It's Chick Days

[jwstewar]

I'll have to get some pictures later, but my wife and kids came home with 6 little ones from TSC last Tuesday. I know nothing about chickens, so I'm trying to learn what I can as fast as I can. They sure are growing fast, I know that much.

Right now they are in a small guinea pig/rabbit cage in the garage. I'm keeping 2 45 flood lights on them for heat - though it is staying about 65 in the garage right now. I'm using hay for bedding right now. Changing it every 2 to 3 days. Right now they are a little bit afraid of the kids, but since I feed/water them every night and don't really bother them other than to move them when I clean the cage, they seem to be OK with me.

For a permanet cage, I've got a 20x20x6 chain link dog kennel. I'll have to get a cover for it and build a coop yet. Still looking for decent small coop plan.

 

[dcyrilc]

I'll have to get some pictures later, but my wife and kids came home with 6 little ones from TSC last Tuesday. I know nothing about chickens, so I'm trying to learn what I can as fast as I can. They sure are growing fast, I know that much.

Right now they are in a small guinea pig/rabbit cage in the garage. I'm keeping 2 45 flood lights on them for heat - though it is staying about 65 in the garage right now. I'm using hay for bedding right now. Changing it every 2 to 3 days. Right now they are a little bit afraid of the kids, but since I feed/water them every night and don't really bother them other than to move them when I clean the cage, they seem to be OK with me.

For a permanet cage, I've got a 20x20x6 chain link dog kennel. I'll have to get a cover for it and build a coop yet. Still looking for decent small coop plan.

My kids handle and play with ours. It actually seems to help tame them down fairly quickly.

 

[jwstewar]

OK, here are our little chicks. Have no clue as to what sex or why type they are. Guess that makes me a bad chicken rancher.:laughing: We've had them now for 8 days.

A few of the birds themselves and then one of them in their cage closed up with their heat lamps on. Right now these are 2 45 what flood lamps. I'll probably drop it down to 1 in a week or so.

 

[bp fick]

OK, here are our little chicks. Have no clue as to what sex or why type they are. Guess that makes me a bad chicken rancher.:laughing: We've had them now for 8 days.

A few of the birds themselves and then one of them in their cage closed up with their heat lamps on. Right now these are 2 45 what flood lamps. I'll probably drop it down to 1 in a week or so.

Well the black one is BarredRock cross. Since he has a white dot on his head, he is a little rooster. Ditto the two white ones. Likely roosters since they are white. The Red one is Rhode Island Red and no way to sex link or tell which. The last light red one is probably a pullet (girl) since she is likely a Red X and the sex link on those is white is rooster and red is a pullet.

Hurry on larger quarters. A big dryer box, cut down, or something. They are gonna need 10 times that space very, very soon. Cannibalism is a wretched thing. Done out of boredom and crowding, most times.

 

[dcyrilc]

Well the black one is BarredRock cross. Since he has a white dot on his head, he is a little rooster. Ditto the two white ones. Likely roosters since they are white. The Red one is Rhode Island Red and no way to sex link or tell which. The last light red one is probably a pullet (girl) since she is likely a Red X and the sex link on those is white is rooster and red is a pullet.

Hurry on larger quarters. A big dryer box, cut down, or something. They are gonna need 10 times that space very, very soon. Cannibalism is a wretched thing. Done out of boredom and crowding, most times.

We used a 50 gallon water trough with a dog kennel screen around it last year. Worked pretty good for the four we had until they were large enough to go outside.

The boss (wife) just said it's time to bring it back home and set it back up for this year. That'll make the kids happy.

 

[bp fick]

My kids handle and play with ours. It actually seems to help tame them down fairly quickly.

Kids and chicks are a good mix. I know, I know all "experts" always gripe that kids injure chicks. Teach them to be gentle and handle them correctly and infrequently, at first. Kids should be taught not to nuzzle the chicks, 'cause, well this isn't easy to bring up,... but may as well.... chicks are carriers of nasty bugs, worms, etc. Sorry. Also, wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap thoroughly after dealing chicks, their bedding, etc. Just normal practices. Not trying to be "over the top".

 

[irwin]

They like to come up and watch me in here at the computer and preen. Sometimes they nestle up at the patio door, I'm right inside, but I make them leave quickly or they make deposits, my husband hates that.

While I was reading this I thought, huh.. our birds follow my wife around, very intertested in what she does..but they couldn't care less about what I'm doing..then I got to the "my husband" part.. must be somekinda yardbird-wife cosmic connection for your birds to be so interested in you and mine infatuated with my wife?

 

[dcyrilc]

Kids and chicks are a good mix. I know, I know all "experts" always gripe that kids injure chicks. Teach them to be gentle and handle them correctly and infrequently, at first. Kids should be taught not to nuzzle the chicks, 'cause, well this isn't easy to bring up,... but may as well.... chicks are carriers of nasty bugs, worms, etc. Sorry. Also, wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap thoroughly after dealing chicks, their bedding, etc. Just normal practices. Not trying to be "over the top".

Agreed.

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

My chickens will follow me all over. Also if you make clucking noises they will get real vocal. I enjoy "talking" to them.

They need a temp of about 90 degrees when real little. I bought a small incubator for 36 or so chicks and haven't had it out of the box, yet, got it 2 years ago.

Chickens need some grit to help them grind their food, they do not have a stomach. When out in the yard they pick up stones and things, inside they really don't get that sort of thing.

I give my baby ones the feed with antibiotics until they get a few weeks old, it helps prevent respiratory illnesses.

 

[dooleysm]

They don't need grit as long as you keep them on chick food. I start giving mine sand from the kids sandbox at about 2 weeks. We just moved our 5-6 week old chicks out to the coop this week. I put a heat light out there set to come on at night. They are doing fine so far.