Note: Well, it’s only been 10 months since my last post 😅!! As you can imagine our chicks are now a fully fledged flock! Life happened, and I had to put posting on the back burner until things settled down. And now we’re back! I’ll be doing several posts over the next week to get you up to speed on our fine flock, with plans afterwards to update bi-monthly, on the 1st and 15th of each month.
As our flock grew, they became less interested in basking in the warmth of the heat lamp, and more interested in hopping, scratching, and pecking their way through the brooder in the cutest mass of destruction you have ever seen. We stopped using puppy pads at this point, (3 weeks,) because the chicks had started tearing them to shreds and flipping them over, which defeated their purpose in acting as a “better barrier” between droppings and the pool. Having just moved into a new home, we had TONS of packing paper left over, and this proved to be a cheap and effective alternative.
It was obvious that the chicks needed more stimulation throughout the day to keep them occupied and healthy. We introduced a DIY chick-sized perch. We used a 1″ spade bit to bore two holes 6″ apart in two scrap pieces of 2×4. We inserted the end of a 1″ diameter dowel into each of the holes in one 2×4. We then capped the end other end of the dowels with the other 2×4. (see the picture to the right.) The chicks enjoyed learning to balance on their new toy, although it was a few more weeks before they would begin sleeping on it.
We also began to expose the chicks to the great outdoors with trips to the backyard. We were careful to keep them corralled in areas where there was plenty of shade, but with some exposure to sun if they wanted to warm up. At first we used some flattened cardboard boxes as a sort of pen to keep the chicks together. While it worked well at confining the chicks, it wasn’t very predator proof. which meant we needed to constantly be watching them, and couldn’t let them enjoy being outside for as long as they could have liked.
Ultimately we switched to using a large dog kennel so that the chicks could remain outside for extended periods of time. This solution worked extremely well. The chicks were safe and had plenty of space. That is until we reached… CHICKEN PUBERTY!
Ok, so technically it wasn’t chicken puberty, because the chicks were still small and no where near becoming sexually mature. They were starting to get their first set of adult feathers! I just thought they looked like the chicken equivalent of gawky, growing, human teenagers at this point. Still cute… but in an ugly sort of way 😁 (Also if you are thinking the center barred “pullet” looks a lot like a rooster in the making.. you’re right.)
At this point (4-5 weeks) we began to let the chicks explore the yard under careful supervision. They had their first experiences of catching and eating their own prey (grubs and worms) and we could really see their flock mentality at work. We also started to get pretty good at chicken herding. We did have one harrowing experience where someone got under the fence and on to the horse property next door. 😖 Fortunately she survived and is happily laying eggs today! Never underestimate a chick’s ability to squeeze through tight spaces!
The chicks also received an updated perch, which some began to sleep on.
But even with the increase of indoor and outdoor stimulation. We felt like we were just barely keeping up with the flock’s spatial needs. We were fortunate that even with all 13 birds cooped up together, we weren’t having any problems with aggressive plucking or fights, and we really didn’t want to invite problems in by keeping everyone in closer quarters than was healthy.
And so we hit the UT version of craigslist in search of our flock’s next home.
More on that next time!
Thanks for reading!
Choosing where to set up our brooder was the the first important decision. We opted to set up shop in the unfinished portion of our basement. We knew the temperature of this room would remain constant since it has no windows and is underground. This meant we wouldn’t need to worry about over/under heating the girls as the temperature fluctuated throughout the day; the brooder would be at a controlled temperature 24/7. Another pro is that since it’s in the basement, the delicate aroma of chick poo is a good distance away.
We purchased our chicks from a western co-op chain, IFA. We opted to add a bit of variety to our flock, and in addition to purchasing nine Ameraucanas, we bought two Buff Orpingtons, and two Barred Plymouth Rocks. Now, to be honest, I don’t think that several of the chicks are true Ameraucanas, but more on that later.
I had read somewhere that you should also turn the AC off and let the car warm up as you drive. Speaking just from my own experience, I wouldn’t recommend that. We had an issue with one of our chicks getting OVERheated. When we placed her in the brooder, we noticed she was really struggling to walk. We knew it was common for chicks not to make it, but the prospect was still a sad one. Fortunately, she was still expressing interest in water and feed, and after about 30 minutes, she resumed acting normal, and hasn’t had any problems since.
There were no other incidents with moving the chicks in, and it was ridiculously fun watching them get used to their new surroundings. The chicks were between 2 days and 10 days old, and depending on their age, had some behavioral differences. The younger chicks were primarily interested in eating and then finding a cozy spot to sleep, while the older ones were much more excited about exploring every inch of the brooder. Although the larger chicks certainly made it clear they were in charge, We have yet to see any major pecking issues.
As adorable as they were, we exercised a LOT of self restraint while handling the chicks at this delicate stage. Chicks are very susceptible to being over-stressed their first few weeks, especially when there is no mother hen to run back to. We chose to wear gloves, and only handle them in the evening when it was time to clean the brooder. Despite this seemingly limited interaction, the chicks are now quite used to being picked up. And although it isn’t their favorite thing in the world, most of them tolerate it quite well.
The last thing I want to touch on has to do with our cleaning routine for the chicks. It is so important for the health of the chicks to keep the brooder clean and their water and feed fresh. I typically check to make sure the feed and water dispensers are clear of debris at least twice a day, and in the evening, we replace the soiled puppy pads, as well as the aspen shavings we chose to include. Occasionally, someone will have an BM that lands and dries on the kiddie pool. Fortunately it is easy to carry it outside and hose off.
The nightly cleanup routine also gives us an excellent opportunity to have an in depth look at each chick. and make sure there aren’t any health or hygiene issues. For example, sometimes young chicks will have a buildup of feces that blocks their vent, and keeps them from being able to excrete. This is an (understandably) life threatening occurrence, and is something which needs to be checked for daily. Other things to watch for are energy level, feet and leg issues, and growth rate relative to their peers.
Whilst aboard the emotional roller coaster that is purchasing a first home, we decided life wasn’t exciting enough, and could use the addition of 12 fuzzy, future egg layers. Specifically, future SEA BLUE EGG layers.
All Creatures 