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Post by hoosierheightsfarm on Mar 17, 2008 12:47:05 GMT -5
I stopped at Orschelen today. They had straight run chicks, but all the "pullets" (females?) were sold out. I didn't ask if they were getting more or not.
The Plym Rocks were 1.59 each. They had little "chick carriers", kinda looked like Happy Meal containers, you couldn't carry 25 chicks in them.
We don't eat that many eggs, I don't know about the rest of my family.
Might start with 15 or so, and see how it goes.....
That is a great picture of that hawk. I don't know what kind it is, I'm not that good with bird ID's.
I caught a BIG one in a foot hold trap when I was a teenager. I had several traps set around a deer carcass, trying to get fox or coyote. I was surprised to say the least!
Thanks everybody for all the advice. Maybe this weekend I'll get my chicks.
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Post by flowerpower on Mar 17, 2008 22:12:50 GMT -5
FP, great pic, but it's not a redtail. That is either a small male Cooper's or a sharp-shinned hawk. I am guessing that it was chasing a small bird such as a sparrow or a starling. A healthy adult chicken and even a pigeon is a bit much for a sharpshin to handle, but if the hawk was young and inexperienced (and hungry) it might try a time or two and be rewarded with a few feathers for its trouble. My cousin says it is a sharp-shinned hawk too. I'll go with that. Maybe that's the type I saw chasing chickadees last summer. Lots of redtail here. Usually the crows are around to chase hawks for me. I was out all day so I have no clue what went on. I didn't see an evidence he got a meal. |
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sammyqc
grub
Urban, small raised beds, Zone 5 (Canada)
Posts: 94
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Post by sammyqc on Mar 18, 2008 0:00:12 GMT -5
Man, this is a racy thread. Sex and picking up chicks! ;D
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Post by flowerpower on Mar 18, 2008 6:52:36 GMT -5
We mentioned getting laid too. Well, eggs anyway.  lol |
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Post by flowerpower on Mar 18, 2008 7:00:14 GMT -5
We are 2 people. I use less than a dozen eggs a week on avg. 6 hens gave me plenty of eggs to share. I will have over a dozen this yr though. One friend, who lives in town, is even paying for 2 birds so he can get eggs more frequently. His grandpa ran a commercial egg farm up here for yrs, so he really wants fresh eggs.
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Post by jessieinmo on Mar 18, 2008 10:48:31 GMT -5
We have 59 barred rock pullets  sorry the pic is not great had "issues" uploading to photobucket. We got them from Cackle hatchery in Lebanon MO. I have used them for years and never had any real problems. (I bought 100 one time and they sent 110, 2 died the first day but the rest lived.) We have others on the farm but those are going to be our egg producers this year. They have a wonderful selection of fowl including ducks, geese, turkeys, guineas, etc. Anyway, enough plugging them. I free range some of my other varieties but these are going to be in a chicken tractor that I designed and built so I can get the eggs from the outside and move it around following my cows in the pasture. The chikens really love eating all the flys which really helps my cows out. Jessie |
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Post by hoosierheightsfarm on Mar 18, 2008 21:53:24 GMT -5
Cool Jessie. Got any pictures or drawings of this tractor?
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Post by hoosierheightsfarm on Mar 21, 2008 20:34:58 GMT -5
I got my chicks today. My wife brought my daughter and a tote and we all went to Orscheln (and THAT is the correct spelling!) I got 15 Plym. barred rock straight run, 2 sex-links (1 red, 1 black) pullets, and I let Bella pick out "her" chick. It's a black bantam. Do they look warm enough? Anything else I need to do?    If you look close, you can see Bella's little chick, "Blackie" inside the feeder.   They are cute little buggers! |
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Post by johno on Mar 21, 2008 21:01:21 GMT -5
A light bulb usually does the trick. Looks fine to me.
Now I've got the bug. Might have to sell a saw or something so I can go buy some chicks...
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Post by downinmyback on Mar 21, 2008 23:18:29 GMT -5
I bought a gear lamp and deflector years ago to keep my water pipes from freezing but i am using that on my chicks now as they need extra heat to keep warm until they get their feathers.
Great looking chicks thro.
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rena
gopher
Posts: 39
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Post by rena on Mar 22, 2008 3:27:11 GMT -5
It is bad enough I am in love with my chics but I am also in love with yours  ;D ;D OH MY yours are as sweet!. Mine were red. Ok according to my book, if they are spread out like that they are plenty warm. If they start huddling together in a pack you should get them warmer. I would suggest you already start looking for bigger digs!! Mine outgrew the rubbermaid to a bigger rubbermaid in days then to a 1/2 fridge box to now a whole fridge box...all in 3 weeks! They will start to peck each other if they are crowded or bored or stressed or well just to dag gum peck each other.  I put a thick dowl in the fridge box and they line up and roost there! Sooooo cute! Happy Easter and have fun with your babies!  |
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Post by hoosierheightsfarm on Mar 22, 2008 7:14:40 GMT -5
I should've gotten the feeder that was the same as the waterer. It would've taken less space.... Like rena said, I'm gonna have to get something bigger to quarter them in.
I have plans in my head for a chicken tractor, but don't have immediate time to build it.
How big of a dowel did you use? 3/4" or 1" or something even bigger?
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rena
gopher
Posts: 39
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Post by rena on Mar 22, 2008 7:42:53 GMT -5
well we used an old broom handle cut to the size of the fridge box. I put it about 4 inches off the ground. We have been researching grit... there are as many opinions about grit then tomatoes  Our chick starter kit came with a bag but we are out. I know it is important but the questions are when to start them on it? It is not the same as oyster shells. I found a place in Atlanta that sells a 50lb bag for 5.99 and they have organic fert..so I am going to make a trip up there next week. I told my husband when we were little we just ordered up a mess of chicks from the gurney catalog and we just fed them and free ranged them. I think I spend toooo much time over analyzing things I am going to cut a piece of sod from outside and let them peck at it today. |
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Post by hoosierheightsfarm on Mar 22, 2008 9:08:18 GMT -5
I asked the guy at Orschlen about grit, he gave me oyster shells......when I got home I read on the bag: "Not for chicks, feed to strengthen egg shells in laying hens", oh, thanks....
I guess I need to get some grit too.........and find a stick for them to sit on.
When I went downstairs this AM, they were all away from the light, not that they were all gathered down around the waterer, just not in the area that the light shines the brightest. I moved the light up a little bit.
Would a little Ag Lime or silica sand or something not work just as well?
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Post by downinmyback on Mar 22, 2008 10:56:58 GMT -5
Rena is right about the heat bulb. If the chicks are scattered around it means that they are warm enough. Chicks will huddle up together to sleep so do not worry if you see that. The way i judge the distance of the heat lamp from the bottom of the box is to put your hand at the bottom of the box and if it is not comfortable lower the lamp . If it is to hot to be comfortable raise the lamp.
Grit is not a problem with young chicks as they do not need any for the first few weeks but if you really feel like you need to add grit just get sand, YES common sand is the right size for baby chicks lol.
As Rena said don't worry so much about them as the only things a chick needs are heat ,water and feed.
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lol 
;D ;D OH MY yours are as sweet!. Mine were red. Ok according to my book, if they are spread out like that they are plenty warm. If they start huddling together in a pack you should get them warmer. I would suggest you already start looking for bigger digs!! Mine outgrew the rubbermaid to a bigger rubbermaid in days then to a 1/2 fridge box to now a whole fridge box...all in 3 weeks! They will start to peck each other if they are crowded or bored or stressed or well just to dag gum peck each other. 
I put a thick dowl in the fridge box and they line up and roost there! Sooooo cute!
Our chick starter kit came with a bag but we are out. I know it is important but the questions are when to start them on it? It is not the same as oyster shells.