, and that's in nice weather. I don't put them together with the older chickens until they are big enough to get away from the mean ones. The door to their side of the coop is much smaller than the one to the bigger chickens' side. So they can get away from the big ones if necessary. I don't think you asked all that, but that's the progression for me. |
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Posted: 1/5/2018 7:46:10 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I'll probably get 30 or so and I'm thinking a large rubbermaid in the laundry room will suffice. I may wait until mid febuary to order them so 6-8 weeks puts them full time outside as its starting to really warm up. |
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Posted: 1/15/2018 12:31:02 AM EDT
[#48]
Super excited, I have three chickens now. They all just moved in and are living with our goats...nobody seems to care. All different breeds, the rooster is huge - white with a red thing on his head. Two females - one has an orange head that kind of fades back on her body, the other is salt and pepper colored and can fluff out her neck feathers. All super friendly.
no idea where they came from but they have been here for three weeks so I think they are home. |
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Posted: 1/16/2018 10:03:11 AM EDT
[#49]
I'm down to two hens now, lost another one on over the weekend to the cold (I assume). We have been have some super cold temps the past few weeks.
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Posted: 1/16/2018 11:51:26 AM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'm down to two hens now, lost another one on over the weekend to the cold (I assume). We have been have some super cold temps the past few weeks. And of course, out of the wind. |
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