# Chickens getting started



## Ed_GT5000 (Sep 30, 2003)

Now that we have been living at our "farm" for a month the wife and I are toying with the idea of getting a few chickens for eggs.

About 20 years ago a fellow gave me two white hens and one brown hen. I built a small hutch to keep them in and fed them cracked corn or sometimes this stuff called egg maker. Funny thing, the white ones laid white eggs and the brown one laid brown eggs.........

OK fast forward to today,
I want eggs for a family of three. I figure three or four hens. Should I get a roster? Will a hutch be OK or do I need a pen. I don't want to be chasing loose chickens around the yard. Should I get chicks? If so how many? How long before they will lay? I know that some will die. Or should I try to find some grown hens to start with? And lastly, What breeds should I consider?

Any constructive help is appreciated, I have been city-fide for too long.


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

I don't know to much about chickens but i wouldn't get a rooster unless you plan on raising chickens. Because you need the rooster to make the egg fertile. And unless you want to crack open a egg with a baby in it i wouldn't get a rooster.
Jody


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## Greg (Sep 16, 2003)

Ed,

This looks like a good book that covers most everything. Scroll down and check out the reviews.

Greg


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

Well unless an egg gets past a certain temperature the embryo does not start to form. I hatch lots of eggs during the year and sell both hatching eggs, fresh eggs as well as chicks, and on the 8th day when I candle a tray of eggs and they still appear clear, they are culled and go in the house for table fare.......Never yet have we found a chick inside an egg destined for the table. 

I have to add, that we do not "ever" refridgerate fresh eggs. They stay on the counter or in a cool place but not the refridgerator. Don't was em either until it comes time to use them, but you have to gather them a few times a day so they do not get soiled. Washing a fresh egg allows bacteria to infiltrate the shell and leads to faster spoiling, so until they get used they do not get washed. 

You can tell what color eggs a chicken will lay by the color of its ear tufts/lobes........yes chickens have ear lobes. Mediteranian breeds are all white egg layers and will have white ear lobes, old European are usually all brown egg layers and will have brown or dark lobes. The only exception to this is in South American breeds called Aracaunas or their northern variety called americaunas or just commonly called Easter Eggers, which can lay a dark green, light blue, pink or real light tan colored egg, with the green being the predominant egg color. No matter what color the egg is they all taste the same and have the same level of nbutrients, regardless of what hype you may read on the internet about the easter eggers and brown eggs being higher in protein and lower in chlorestoral. 


But unless you have a good ratio of hens to roosters, a rooster is pretty darn hard on a hen and it won't take much time until that hen is ragged looking and bare backed. So unless youy have a need for fertile eggs forget a rooster, as they simply are not needed. NOw if your looking to hatch eggs or let a hen set and hatch the clutchof eggs, yes, then you need the rooster, but just be aware broody hens are not as common today as they used to be, as broodiness seems to have been bred out of them. There are a few breeds that have more of a tendancy to set, but even with those breeds its a guess. 

I just have to suggest Black Australops or Buff Orpingtons. Both are in the same family with the Buff being slightly larger. Buffs are supposedly broody types, were Black is questionable. Both of these breeds are some really laid back chickens, very very docile, easy to manage and not huge consumers of feed. The Black Austraulops have the worlds record on laying eggs. Buffs are a bit slower getting to the egg laying stage but once started are real egg machines. Blacks come in a bit earlier, and are superb in egg laying, and being a pound or two lighter consume much less feed as well. Unless you just like having chickens around, don;t feed grains or corn. All it does is make the chickens fat, and a fat chicken will not lay as well. The only time I have corn available for my birds is during the winter. It gets fed only if the temp is expected to fall very low, and then I may throw in some corn in addition to their layer feed, as it gives them a bit more body heat, but if the temps stay above 30 or so deg they do not get corn. Scratch feed is a waste, as chickens are no different than a kid or you and me. Theyw ill pick out what they like and let the rest spoil. Best feed is commercially sold starter grower feed for getting the chickens to size, and then feed them layer pellets. Pellets have much less waste than mash or crumbles do, although crumbles or mash type is what will feed to be fed to young chicks, until they can eat pelleted type feed. 16 to 18 percent protein with added calcium or any complete layer pellet is fine. 

Unless you really want an uninterupted supply of eggs, it would be best to have two or ore groups seperated by about 3 months of age, so when one group goes into its molt and stops laying the others are still laying, and if you only have all same age chickens you may find a 2 or 3 month area without any eggs.

Roosters can be one mean critter, and some breeds like Rhode Island Reds can get downright nasty. They can get to a point that they will attack or jump anyone, so if any little children may be around, a rooster may not be a good idea by any means unless its in a pen. When my youngest son was abaout 3 years old he got in amongst the flock of RIR's I had and a big old rooster promptly jumped him, and actually did a dance on my sons head and shoulders spurring a flogging him. So a rooster can be one bad actor.

YOu can let your chickens free range, and train them to return to the coop at night, but once they free range finding eggs may be a chore, and you also risk loosing them to predators. You also run the risk of them scratching up flower beds, gardens, lawns etc so free range may not be the best idea for some folks.

Just this past weekend (Actually thursday evening) I had a hatch of 190 chicks come out. I plan my hatches to come on Thursdays. We have a free advertising magazine that comes out every thursday, and I always place a ad in it for selling chicks. This way it gives folks Thursday evening, Friday and all weekend long to buy chicks, and I do not have to feed them, just keep em warm for up to 3 days, so I have no money invested n brooders and feed etc up to that point. Any that remain unsold are either killed, or placed in a pen and 10 cents added each week until they reach a point where pullets are no longer sold, aas they are kept to replace older birds, or the roosters are killed or put n the deep freeze. I sell off my older birds every 2 or 3 years and replace them all with new stock . ONce the new stock is laying, the elders get sold, usually at an auction where folkls are more than willing to pay from 5 to 7 bucks each for laying hens. They are usually good for 5 years or so, but each year their egg laying decreases, but they eat the same so out they go and in come the new replacement recruits.

This is probably going to be my last year rasiing and selling chickens, eggs and chicks though, as I am going to concentrate on the peafowl and guinea fowl. Guineas around here fetch $15 and up and peafowl routinely bring $30 and up for a young unsexed chick. Guineas keets unsexed bring $5 each, which is a lot better than $1.25 for a unsexed chicken, and the guineas and peas also eat a ot less feed and do not make as much of a mess.

I have 5 dfferent types of peafowl, 12 different colors of guineas, as well as Brown china geese which seem to be a pretty popular animal as well. They make good constant weeders in an established garden, but they do make a mess. I normally let the geese set and hatch their own eggs, and then either keep a few and sell the rest, as its hard to mix chicken and waterfowl eggs in the same incubators as they both have different humidity requirements and young ducks and geese are a real mess to raise up as they are pretty darn sloppy as compared to chickens.

Sorry about the long rant, but chickens are interesting and its nice to watch a hen and her biddies, or just watch the fowl in general. Very relaxing, and those fresh eggs are not even in the same class as store bought eggs are. First cake or omlet you make with them will prove that. Difference is like night and day.


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

Wow great info! --- i have been actually thinking about setting up a small pen/coop for a couple hens to lay eggs. Does anyone have any pictures, designs and is there an easier breed of chicken for newbies than others? Looking for nice large white or brown egg layers --- nothing too profuse in laying (can you control the rate of the egg laying?) just a couple eggs a day would be more than fine. 

Let me know and thanks so much for the info! 

BAAAAAALK BAAAAAAAALLLK!:chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken:


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## Stewart (Sep 17, 2003)

Wow, thanks for sharing Chip. That is a lot of great info.


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## aegt5000 (Feb 22, 2004)

Oh Boy !!!

And I thought he knew alot about hose's


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## homergreg (Oct 16, 2003)

Chip knows his chickens! 

Having grown up around chickens, the only thing I can emphasize about what he said is that unless you want a lot of hassle, DON'T LET THEM FREE RANGE! Chickens are the reason for the term "bird brain" and if you let them loose, they will prove it to you time and time again!


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

Gotcha ---- plus my doggies would love to eat fresh chicken! YUMMY TUMMY. 

What are some good starter varieties and plans?


I AM GOING CHICKEN KOOKOO

:chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken:


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## Greg (Sep 16, 2003)

Ed,

Sorry I forgot the link. You may not need it after all the great info from Chipmaker..... but for what it's worth.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0882668978/002-8328226-7796025?v=glance

Greg


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

Personally I would go with a chicken that is not hyper, but one that is laid back and very docile. Usually these are brown egg layers. I have had all kinds of breeds over the years and the easiest and most docile have been the Buff Orpington and Black australops. Average weight full grown is between 5 and 7 pounds or so. Rhode Island Red, New Hamps etc are nice but more excitable and hyper, but are decent layers. Most any decent recognizeable bred is capable of 260 to 300 eggs a season, and all lay one a day usually. (I have one hen that has been known to lay two in one day skip a day then two more and skip a day or two and then a single and then a double.)

It does not take much room or fancy housing to make a hen happy, but fencing or being in a run attached to the coop is important for longevity of the birds as they are easy prey to dogs, *****, oppossums etc etc, as well as a size 10 boot when they tear up the garden.

Raising up biddies from just hatched (typical of what is available from sources that mail order chickens) can be a chore until you get them to a point that they do not require auxillary heat, even if its 80 deg outside, until they get fully feathered out they need auxillary heat (6 to 8 weeks or so) and a 40 watt light bulb suspended over them about 8 inches off the floor will work fine for about 12 chicks per light (with a pie pan type reflector to direct heat downwards) 

Odds are in favor of you buying straight run chicks from a hatchery that you will wind up with about a 70/30 mix of cockerels to pullets, but you can also buy already sexed chicks and take your choice of how many pullets or cockerels you want, in lots usuall;y of 25 minimum as they need that quanity to retain warmth during shipping, and they usually ship very well. Its not uncommon to loose a few in the first week or two.......

Landscape timbers used as fence poles work fine, and the fence should be at least 60 inches tall. A top is not necessary unless you have a flying predator problem, and then you can get an aviary mesh which is pretty cheap to buy made of monifilament or nylon line like a huge net wold be made. I would use 1 inch poultry wire, as 2 Inch wire is half as much as the 1 inch costs but it allows their heads to poke through and it may not hold in a biddie, and it also allows more manuver room for a **** etc to pull a chicken through. I have seen chickens literally pulled through chicken wire, hard to imaagine but true. Only real requirements are some shade, sunshine, out of th wind and heavy drafts, food and water and kept dry, and they will do what a hen does best for you, no matter what th breed. Bantams are neat but eat almost as much as a full sized chicken does and their eggs are pretty small, much smaller than a small fullsized chicken egg. The varieties I listed all lay large to extra large or jumbo sized eggs and are relatively misers on feed consumption, at least in quanities of under 2 dozen. Oh, some hatcheries as the year goes on and gets hotter will not ship chicks, and others will actually reduce the minimum order of 25 to 12 chicks. Places like TSC and farmers coops and feed stores routinely sell chicks, at just about what it costs them as they look to future feed sales to make their profits from.

For feeders in a small flock the hanging type 3 or 5 pound capacity feeders are best as they allow sufficient feeding room and take up little space as a trough type feeder does. Watering is easy if you use a low pressure water system which is pretty cheap to setup and buy. As chicks you need to use individual; gal or quart sized waterers. Its important to check on them daily and these smaller waterers are less apt to cause a chick to drown. Deep dishes and such are a no no for small babies. Low pressure water systems use either house pressure water reduced by a regulator down to less than 25 psi of water pressure, or you can use a 55 gal drum or a 5 gal bucket and attach a hose to it and let gravity pressure feed the water. They work great. You canbuy elbows, T's, couplings and individual waterers, and last I looked $20 or so bucks will get you a starter kit of 5 waterers and 50 feet of tubeing. They work on the same principal as drip irrigation. I water mine from 2 55 gal drums in the barn loft. I fill the drums with plumbing I run at street pressure, and once full let gravity do the rest. 

Once they get old enough to lay the plastic milk cartons that everyone seems to have works fine for a nest or does a simle woodenbox, old tire etc.......they are easy to keep happy.

Lots of tmes varous hatcheries have a fry pan special or hatchey choice special. This is where they sell an assortment of whatever chicks thewy have left over (its illegal to ship chicks after they are 72 hours old at least according to USPS regs) After 72 hours of hatch another set of rules and regs come into play and birds may require certain checks and tests and paperwork depending on the state your in or from where chicks are sent from. Shipping for 25 chicks is usually around 8 to 10 bucks in the lower 48, and pullets (young hens) will cost more than cockerels(young roosters), and straight run is usually cheapest. Coornish hens are not a good deal if your looking for eggs as they are a meat bird, and dress out fully matured within 10 weeks or so, require a high protein food and suffer a lot of losses in that period of time. 

Buff Orps, Black Aust, Barred Rock, White Rocks, Golden comets, Hew Hampshire, Rhode Island Reds are all good egg layers. Stay away form leghorns and other hybrid types as they lay a lot but are short lived in egg laying as they are pretty hyper and lay out themselves pretty fast in a year or so, and none really ever get enough meat on them to eat except perhaps in a meat pie. Get bare legged chickens as they are less prone to mites etc and stay cleaner easier. Aracauna or Americauana are also a neat breed that lay well and produce those colored eggs which is a big novelty with kids and adults alike. They are usually easy going as well, but the roosters can be a different story.


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## Ed_GT5000 (Sep 30, 2003)

Wow, Thanx for all the great info especially on the breeds. And the food pellets too. Seems like the way to go. I have seen chicks advertised at TSC and may go that route. I was hoping I could keep them in a large box with newspaper and a light over them for warmth in the seller for a few weeks until they gained some size. Then move them to a hutch outside. As they grow I would build a pen around the hutch and let that be their home. There are a lot of hawks and vultures in my neck of the woods, so a top would be needed.

BTW, How long will it be from chick to egg laying hen?


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Hey Chip you brought up a thought that did not ocure to me. Flying predaters. I have been thinking in the next few years of maybe getting some birds, but I have a pair of halks that live in the back part of my yard, and are flying overhead daily, so looks like that may be an issue with me.


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

From chick to laying hen is all dependant on the breeds. Heavier breeds take a bit more time to mature, but on average you shuld start to have eggs from about 9 or 10 months of age. The hens I have right now will be a year old at the end of this month and they have been laying since December. Sporadic at first now its an all out production of eggs daily.........

Top Flite aviary netting is pretty darn cheap and it is very durable. For a top of pen enclosure you can get by on the lighter weight 2" mesh opening. A piece 100 feet by 20 feet costs about $50. It should easily last 10 or more years. I have had lim,bs from large oak trees fall on it, piled a foot deep in leaves that became wet until I got them off the net and it never hurt it one bit. Some really tough stuff. Thosethat live up north may want to get th heavier stuff as if it gets coated with ice and snow (usually on the smaller mesh sizes of less than 1" ) its prone to severe stretch and possible breaking but its still easy to repair or fix or keep ice and snow knocked off it.


Keeping chicks in a cardboard box with a light is a perfectly fine way of brooding them. Its very common to do it that way. Since your in Ohio, there are quite a few hatcheries in that state that sells good quality chicks. Mt Healthy is one dealer that has some great stock.

Source for poultry waterers, and netting and other items:
http://www.poultrysupplies.com/

Mt. Healthy Hatchery in Ohio website:
http://www.mthealthy.com

It really does not matter what state the hatchery is in as shipping is relatively cheap and anyplace in the lower 48 can ship to any place in the lower 48 in one or two days shipping. Just shop for price or quanity in numbers that you can handle. 


NOrmally in brooding u chicks you keep them in a heated enclosure (brooder pen or box with light etc etc). They need to be out of drafts. Make ure the box is large enough so that the chicks can get in under the heat source or get away form it if they get to hot. The small kiddies plastic swimming pools work fine until chicks get to be about a month old then it needs to be covered or they will jump out. 

Each week raise the heat source up a bit higher, which decreases heat available to chicks. The object is to reduce the temperature about 5 deg a week, until it gets substantially warm enough outside for them without supplemental heat, or they are fully feathered out. Wings feather out first but usually by 6 weeks most are fully feathered except perhaps the head and neck which still have baby chick type feathers, but at this point they should be fine as long a its not really cold outside.

Straw or wood shavings make a better bedding material as a young chick needs to be ble to get its legs firmly under it so it does not become spraddle legged, and newspapers are fine, but only after a week of age or so, as they can't get as good a grip on newspapers with their feet. Even dry sand works great.


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## Ed_GT5000 (Sep 30, 2003)

Thanx again Chipmaker for another great post. You have given me alot of much needed help. The Mt. Healthy Hatchery is only about 20min west from where I work and I will give them a call. Their website was very informative also. 

With a little luck I may be able to start on this project in a week or so.

I saw that Mt. Healthy Hatchery offers
Debeaking 10¢ per chick
Wing Clipping 10¢ per chick
Decombing 10 ¢ per chick
Mareks Vaccination 10¢ per chick

Do you recomend having this stuff done?

They have a minimun of a 15 chick order and I think that is a good number for me to start with.


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## memmurphy (Sep 18, 2003)

Thanks for the expierienced information Chipmaker! :thumbsup: 

I printed it out for future reference. My grandparents had chickens back in the 60's but their no longer around to ask questions about them. They also had a few pigs, rabbits, cows, and two horses. I hope someday to be on the other side of the city limits sign and fresh eggs would be nice.

Mark


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

Thats great, only 20 min from a great hatchey........


I saw that Mt. Healthy Hatchery offers
Debeaking 10¢ per chick

## Debeaking is not usually necessary unless your confining a bunch of birds in a small area, and I mean a bunch in a small area much like layer and broiler houses dok, as this cuts back on the chickens canabilistic traits. Usually not needed in a back yard flock.

Wing Clipping 10¢ per chick
## Not needed in a home flock either. Clipping wings on some breeds can really make em look strange. Let the birds have their wings. If at some point after they are grown and any flying presents a problem, you can easily clip their flight feathers on one or both wings to curb their flying. Usually unless pushed and cornered, chickens stay on the ground unless trying to get into a roost. Clipping wings (feather type clip) only needs to be done once a season or 2 times at most. MOst backyard hens get to fat to fly anyhow, at least very high or far.


Decombing 10 ¢ per chick
##Decombing is only necessary if the chickens will be exposed to crowding or in extremely cold weather where their combs may freze. Not a problem if they have sufficient shelter. SOme birds have huge floppy combs that hang in their eyes etc, so thats another reason to decomb. Unless freezing is an issue, let em have their combs, its really not much of any problem.

Mareks Vaccination 10¢ per chick
Depends, If Mareks Disease is a problem in your locale, then it may be worth it, however I know of no backyard flock owners in my life that have ever had this done either. Most if not all commercial poultry houses are required to vacinate, but if its not a big problem in yur area I would not worry about it either.

Do you recomend having this stuff done?

They have a minimun of a 15 chick order and I think that is a good number for me to start with. 

Thats a good min order quanity. Earlier their minimum was 25. Lots of hatcheries reduce min quanity as the season goes on, as temps are warmer so it does not require as many chicks in a box to keep em warm duriing shipping, but in your case 20 mim away is nice.

This is my opinion and lots of backyard bird keepers outlook as well. Its best to start feeding starter crumbles with medication for coccidossis already in it, for at least 1 or 2 months. Chicks during this time are subject to catching coccidossis, and you can buyt medicated starter crumbles with this antibiotic in it that will prevent or reduce their chance of getting coccidossis. Adult birds build up a natural immunity and can usually have a high resistance to it. Then again some folks don't like the idea of antibiotics in their birds etc, but aftyer the one or two months and until they reach laying size / age, or butcher age, that anti biotic is long gone out of their system, as not a long lasting residual medication. 

Feed young birds starter crumbles up to the time they start to lay. YOu can if available feed a starter / grower ration (crumbles) up to the point they are half grown in size & fully feathered. Then swap em over to a layer pellet, which is fine for roosters as well. Layer pellets should be from 16 to 18 percent in protein and be a complete feed ration for layers. 

Yea I know chickens like grain etc, especially corn and millet, but save those things for a treat. Just throw a handfull out to them every now and then and use it to entice them back in the pen etc, or as a treat, but not as a sole food ration. They will live off grains just fine, however you won't get everything oput of a chicken fed grains like you will with a commercial made pellet type feed. Chhickens do so much better with pelletized feed. They get a complete balanced diet with pellets. They canb;'t pick out what they like or dislike, so therefore they get all nutrients. They are no different than children are. Give a child their choice and they will eat nothing but peanut butter and chocolate and other sweets. Same with a chicken.........they prefer corn and millet, but it does not give them proper nutrition.


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## Chris (Sep 15, 2003)

Wow, Chip you are the CHICKEN KING. 

:worthy:


Thanks for all of the excellent info and insight.

:chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken:


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## Ed_GT5000 (Sep 30, 2003)

Yes, Chipmaker gets my nomination for poultry expert of the tractor forum. His expertise is given me a lot of confidence to get this going.
Thanx again Chipmaker!:friends: 

When I get the chicks I will let you know how it goes. I feel better dealing with a hatchery in person rather than just ordering over the phone. 

I am planing on going there and getting everything I need to get started.

BTW: MT. Healthy hatchery is located in an area that is suburban. I would never guessed a poultry opertation would be located there. Also, they are the only hatchery listed in the cincinnati yellow pages.


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Ed_GT5000 _
> *BTW: MT. Healthy hatchery is located in an area that is suburban. I would never guessed a poultry opertation would be located there. Also, they are the only hatchery listed in the cincinnati yellow pages. *


Probably been there sence before it was suburban.


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

*Mt Healthy Chicks*

I bought some Buff Orps and black Australorps from them on a few occasions, and have gotten more compliments on those birds than any other birds I have obtained elsewhere. The roosters turned out to be some huge birds really very pretty. and my Buffs were absolutely beautiful and extremely large in size as compared to other hatchery buffs. Those birds fit the exact specs on their breed as compared to other hatchery birds. Minor deficiencys will make or break you if you show poultry at fairs etc. Most of ther time color is slighly off or frame size is smaller. But my Buffs and Australorps were a smash hit. I still wish I had some of the Buffs, as I sold all of them to folks wanting to improve their flocks for size, but still have my Australorps........which should be around for this year yet and then it will be time to replace them as well. Best thing is Mt Healty chicks cost no more than most other hatchery chicks and they were perfect breed examples in every way.


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## Ed_GT5000 (Sep 30, 2003)

I called Mt Healthy Hatchery today. The lady on the phone said for a pickup order Saturday would be best and to call first and they would have the order ready for me. I guess they are a mostly a mail order business. It will have to wait till next Saturday.

For an extra $5 they will mix the breeds of this small order and I am thinking of going with half Buff Orps and half black Australorps.

I am also wanting to go with sexed chicks? This is with the sex of the chicks being sorted before I buy? Sorry for my ignorance I am guessing as I write. Pullets are hen chicks and cockerels are male? Are the sexed chicks older chicks? Don't want to end up with half roosters and no eggs. The boss already says that none of her pets will be Sunday dinner.


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

You got that right Ed.Sexed chicks are on average a minimum of 97% accurate as to their proper sex. They are sexed as soon as they hatch and fluff out in the incubator or hatcher. Normally eggs are set for 21 days which is the hatch time for chickens. During this time they are in what is called and incubator. The incubator keeps a certainpercentage of humidity and temp necessary, and during this time in the incubator the eggs are continuously rotated or tilted back and forth so the embryo does not stick to one side of the egg. A momma hen continually turns her eggs while she is settingon them and its been found out that she may actually turn her eggs 15 or more times a day. Thats why eggs that have been set on by a hen have that shineyt appearance to them while a egg that was never set on has that flat appearance as it has nbot been getting poliched by the constant turning. Anyway after the 18th day eggs are taken from the incubator and placed in a hatcher. A hatcher is similar to anincubator but it has a higher percentage of humidity so the chick does not stic to the inside of the shell. During the incubation period humidity is closely regulated so that moisture in the egg can evaporate out giving more room for a chick to grow.........but around the 18th day its about as big as its going to get, and its now getting ready to make its entrance in the world. So since eggs have been turned for all this time tthe hatcher does not turn eggs, (and neither does the momma hen doing it herself) This gives the chick a chance to orientate itself in the egg and place it beak in the air cell at the large end of the egg and get redy to make its break into the world. This is called pipping. Once they pip from their shells, they let them dry and fluff out, and are then sexed my a "chicken sexer" ..........of course. YOu hold the chick upside down between your fingers a certain way and it opens up its vent (butt hole) and with really sharp good eyes and lots of good light you can tell boys from girls. It takes a lot of practice and patients but a good chick sexer can do it with a minimum of 97% accuracy and can literally sex a heap of chickens in a short time. MOst sexers are orientals, as they seem to make the best sexers for some reason or other. So there is a very small chance you can still get a cockerel in there, but odds are you won't.

There are hybrids called sexlinks which are crosses between two different types of chickens. One common and popular cross is a Rhode Island Red rooster with a Barred Rock hen. You sex their chicks by color. Little roosters come out black and white and the little pullets come out cinamon or brownsih colored. But they are all the same color once matured which is a sort of mahogony lite red color. So unless your color blind anyone could sex out sexlink chicks. There are quite a few true sexlink crosses that are pretty interesting. 

Your Buffs will be a yellow chick and the black australorps will be black with white. Once matured the buffs willbe a nice golden buff color. The blacks will mature to a dark shiney black with a greenish or purple sheen to them. They may have a spot or two of white here and there on them as juveniles, but once they molt the first time they will be all black. The white is a sign of a bird usually under a year old. Matured are solid black. 

So anyhow, sexed chicks are the same age, and its rare to find at least mail order for a hatchery to sell bird that are over three days old. MOst are hacthed sexed, boxed andshipped within hours of the time it hatches so their little feet never get to their new homes or stay in one spot for about the first 3 days. Some tuff little critters and no momma along for theride. Just keep em warm, dry and well watered and fed and they will do just fine. You may have to dip each ones beak in the waterer but thats about it. It just shows them where water is, and next thing they will be eating and drinking and falling asleep standing up, and them wake up and go flitting around the pen. I always like watching new chicks. 

I bet you that the blacks will be laying before the buffs do! YOu should be getting eggs somewhere around the fall or late fall but should have some by the holidays. ABout 8 months or so on average for most, buffs being a bit bigger a little longer is when they start to lay. Eggs will be small and get progressively bigger.

If you put your hand under a hen as she is laying her egg and catch it, its soft like a ball of jello is. You can actually squeeze and shape it into a cube or make it pointy on the end. After a few minutes though it will start to harden up. I used to have s small wooden box I wuld force these stillsoft eggs into and make them into cubes. It used to really freak people out when you showed them a dozen fresh eggs your chickens laid, and theywere like cubes! They usually did not believe they were chicken eggs and always thought they were a fake somnething or other, but all you had to do was break one open and they were firm believers, but just could not get over a chicken laying a square shaped egg!

Chickens are fun, there is all kinds of things you can do to them that won't hurt them to entertai yourself.


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## dougand3 (Sep 16, 2003)

Great Info, Chipmaker...you're a virtual chickenologist.


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## Ed_GT5000 (Sep 30, 2003)

*Got Some Chicks today*

They are a mix of breeds and I got some Dumor chick starter/grower 20%. I just wanted to get started on this and not go hog wild. If all works out well, I will get more serious about this project. Anyhow I now have an excuse to build that chicken coop.


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

I got a heck of a chicken koop with the new farm.


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

view from the front


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

The old Koop is located behind the farm house about 50 yards up a steep hill. The koop is fenced in with a 6' tall wire fence surrounding an area about 150' x 150'. I guess the previous owners put this up to keep foxes and other preditors out.


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

So ED-GT5000, ......how are those biddies coming along? Did you buy all pullets of different breeds or straight run or what? One appears to be a sex link perhaps, another one or two perhaps a leghorn or buff orpington.hard to really tell due to color of image.

Its amazing just how fast those feathers start to come in. Wing feathers first then tail and breast and the head is the last. They get to a stage they look like they have a disease or the mange with stragley looking feathers but all of a sudden they are slick and shiney. I have been experimenting with getting an all grey orpington, with black legs. I got one that hatched out of 60 eggs I set that came out grey. Hopefully I am on the right track. All the rest came out looking like black australorps. Best I can tell with my eyes these days is its actually a pullet.......but in this case I would rather have a rooster first. But at least its grey and thats a start.


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## Ed_GT5000 (Sep 30, 2003)

Well Chipmaker, I am not too sure what breeds they are.They were in boxes that were labled. The two were labled buffs The other light colored one I can't remember, but it has feathers starting on its feet. The dark colored ones are all different breeds and I only remember that one was labled Reds. 
I got six chicks total and they are not sexed. 

I am sorry to say that I did not follow your advice and get them from a hatchery. In fact I did not plan on buying chicks when I went to a flea market today. But they were so cute and I wanted to get started rasing some chickens.

The good thing is they all appear healthy, They are active and eat and drink well and their vents looked good.

The Fellow selling them said he knew nothing about them and was little help. He had a couple hundred of them and said he was selling them for a partner who was selling 4 hundred more at another flea market. He did tell me that they were 6 days old.

I gave him $5 for 6 chicks..... I guess you got to start somewhere.


This one is my favorite, Do you know what breed it is?


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

It has the markings of a game, but then again it could be a sex link, or even a mixed breed. Hard to tell with the color of the photo......The one you mention with feathers on its legs could be a cochin breed. Just hope you do not wind up with all cockerels........Just keep an eye on their combs (or area combs will appear) and if yuou start to see a comb start forming before they are 3 or 4 weeks old odds are they will be a rooster as roosters get their combs forming before hens do usually. Just watching and comaring them against each orther sometimes you can figure out who is a boy and who is a girl, as it does not matter what breed it is, each has their own characteristics and mannerisms regarding their sex. Of course this would be hard to do it you happen to have 5 of the same sex......Just enjoy them and learn. If you find its not to your taste to raise up chickens your not out much of an outlay..........but its still hard to beat the taste of fresh eggs and fresh chicken, and the experieince especialy if you have any youngins is well worth it for them, as most kids think chickens / eggs all come from a grocery store!


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## Ed_GT5000 (Sep 30, 2003)

Yes Chipmaker, I thought about the possibility of having all males and from what I have read odds are not in my favor on having more pullets than cockerels. But I have talked the wife into using extra males for meat. It will be a good learning experience for all involed. I figure that if they are all males I can buy sexed pullets later and I will already have my rooster. 

Day two and my little flock are all well. Boy, they sure drink alot of water! The hanging light over a cardboard box is working well. I put a thermometer in there and it is about 80 F.

Will ceder chips work well for bedding in my box?


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

Cedar may be a bit to aromatic if they are confined in a box......I have even run into problems using pine chips. Usually its only when they were confined to a box, and not when used as litter on the floor in an open area. Just have to try it, and see how they react.. I usually raise all my youngins on a wire floor anymore. Feed and wastes drop through the hardware cloth bottom, and the chickens on the floor under these pens keep it all scratched up and picked clean so there is little if any waste and no need to be cleaning a box or pen. 

Some folks use a small amount of hay or straw as well, and some also use dry sand or peatmoss. I tried peatmoss and it works fine, absorbs lots of moisture and is especially good for the garden when it needs changing out. So is the saturated wood chips........

You should be able to reduce the heat by 5 deg a week on your biddies. Do this by raising the light bulb or reducing the bulbs wattage. Once they are fully feathered except for the head, I usually keep just a small 15 or 25 watt light on them at night as a means of inducing them to eat more often and grow off faster than for warmth.


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## Ed_GT5000 (Sep 30, 2003)

*update on chicks*

My six chicks are doing well, they are very active and are getting their feathers. I bought a chick waterer and feeder and they love it.
I was a little worried that my flea market chicks may be all or mostly roosters so I went to Mt. Healthy Hatcheries and got 6 pullets for a total now of 12 chicks. The new ones are of course smaller so now I have two brooder boxes in the basment .

Of the new chicks I got 3 buff orpingtons, 2 black austraorps and one amercanda? The last one is also known as the Easter egg laying chicken.

I found a good web comunity called:

http://www.backyardchickens.com/

A lot of good chicken info there.


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

The Ameracauna are a pretty laid back chicken. So are the Buff and Black Aust's. Odds are your Black Australorps will start to lay first, followed by the Ameracauna then the Buff Orps.

I used to have a pretty good sized flock of Ameracaunas earlier this year, and while most of them lay an olive green egg, I had pink, blues and light greens. The pink and blue eggs are not quite as common as the greenish colored eggs are.

At one time there was an old wives tale going round on the internet that Ameracauna eggs are 10 to 20 percent lower in chloresteral........but its not a fact its fiction.

Seems your already addicted to chickens.........and I bet once your wife makes a cake with fresh eggs the rest of the family will be too. Just wait until you get fresh eggs, and they stand about 1/2 to 3/4" high in a frying pan instead of flowing out all flat about 1/4" high as store bought eggs do, and then the color of that yolk being a dark orange instead of a pale washed out yellow.........and the taste alone..........mmmmmmmmmm


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## Ed_GT5000 (Sep 30, 2003)

Well chipmaker, the chicken project is going well. All the chicks are alive and well. I also managed to do trading for a large waterer. The chicks I got from MT Healthy are still in the seller but I have moved the flea market chicks outside to a hen house I built.


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

Sounds good! Chicks don't require much to be happy, just warmth and food and water. I just sold off all of my Brown China geese today and a fellow is coming tomorrow for all of my guinea fowl. Another fellow is coming for a large portion of my chikens as well. The wife and I decided to raise between 40 and 60 chickens and also peafowl........no more ducks, guineas or geese.


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