Getting Chicks

[johno]

I'm adding to my tiny flock this spring. I have 5 hens right now, 4 of which came from Orscheln about two years ago. The other one is a Buff Orpington that's a little older. I don't know the others' breeds, but one is turkey-sized and white, one looks a lot like the Buff but is a rust color, and two are brown with black/brown on the upper body and more slender and active.

Gregg Farm Services is getting pullets on Friday, just 4 breeds. I think I'm gonna' get Ameraucanas and Rhode Island Reds from them. I don't know what the other stores are selling yet, but I'm also interested in Leghorns, Marans, New Hampshires and Sussex.

How long do I need to keep them heated? I have a walk-in chicken house (15' x 15') with a screened yard (same size). I am going to build the brooder inside that out building. I need to start studying up on design.

I welcome any advice, especially concerning the brooder house and raising chicks - also advice on choosing breeds. I want gentle hens that will be easy to shoo back into the house at night and that stick with the flock instead of wandering off alone. Unusual egg colors, good production and good winter laying are bonuses. I want a flock I can turn loose on the garden and not have to watch too closely.

[seedywen]

If you are getting day-old chicks, the brooder must provide a temperature of about 95 degrees Fahrenheit in winter and 90 degrees the rest of the year. For approximately six weeks.

With small amounts of chicks, I often start them off in a large cardboard box lined with newspaper and sawdust litter in the kitchen, with just a light bulb, food, water.

However the box starts to get a tad smelly even with cleaning and fresh litter after a week or so. Your coop is 15 x 15 feet so just create a small brood corner that's easy to access for daily care.

It's a good idea to have overhead protection(solid if possible) so that the older chickens cannot disturb the chicks. I use a former potting table built into the wall, like a 4 x 2 foot covered box, open only on one side. In this 'brooder' is a heat bulb in a ceramic holder, that the chicks migrate to and from, as they need for heat. On the open side, I attached chicken wire to the frame that can be rolled away at one end for daily feed and watering.

Also chicks even in a building secure from larger predators are still vulnerable to rats, working their way into the brooder so you need to make it secure from them also.

Hope this bit of info is helpful.

[flowerpower]

I like my new RIR cross. She lays a huge egg for her size. And the shell color is a nice dark brown.

I hadn't even considered the rat issue. Yuck!

[bluelacedredhead]

Johno, large rubbermaid totes or a very large aquarium works well for the first week if you just have a small quantity of chicks. Do NOT use paper for bedding; the slippery footings can permanently injure their little legs. If you choose to use shavings, NO Cedar until at least 6 weeks of age. For the first few weeks, with small broods I used the non-skid matting that you can buy in hardware stores to line shelves. Buy a couple of them, that way you can change the bedding daily; wash and hang them for reuse on alternate days.

For chicks, start with 95F in the brooder, decrease by 5 degrees each week until 6 weeks of age.

Feed them chick starter for the first 3 weeks minimum; 6 weeks is better, then switch over to a grower.

I kept my hatchlings in the house until at least 3 weeks of age, then gradually moved them out to a Draft-free area in the main poultry barn (still with heat) in a childs swimming pool with 12" high sides (similar to the cardboard configuration that Seedywen mentioned earlier in the thread) until they started to fly over the sides.
Usually, the older hens will accept chicks until about 5 weeks of age without issues, and especially if they've had the opportunity to look at them through a mesh barrier for a few weeks before releasing the chicks into the communal henhouse.

To help you source Breeds and articles on Poultry husbandry here's a start.
www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html#b
feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKPoultryPage.html
www.shagbarkbantams.com/contents.htm

[mnjrutherford]

What about using the garden tub strewn with ... with what? I'm guessing non cedar wood chips? What about a single layer of like wrapping paper or parcel paper underneath to make it easy to clean up? Or an old bed sheet that can go through the washer and dryer?

[pugs]

When I first saw the title of this thread, I thought johno was talking about some strange heterosexual courtship/mating ritual.

Instead, it is about chickens, go figure.

Pugs

[bluelacedredhead]

ROFLMAO Pugs...
Don't worry, Poultry have some strange rituals too

Jo, If you want to use paper as a base, then put a layer of clean playsand on top of the paper. No paper when they are little; whether it be wrapping paper, newspaper or otherwise. Too slippery.

You can buy non-skid matting at most $1 stores, but I found it a thinner ply that the hardware store types and quicker to lose its grip is all. It would do for a few chicks for at least one season.

Pine bedding sells for approximately $5.00 (up here) for a 40 lb bag. Ask at the feedstore where you buy your chicken feed.
That should last you for quite a while

[seedywen]

Have used newspaper many, many times when raising young chicks. In the kitchen cardboard box, situation, several layers of newspaper cover the bottom and shavings, (usually pine)cover the newspaper. When it comes time to clean the box, I place the chicks in another container and gently lift the soiled paper and shavings up and off to the compost pile.

Sometimes when short of pine shavings, used sawdust. Last year, when had a shortage of both...raised a dozen heritage chicks on cardboard, covered with newspaper on one side of new metal 8 x 10 foot storage shed. The shed used as a brooder in May was separated by a used door and another dozen Silver appleyard ducklings grew up happily on the other side. Everyone is starting to lay this year. With any luck, maybe some birds will go broody and successfully hatch out offspring. Got a few banties, just in case.

In my experience, many of the heritage breeds, much like the hybrids, aren't necessarily able to successfully hatch out eggs, or look after their babies. There are always exceptions of course. To any rule

When I get a great mother, in any breed, goat, sheep, duck, chicken or rabbit, she is greatly treasured and tends to live a long and productive life.

[mnjrutherford]

eehh, I don't think I want play sand in my bathtub. I don't mind giving it over to the chicks for a short time, it can't be permanent... What about the sheet? As in, I would rather not spend the dollar on a nonskid mat if I don't have to... When you say pine, I'm assuming wood particles? Not pine needles, right?

[ozarklady]

I have a hen and her 6 Christmas babies, that I really would like to put outside... but the temperatures haven't stabilized enough, and hawks are really flying alot right now.
So, I am waiting for the greenery to leaf out... so chicks can hide...
These hawks are large enough to take the mama... but, she knows to hide, and chicks don't.

They are well feathered, and frankly, running out of room in the cage.
Crazy chicken, hatching babies Christmas week... it was too cold! But, of the 7 that I rescued.. we raised 6! And I used mama for the brooder... ha ha
Newspapers under the cage, not in it. it worked okay.

And no not inside the house... have you heard baby chicks holler? No way. They were simply housed outside, where I could keep them above freezing, with easy access to food, water, and mama.

[bluelacedredhead]

Feb 19, 2010 17:07:34 GMT -5 mnjrutherford said:

eehh, I don't think I want play sand in my bathtub. I don't mind giving it over to the chicks for a short time, it can't be permanent... What about the sheet? As in, I would rather not spend the dollar on a nonskid mat if I don't have to... When you say pine, I'm assuming wood particles? Not pine needles, right?

Yes Jo, Pine Shavings available at feed stores in 40 lb bags.
And go ahead, use the old sheets if you wish to. As long as they aren't satin they shouldn't be too slippery

[mnjrutherford]

Nope, no satin sheets here! You are TO funny!

By the by... ::sing song:: Guess what I got in my mailbox! ;D ;D

I think God is trying to tell me something... I have acquired SO many packets of mixed flower seed this year! I haven't bothered with flowers, waiting to get food crops coming in first. This year most of those who have sent me seeds have included flower seeds, particularly the mix. I feel like I'm being told "Your doin' good, enjoy some of the pretty things now." I assure you, they will all be planted with joy and delight. IN fact... Mike was digging up the patch that the flowers will be planted in today. We bought lime to turn in as well.

I really appreciate you guys more than I can say. Thanks.

[johno]

Feb 19, 2010 18:35:44 GMT -5 ozarklady said:

I have a hen and her 6 Christmas babies, that I really would like to put outside... but the temperatures haven't stabilized enough, and hawks are really flying alot right now.
So, I am waiting for the greenery to leaf out... so chicks can hide...
These hawks are large enough to take the mama... but, she knows to hide, and chicks don't.

They are well feathered, and frankly, running out of room in the cage.
Crazy chicken, hatching babies Christmas week... it was too cold! But, of the 7 that I rescued.. we raised 6! And I used mama for the brooder... ha ha
Newspapers under the cage, not in it. it worked okay.

And no not inside the house... have you heard baby chicks holler? No way. They were simply housed outside, where I could keep them above freezing, with easy access to food, water, and mama.

That' so interesting on all counts. I wonder about lots of things - people have told me I wonder too much at times - and one of those things is, Why do I need to raise chicks in a brooder when I have 5 perfectly good hens (okay, 4, I'm not too sure about the white one )? I mean, what did they do before we came along? But I'm afraid my hens might be too aggressive.

Also, that's a neat idea, putting newspaper under a wire cage floor. Best of both worlds: easy and convenient to clean, while providing a non-slip surface for wobbly little pullets' feet.

And another good point about overhead predators. I read in one of the links that chickens were woodland birds before domestication. They evolved with easy cover, never straying too far from it when they ventured into the open to forage. They need brush for cover and they like the shade of it, too. Lucky for my hens, I unwittingly located them in such a place.

In my reading, I found a lot of warnings about cleanliness. Should I completely sanitize the chicken barn before introducing chicks? I also read that I shouldn't keep chickens in the same place for more than a year. What say you about this? Is it that important with such a small flock?

All very good feedback. Thank you!

And pugs, I would have been disappointed if I didn't get somebody with that title. ;D

[ozarklady]

I am a bit low on hens, I have lots of roosters. Due to a neighbors dog, I was almost out of chickens, I bought a bunch at auction, they were half grown... hawks got every one of them...

So, I just let my hens keep their eggs and set them, produce babies, and caged hen and babies up... in this way I have increased my flock immensely.

Years ago, a fellow had game birds, and he didn't want the hens. I accepted all the hens.
I did everything that I possibly could to be sure they didn't reproduce... Like Jurassic Park... nature finds a way.

I keep selling off the roosters and ordering new chicks to get new blood.
Just the other day, my son brought in two very bloody roosters, seems that I haven't managed to eliminate the game blood yet!
So more roosters to auction, they are too tough to eat, after running free all year. But, some folks do buy them to eat. So, yes, my hens are aggressive, you will get bit, messing with their babies, but it seldom actually hurts.

I plan to order new chicks, when I do, I normally order at least 100 sometimes 200.
I just hose the cages down, and make sure they are reasonably clean. Then I hang lights with reflectors in the cages, chicks are not crowded, in this way, they can move to the light when cold or far away when too warm.

Watch your hens, I have had hens hang around the cages, begging for babies, you offer them one, if they love it, give them some... mama is the best at teaching the chicks... if the hen pecks the baby, then don't give her any.

I am a bit picky about feed and water dishes, and wash these good daily.
And I keep newspaper on the floor... if stuff builds up in cage, a rap or two and it clears, I use the same wire as flooring in rabbit cages.
A couple cautions... too much light, and overcrowding leads to cannibalism. Once they get feathers, set light on timers, move light farther away, smaller bulbs, anything to decrease the light.

Also, one day, I had a large black snake in the cage eating my chicks... seems they can get through wire that the chicks can't... but it couldn't get out after eating a couple chicks.

Chick starter is medicated. So when changing from it to grower, which is not medicated, make the transition a bit slowly. I mix them together and gradually get them off the medicated.

Free range chickens are pretty healthy, an occasional worming, and coccidiostat and you are good to go. Not both together, just that is all I do. They don't even seem to have mite issues.

They have had the same henhouse for 15 years, we do harvest the manure, but no other sanitation. And I have had to add diatomaceous earth... just rip open the bag, the chickens will dust themselves and get rid of mites. I don't sanitize the henhouse, just the manure harvest, and freshen the nests, repairs as needed. I have not had disease issues.

[ottawagardener]

Forgive my complete ignorance in this area but do you eat the roosters, or are they not good meat birds.