TanksHill...Roll on!!

[glenolam]

So, this may be a stupid question, but do you keep them in the baby pool until processing time or is that just until they're big enough to go outside w/no light?

 

[Dace]

When I had my chicks, I got free boxes from Walmart....in the tp isle, they usually have large boxes filled with the tp, ,if you are lucky you can condense a couple of boxes and take two home....I cut off one side each and duct taped them together to make one large box.

Have fun with your creepies!

 

[lorihadams]

They were in the baby pool until about 3-4 weeks old and then went into the tractor. We kept them out on the porch and our dog slept out there with them at night to keep the critters away.

 

[TanksHill]

When I had my chicks, I got free boxes from Walmart....in the tp isle, they usually have large boxes filled with the tp, ,if you are lucky you can condense a couple of boxes and take two home....I cut off one side each and duct taped them together to make one large box.

Have fun with your creepies!

Yeah Dace I keep thinking there has to be a cheap and easy way. But dh has a ton of scrap wood and he loves to build things. I think it would be a great way for him and son to get involved from the start. Besides I can always use a brooder box.

So turkey hen is back on the chicken eggs in the chicken coop. I'm not going to bug her. 20 days and counting.

g

 

[FarmerChick]

How ya doing Gina? All going well for ya?

 

[TanksHill]

Thanks for asking Karen. I am trying to fill my days with house, garden, chickens, and projects.

I am disappointed, mad, frustrated and p.o. all rolled into one. Today is dh last day at current company. On Monday he will start work with the new one. He will be part owner. But a percentage of a start up is worth squat if you ask me.

The transition from the corporate world back to a smaller company will be easy for him. He has many friends in the industry and all say the work will be waiting for him. The hours should be better, the commute as well as the pay.

It's the family connection that gets me. What his Dad did in the first place and now dh is going back to help him. I know family comes first, but that's not the position his dad took last year. He threw out dh 18 years like it was nothing. Now the customers will not give FIL any work. They understand it was my dh all along making it happen. So FIL asked him to come to the new company.

I guess there is a lot more to the story but whats done is done.



So in the mean time~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I ordered meat birds.

I have a turkey setting a clutch of chicken eggs.

Daddy daughter dance on Sat.

SIL b day on Sunday.

DD 7yo is turning 8 next weekend.

Green beans are coming up.

Squash need to go into the ground.

Tomatoes are stunted and need to be trans planted.

And I have a pile of laundry as big as a large sofa!!

So today will be about the same for me.

Again.

 

[CrimsonRose]

My DH hates chickens in the house even the cute little ones... so after the first week I put them outside... This is in early spring when the temps at night are still in the 30s... Here is how I do it... We have a Large insulated Dog house and I put a heat lamp on one side then put the chicks inside it... I cover the door to the dog house with a very think thermal blanket them cover that with a tarp... then in the morning afternoon time when it's warmed up I open the front door for light and fresh air... The dog box is small enough to hold in the heat from the lamp so I don't have to spend extra money to heat a garage... I would be using the lamp anyhow... but it's surprising just how much those little buggers can take... they are not a fragile as most people let on... I've learned if they make it past week one then the cold doesn't bother them as much... Of course I only raise mine in small batches of about 10 at a time... not sure I could do the same thing with 25-50 unless I had more than one doghouse... but since you said your hubby wasn't thrilled with the chickens in the house idea I thought I would give ya my idea to see if you could do something similar to reduce the inside time on the chicks...

 

[TanksHill]

Thanks, I do have a big dog crate. With the temps here being so mild I could probably leave them on the porch and cover like you said.

Hummm.... that's an idea.

thanks,

g

 

[Farmfresh]

Tanks in your temps I would not worry too much.

Part of the reason that I usually raise my meats in the fall is that when I get them in July the temps are pretty high. I don't usually have to use a heat lamp, just an incandescent 100 watt bulb is usually enough heat. The first week I use a thermometer at chick level to maintain about 90 degrees ( at least near the light bulb) the opposite end of my stock tank gets cooler. Poultry Lessons - Starting Baby Chicks

Then I lower the temp by about 5 (to sometimes 10 in two stages) degrees a week. Week 3 I even use a timer on the lights sometimes with short "lights off" sessions, that get longer by the end of that week. Week 4 - in normal weather I put them out to the outside tractor (mine is able to be shut up) for another week with no added heat. By now they have learned to bunch together for heat and as long as you have at least 10 and no really severe cold (under 30 - 40 degrees) days they are usually fine.

Like CrimsonRose said, "it's surprising just how much those little buggers can take"

 

[justusnak]

The first week is usually the hardest...for me. I keep them in the garage...in a big old wooden crate. Hubby gets them from work...the molds they work on get shipped in them. His work just burns them, so hubby gets all he can. We actually built our first Banty Shanty for free out of wooden crates! He just got 3 more the other day...they are about 4x4...and maybe 4 or 5 ft tall. He is collecting them now to put a floor in the lean too...so, back to the chicks. After about a week out they go!!! They have a crate, and light, and a fenced yard area....at 2 or 3 weeks...they are out in the yard dureing the day, in the crate at night. I need to get ready to order ours here soon as well. I am thinking I will do 3 batches this year......25 at a time.