Thanks! This is great information! I was getting a bit worried and now I am really excited again 

I have been thinking about the rubber maid idea a lot and was really happy to know that it works!

I am also glad that the chick's seem to live! I am not worried about them arriving dead, but me not knowing something being the cause.

Carl and I really liked the square dowel roost and  for telling us to keep one in the brooder.

We have bought the baby chick feeder and water and Saturday I will get the rest set up so it is ready for next week when they arrive.

How long before you change the chicks from the regular water feeder to "(as adults, we've got them on bottle waterers that have the little crook neck & ball bearing valves -- Petco stocks them for rabbits and crated dogs." I guess I don't know when they become adults?

"The circle keeps them from smothering in a corner." So do you think in the rubber maid I need to be concerned about corners? It will be Carl's job to check every morning that they are still alive. I will be attentive the rest of the day!

So the funny thing is this was my idea, and Carl was a bit shocked because I don't like birds. He has been thinking about raising rabbits for a while. We have been talking about rabbits but I thought I would rather start with chickens. My thoughts have been, that if I have them as chicks I will get over my fear because my want to care for them and keep them healthy will be greater. (I have no reason to fear birds other than seeing the movie when I was too young) I like being part of raising my own food, it is just a step forward from growing our own vegetables and fishing to fresh eggs and meat. This may lead to rabbits but we will see how I am with eggs and knowing there is one less chicken in the pen that I raised.

This is really great, if you can think of anything else let me know!!!

Quote from: Polpetta on April 30, 2010, 07:18:43 AM

How long before you change the chicks from the regular water feeder to "(as adults, we've got them on bottle waterers that have the little crook neck & ball bearing valves -- Petco stocks them for rabbits and crated dogs." I guess I don't know when they become adults?

Don't sweat it too hard -- I don't remember distinctly, but I know we poked a hole in the side of our cardboard box after a few weeks and set up a bottle waterer. I remember worrying about whether or not they'd figure it out, but chickens are pretty curious critters and tend to peck at anything new & unusual in their environment, and quickly discovered that the little metal thing gave water whenever they pecked it. As they grew, I poked another hole a couple of inches higher.  Nate's advice about raising food & water is very good and I'll do that next time, though I suspect they'll still find ways to shit in it -- I've never encountered animals quite so adept & enthusiastic about crapping in and on things.

Quote from: Polpetta on April 30, 2010, 07:18:43 AM

"The circle keeps them from smothering in a corner." So do you think in the rubber maid I need to be concerned about corners? It will be Carl's job to check every morning that they are still alive. I will be attentive the rest of the day!

In my decidedly non-expert, just-four-chickens-to-my-credit opinion, i would guess you'd be fine with just six birds -- smothering becomes a threat primarily when you've got enough birds to form a recognizable pile, and it's a huge issue in the big commercial chicken houses where you can lose hundreds of birds very quickly if they pile up in a corner. A circular enclosure would be better, but plenty of small broods have done just fine in rectangular cardboard or Rubbermaid brooders.

The other thing that I forgot to mention about the brooder -- be VERY careful that you're not creating a fire hazard, especially if you choose to put it in your home (again, outside would be better). You've got a hot bulb burning pretty close to lots of flammable bedding, plastic, whatever, so along with checking your chicks frequently, be sure to double check that your heat source is still good and stable and not too close to anything flammable.

The only health issue we had with any of ours was when one of the chicks "pasted up" -- a nice way of saying "she had so much dried crap all over her butt that she couldn't crap anymore." It's a deadly condition, and I had to grab & clean her off with wet paper towels, etc., much to her profound, lasting chagrin. Now that I think about it, she's the lowest bird in the pecking order, and that's probably all my fault.    Oh well, she's ALIVE at the bottom of the pecking order.

Most important -- have fun; you'll do just fine!

Quote from: IZ on April 25, 2010, 08:43:09 PM
I was at my dad's house in Tucson this weekend and snapped a pic of his chickens and the coop he made. 

He has a good looking bunch of chicks.  The coop is pretty cool too!  It's made of steel 2x4's, has 3 levels and approx. 10'x10'x10'.  He has me thinking about getting my own chickens now!  That might be too difficult though to keep up with moving every 12 months with a 1/2 dozen chicks in tow!      

That's a splendid chicken coop -- My compliments to your dad!

Quote from: triangleforge on April 30, 2010, 08:32:46 AM
That's a splendid chicken coop -- My compliments to your dad!

Thanks.  That's the prototype.  The man is friggen McGuyver.  He builds everything!  Meanwhile..I'm more like McGruber. 

If you want to talk chickens and building coops, ride down to PHX sometime.  We'll take a trip to Tucson for a buzz up the Catalinas, stop by Renaissance bikes and then swing out to my dad's for chicken talk and beers. 

Chicks arrived on Friday. I made a brooder out of a $15 rubbermaid drawer and $5 clip light. They like drinking out of the bottle rather than the standard waterer. The chicks seem happy. The dogs on the other hand are wondering why we won't give them the new squeaky toys.

They are just wonderful, they are cute and make me laugh a lot 

They of course are sooooo much easier then I thought...I had been worrying so much and then it is a no brainer. You can really see if things are OK by watching them and the way they act! 

Boy they are really messy   Carl made a great brooder, so it is pretty easy to clean!

We have been letting the dogs sniff them and then I have been placing them on the dogs head, neck, ears and back. (My hands around them loosely when I do this.) Fritz and Bogart actually lay on their sides. Jasper was a little to interested so he was told no and now he is a bit shy with them. (The way we introduced our three dogs) We're OK, now here is your brother and we are a family...our choice not theirs, now they don't want to be separated.

Any way this is really fun and I am looking forward to seeing them grow, I can't believe they are already growing.

Thanks for the great tips!

A friend of mine's mother has 12 eggs that are about to hatch in her kindergarten class.

I've got 4 chicks coming this weekend.  Looks like I better get busy building a coop...

Im super excited for the fresh eggs. 

there's something strangely therapeutic about staring at chickens just hunting a pecking...  I get lost in the moment.  But then again, I get the same feeling when I watch clothes spin in a dryer.


...I think I need to get out of the house more. 

Oh your chicks are so cute!!  And IZ_   Yay, chicks!!

I have had them for 3 days now...

I got twice as many as I wanted, so I think I will put an ad out on CL once they get a little older.  I am surprised at how loud they chirp, it is such a delightful little noise to hear when I wake up in the morning.

Luckily I just put new siding on the house, so I will build a coop that matches with all of my scraps!

Quote from: Vindingo on May 16, 2010, 08:42:53 AM
I have had them for 3 days now...

I got twice as many as I wanted, so I think I will put an ad out on CL once they get a little older.  I am surprised at how loud they chirp, it is such a delightful little noise to hear when I wake up in the morning.

Luckily I just put new siding on the house, so I will build a coop that matches with all of my scraps!

Congrats!!! Can't wait to see pictures of your coop 

What kind are they?

I am having so much fun getting to know mine and watching them grow. WOW they grow fast....mine now have tail feathers, they are really cool!

They are so great, I ordered a couple just as pets today  

I love to hear them and watch them stretch and peck and flap their wings...they are too funny flying in their brooder and then running into the others.

They are really use to me know and fall asleep on me and they like to hang out on my shoulder.

(I can't believe I was afraid of them before )

Do you guys know why a chicken coupe has two doors?






































































Because if it had four doors it'd be a chicken sedan!

Boo this man.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!



Polpetta says: 


sac

Quote from: Polpetta on May 16, 2010, 02:35:58 PM
What kind are they?

I am having so much fun getting to know mine and watching them grow. WOW they grow fast....mine now have tail feathers, they are really cool!

I have no idea what kind they are.  The lady who gave them to me that she ordered "egg laying hens" and assured me that they are all female.  I guess we will see.  Some are all yellow, and some are yellow with brown stripes on their backs. 

One of my little chicks is starting to get some feathers, it's kind of bitter-sweet.  They wont be cute little puff balls for much longer, but they are going to be chickens soon! 

They crap, A LOT.  9 birds is too many, so I might be getting rid of some sooner than later.   

I think the deep yellow ones may be Orpington's, they are suppose to be great layers! That's my only guess though.

With the ones I have, they also are the two that seem to snuggle in and fall asleep the fastest on me? I am amazed at how fast they grow.

Good luck