# just got baby chicks Help me



## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

I just got five chicks and one rooster. the chicks are buff batums and gold somethings . how many laying boxes will I need? and how big do I build them? not sure how old they are but they have no feathers yet. do they need special food to lay? how do I keep they friendly and able to be handled? someone told me not to hold or it would make them mean:scratch. Please help me:eyebulge:


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## jeff47041 (Jan 5, 2013)

Here's what I did. Probably all wrong, but here it is. I was told to feed them chick starter until they start laying eggs. The "extra egg" feed that I started feeding them after they started laying has too much calcium in it for chicks. (the only way they have to get rid of calcium is to lay eggs)

They will share a couple of nest boxes, but they can each have one. I can't measure mine right this minute, but I'd say they are 12" x 12". Lots of people put some straw in 5 gal buckets laid on the side. They will start laying at about 4 months of age. I can't remember how old they were when they got feathers...Sorry

I held my chicks to get them used to me. Then they stopped letting me. I can still pet a couple of mine, but I really don't have any reason to touch them. They love me, because I feed them. Every time, since I got them, I say "hi chicks" before I open the door. I started that so I wouldn't scare them when I opened the door. Soon, when they would hear my voice saying "Hi chicks", they come running and still do. Mine are a year old now. It's almost time to get rid of the rooster though. He's starting to get mean, and I have 3 grand daughters around.

It is soooo enjoyable to just sit and watch the chicks. Even now that they are grown. 

They are starting to hatch babies right now. It's fun to watch the moms take care of their babies too.


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## AdmiralD7S (Dec 6, 2012)

So, This will be my sixth reply I've typed out. Some have been snarky, one talked about how long you've been a member and should know better than to make a post like this, and one bordered on rudeness. I decided that none were an appropriate response when I read them over, so let me just say this. You are asking lots of very basic questions. You could (and should) google for an answer or (even better!) search on here for it. You and millions of people over hundreds of generations have likely asked similar if not identical questions. To be blunt, the answers are very prevalent with even a cursory search, and you should not be asking these questions here when similar threads exist.

Truly, please let me know if you need help making use of the search feature as it will save you, I, and everyone here much time if you use it.

As a short preview, in the grand scheme of things, you can't screw up chicks too badly. If you are fit to be a father/mother, you will figure out the chicks just fine even if you never find an answer to a single question you asked. Congratulations on your new surrogate family!


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

I have 5 chicks in my brooder right now. They are just over three weeks.

If yours have no feathers they are day old to about a week. They start developing feathers on their wings before a week old. Mine are a bit further than most 3 week old chicks because I am using the heating pad broody method of raising them. The heat is off during the day because it gets hot in the box and I don't want to roast them.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/04/when-to-move-chicks-from-brooder-to.html

This blog has some good advice but it is only one person's opinion.

Feed them the chick feed til they start laying eggs. You can then feed them layer pellets or add calcium in a dish for them to eat as they see fit along with the chick feed.

You can get a lot of your questions answered over at BackyardChickens.com. Great forum. I learned about the heating pad method there and it is working very well!

I am curious why you got chicks with out doing a bit of research first.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Grimm said:


> You can get a lot of your questions answered over at BackyardChickens.com. Great forum. I learned about the heating pad method there and it is working very well!


No need to go to BackyardChickens.com. ... We have more than a few chicken folks here!

Back to the OP ... No need to worry about boxes for a little bit. Keep the chicks warm and with good feed. Then do a little research (here) on what you need for a hen and laying.

I will post some links later...

Best of luck with the chicks.

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f114/chickens-beginners-21330/

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f114/new-chickens-23622/index2.html

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f114/starting-chickens-24228/


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

*Andi said:


> No need to go to BackyardChickens.com. ... We have more than a few chicken folks here!


I go there because there are some interesting chicken threads. Right now I am following one about a pair of albino Orpintons.

Sometimes it is fun just to surf over there to see all the pictures of other people's set ups. The threads are very photo heavy.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

stayingthegame said:


> I just got five chicks and one rooster. the chicks are buff batums and gold somethings . how many laying boxes will I need? and how big do I build them? not sure how old they are but they have no feathers yet. do they need special food to lay? how do I keep they friendly and able to be handled? someone told me not to hold or it would make them mean:scratch. Please help me:eyebulge:


For 5 chickens 1 or 2 laying boxes. 14" x 14" is an average size.

No feathers. Depending on your climate they will need supplemental heat until fully feathered.

Special food. Chick starter feed, switch to Layer feed when they start laying.

Friendly and able to be handled. Get down on their height level. Hand feed them treats. Pet them, etc.


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## Starcreek (Feb 4, 2015)

It's okay to handle the chicks. It would probably make them more friendly rather than less, although as jeff pointed out, they get independent and don't want to be petted when they grow up.

Nesting boxes should be about 1'x1'x1' for your size hens, and build one box for every 5 laying hens.

When they get their feathers on them (fully feathered, not just wings), you can move them from the brooder to the hen house, and depending on the climate where you are, you may want to keep a heat lamp in the hen house until they get a little bigger.

Chick starter until they get a few months old, then laying pellets. Mine eat the Tractor Supply brand better than the co-op brand. Do NOT get medicated feed, although for some reason you have to pay MORE for the unmedicated. I never could figure out why you pay more for something to be left out, but whatever....

Generally, chickens are low maintenance -- shelter, food, water, and they're fine. I do worm mine about twice a year with Wazine (just mix with water and put in their waterer for a day). Don't even know if that's really necessary.

Good luck with your flock! You'll do fine.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

TheLazyL said:


> Friendly and able to be handled. Get down on their height level. Hand feed them treats. Pet them, etc.


My older girls didn't like being handled as chicks. Once they moved to the coop at 7 weeks old they started demanding pets and attention. They will perch on my arms if I let them and they LOVE their crops and keels rubbed. I am working on getting them comfortable with facial rubs. All of this is good for them and allows me to give them the once over and make sure they are healthy and without injury.

The littles in the brooder are scared of my hands because they are coming from above. I have tried a few tricks I read about but nothing works to tame them. I think they will calm down once they are in the coop and I will be approaching them from the side. Right now I am doing nothing different from how I raised the first group except this group has a heating pad cave verses a heat lamp.


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

*one week*

Hubby is building a coop for me.artydance: right now it will have three nesting boxes and room to add three more. the coop will measure 4 foot by 6 foot and as of now will be 30 inches off the ground ( we will put the legs in the ground when we find the final spot for it. My chicks are getting tail feathers and eating up a storm. I have them in a very large dog crate covered in chicken wire. they seem to love being out in the grass. we are hitting 70 and above at night and today hit 93. Do I need to worry about heat stroke if they have water and plenty of shade? I do put them in a smaller dog box at night.


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

I have been to Backyard Chickens


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## AdmiralD7S (Dec 6, 2012)

If their shade is a dog crate, make sure there is adequate ventilation even in the shade. It can be surprising how quickly enclosures can heat up


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

I fill both the hens' waterer and the chicks' waterer with ice cubes and water when it gets hot. I also give the hens frozen veggies and fruit to help cool them. The chicks get cold greens since they are just starting to eat "treats".

You can get poultry electrolytes to give them when you think they are sick or stressed.


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## NHPrepper2 (Jun 2, 2012)

What is wrong with you?


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

NHPrepper2 said:


> What is wrong with you?


Who are you talking to?


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

NHPrepper2 said:


> What is wrong with you?


Don't you love it when someone makes a jerkoff comment/question then never comes back to clarify?! Hit and run trolling at its finest.


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## harlequin (Jun 12, 2015)

When I get a new batch of chicks I keep them in a large/long Rubbermaid tote on the back porch. Attach one of the heat lamps with an infrared bulb to the side and make sure the tote is long enough that they can escape to the other end if it gets too hot. 

To avoid pasty butt, I shave their rear-ends with a #40 blade. Works like a charm. I also feed them a medicated chick starter for a while. 

Good luck with your chicks!


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## shadowrider (Mar 13, 2010)

Good answers above.
I'll only add this: Hens often like to lay where another has layed. A golf ball, round rock, or fake egg of some sort encourages them to lay in the boxes. They also tend to lay in the same place each time. And results may vary with new layers. Some just drop the eggs where they're standing.

Chickens have personality of their own.


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

harlequin said:


> <snip> To avoid pasty butt, I shave their rear-ends with a #40 blade. Works like a charm.


I never thought about doing that - even just clipping the area would work. I always found it interesting when someone says to just put their little rear-end in warm water and the poop comes right off. Ha!


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Country Living said:


> I never thought about doing that - even just clipping the area would work. I always found it interesting when someone says to just put their little rear-end in warm water and the poop comes right off. Ha!


When Frou Frou had the beginnings of pasty butt I soaked her rear and it worked.

I giggle when I hear people recommend painting the vent with olive oil to prevent further cases.


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

When a few of my very first babies had pasty butt, they acted as if I was going to drown then when I plopped their little rears in warm water. Oh, the squawking!!!

Thankfully none of the chicks in the last batch didn't have that problem. I will keep the clipping in mind - that was a great idea.


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

*can a rooster do the broody thing*

My buff orpington rooster that is about 4 weeks old will brood the week old red production chicks I have. They will run and lay under him. He will puff out his chest and spread his wings to cover them and gently sit down on them. they will stay that way for 10 or 15 mins. and then everyone gets up and run off to eat. :scratch


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

stayingthegame said:


> My buff orpington rooster that is about 4 weeks old will brood the week old red production chicks I have. They will run and lay under him. He will puff out his chest and spread his wings to cover them and gently sit down on them. they will stay that way for 10 or 15 mins. and then everyone gets up and run off to eat. :scratch


Might not be a cockerel after all.


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

how do you tell if they are male or female?


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

stayingthegame said:


> how do you tell if they are male or female?


Vent sexing which is done by the hatchery before they are shipped out. Or you wait and watch how they develop. I have three chickens in my coop that appear to be female. They are 15 weeks old, have small pink combs and wattles, and rounded hackle feathers. But until they start laying or crowing I can only guess they are pullets and not cockerels.

I have 5 chicks in the grow out pen that were vent sexed by the hatchery before they were sent to me. They have small/tiny pink combs and are still feathering but they appear to be pullets. I bought all pullets so I can assume they are what I paid for.

Except vent sexing is more an art than a science. It is not 100% accurate so I will again have to wait till all 5 lay eggs or start crowing to make sure I got pullets.


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## timmie (Jan 14, 2012)

just acquired an americana rooster friday. hubby is in the process of building a chicken coop as i intend to get more chickens. also acquired friday a little redbone hound puppy. someone just put him off at our house. hubby wants to keep him for a squirrel dog, so i'm off to the vet.


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