The Newest Girls...
I got the call first thing this morning that my new girls were delivered to the feed store. What I really wanted to do was skip the whole work thing and go home and get them set up. But, I waited it out and had Ward get the new girls on his way home.
As an attempt to feed my family food that isn't pumped with growth hormones and raised in horrible conditions, I opted to raise our own chickens. I have high hopes here!
Raising chicks is super easy.
Supplies:
- waterer
- feed dish
- chick mash (feed)
- brooder/box/fish tank/storage tote - some type of enclosure to keep them safe
- cover (to keep out predators)
- light bulb (preferably a 250 watt bulb but at 125 watt bulb should be good for June chicks)
- thermometer*
- flooring (not pine shavings in the beginning - they can eat it and it will kill them, I know from previous experience) - you can use newspaper, old towels, hay/straw, or soil
*A note about temperature:
It's important to keep the temperature in the brooder between at around 95 degrees for the first week, then you can reduce the temperature by 5 degrees each week.
As soon as Ward got home, I really wanted to get the new girls set up in the barn BUT I was forced to wait because we had one heck of a thunderstorm come rumbling through and we lost power! Which meant, no heat light for them. We thought it was best to just leave them in the box in the car until we were totally ready to put them in the box.
We finally did get them set up. They seemed happy moving around in their "new" temporary home, drinking water, eating, and making the cutest little chirping sounds. I cannot wait to check on them tomorrow morning.
Aren't they cute? Too bad they aren't really pets, they are our meat birds.
As an attempt to feed my family food that isn't pumped with growth hormones and raised in horrible conditions, I opted to raise our own chickens. I have high hopes here!
Raising chicks is super easy.
Supplies:
- waterer
- feed dish
- chick mash (feed)
- brooder/box/fish tank/storage tote - some type of enclosure to keep them safe
- cover (to keep out predators)
- light bulb (preferably a 250 watt bulb but at 125 watt bulb should be good for June chicks)
- thermometer*
- flooring (not pine shavings in the beginning - they can eat it and it will kill them, I know from previous experience) - you can use newspaper, old towels, hay/straw, or soil
*A note about temperature:
It's important to keep the temperature in the brooder between at around 95 degrees for the first week, then you can reduce the temperature by 5 degrees each week.
As soon as Ward got home, I really wanted to get the new girls set up in the barn BUT I was forced to wait because we had one heck of a thunderstorm come rumbling through and we lost power! Which meant, no heat light for them. We thought it was best to just leave them in the box in the car until we were totally ready to put them in the box.
We finally did get them set up. They seemed happy moving around in their "new" temporary home, drinking water, eating, and making the cutest little chirping sounds. I cannot wait to check on them tomorrow morning.
Oh little chicks are tooo cute. I only have hens for eggs as I can't not name an animal and once it has a name well, can't eat it can I!!! Will you guys do all the errrrm "prep" of chickens when it's time?? Sorry I know it sounds small minded of me but I am keen to hear all the ins and outs.
ReplyDeleteWe have 6 chickens in our backyard that we raised from little chicks! They are so cute and I love the eggs. They taste so much better and I KNOW they are better for me. We planned on having them for meat at some point, but they kind of turned into pets and the kids all named them and my youngest carries them around the yard and talks to them. It's been a year and a half and I don't see us eating them anymore. Unless we had to, of course.
ReplyDeleteAhhh, they are so cute when they are little. :) We have some chickens, and we love having fresh eggs! Definitely worth it!
ReplyDeleteWe have 9 girls already that supply us with delicious eggs, too! Looking forward to this new adventure with meat birds.
ReplyDeleteOh & BabyWilt - we won't do any of the prepping or processing. We have an appointment set up already with a local butcher! I couldn't do that. I'm not even sure I have what it takes to raise meat birds - I am too attached to the egg laying hens!
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