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Post by susan on Mar 16, 2013 21:13:05 GMT -5
 Picked out 6 Rhode Island Red pullets. They're in a deep plastic tote with food, water and a heat lamp. The only thing I worry about is the temps going too low and them not getting enough warmth from the light. Mike will have to get going now on building a coop. We didn't get a rooster. Mike figures he can get one later, plus we looked at the straight run chicks and couldn't tell if they were male or female. Susan
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Post by Granny Smith on Mar 16, 2013 21:35:58 GMT -5
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Post by BigM on Mar 17, 2013 8:06:24 GMT -5
Woohoo! Congratulations! I love baby chicks!
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Post by Valerie on Mar 17, 2013 9:05:06 GMT -5
Yay babies!!! Good luck with them all! I love the color of RIR's. Such a nice cinnamony color. They're sweet girls when they grow up, too. Hey, Susan, they'll probably be fine. You know how they tell you to keep them at 95° and all that when they're small? You should see babies with a mom. One day old and they're running around the chicken yard, even if it's only 80 out, and they only stop once in a while to get under mom. The books would have us believe baby chicks stay under their mom 24/7 but it sure ain't the case. Two days old and they're dust bathing with all their might!  And let me tell you, that is a sight to see! |
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Post by joanfromzone6 on Mar 17, 2013 10:34:09 GMT -5
gotta be careful giving advice - just might generate some hard feelings if they all end up with tooth decay - |
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Post by Valerie on Mar 17, 2013 17:13:37 GMT -5
Hey, that must be why hen's teeth are rare! They fell out from too much sugar! |
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Post by weg on Mar 17, 2013 18:16:45 GMT -5
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Post by susan on Mar 17, 2013 19:14:09 GMT -5
Bedding question! We've been using newspapers in the bottom of the cage and Mike read that that is a no. They are too slick and can cause a chick to get splayed feet? So what do you use? We've had one die earlier today. Demanded this morning that Mike get the other heater hooked up and had him reset the heat lamp so it's lower. They are perked up, running around and doing better.
Susan
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Post by Cyngbaeld on Mar 17, 2013 19:57:48 GMT -5
I use sand over cardboard. The cardboard helps absorb spills and the sand gives traction and keeps their feet clean. Gives them something to bath in too. About 1/2 to 1 inch of sand.
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Post by susan on Mar 18, 2013 9:10:18 GMT -5
Good idea, Kim, but we don't have sand here. Don't know if I can find any to buy yet. We've read that pine shavings are ok. I used to use those when I had gerbils. Mike just cleaned out their pen and put layers of paper towels down instead of the newspaper. They are all bright and chipper this morning.
Susan
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Post by weg on Mar 18, 2013 9:18:24 GMT -5
I have used straw,I figure thats what is in the chicken house anyway.
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Post by Cyngbaeld on Mar 18, 2013 10:33:18 GMT -5
Building supply usually has sand.
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Post by Valerie on Mar 18, 2013 15:11:44 GMT -5
Last time I had some, I just used pine shavings, since I had those anyway, and laid paper towels over them for the first few days. When my hens hatch them, they're inside on shavings until they can get out in the dirt. The shavings were kind of a pain in the but when they dumped the waterers over, though. I wish we could get straw here. I'd be doing all kinds of stuff with that! |
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And let me tell you, that is a sight to see!
