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15 Feb ’12
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Will definitely post pics, thanks for all the tips. I'm sure I'll have more questions when they get here. KVR, now I know what to do with those dog kennels sitting there in the garage just doing nothing.
we shall call them chicken kennels now
15 Feb ’12
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We are planning on getting chickens as well. We are offgrid and live in Michigan -- I have been researching some ways of keeping the chicks warm without using electricity. Without a heat lamp I think we would put them in a box near our woodstove and maybe put a LED lightbulb inside (which does generate some heat). Anyone else with experience with this?
interested in hearing this as well, good question
5 Mar ’12
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I found this forum link that talks of various ways. It seems the standard is lots of straw/hay and even an upside box, raised a few inches off of the ground, and coated on the inside with rigid or bubble insulation. This will trap the heat that rises from the chicks but allow them to enter exit whenever they want.
http://www.permies.c.....oder-ideas
For those in a cold climate -- when did you want to receive your chicks? I am thinking we should "receive" ours in mid-March, which means I would need to order soon. Thoughts? We want eggs before next winter if possible.
15 Feb ’12
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we can get them twice from the feed store, in may and june, last ones we got in june and we had eggs by around sept/oct
5 Mar ’12
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Thanks Kvr.
3 Nov ’12
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OK, so the time has come and I need some real world advice...
Our day old chicks have shipped and we should receive them tomorrow or Wednesday. The post office will call me when they arrive and I will go pick them up.
I have the brooder built and ready to go. the temp in there with the lamp on is a steady 95deg.
The books and information I can find say they chicks will need the temp to be 95 for the first week of life, 90 for the second and then 85 for the third. After that they should be able to tolerate room temperatures and then make their way outside.
Can anyone tell me how hard and fast is this rule? Can they survive at say 90deg for three weeks or do I need to closely monitor and change the temp? I know you can judge by where theyre hanging out (huddled together in the middle or out on the perifery of the brooder) but I would love some tips from someone who's done this before.
Thanks!
15 Feb ’12
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you are over thinking this broseph, just raise and lower the lamp as needed, the chicks will let you know if it's to hot or cold, I have pictures somewhere of the last time we got chicks, I will see if I can find them. I have never used a thermometer, the chicks are hardier than they are made out to be, besides, you can always make mcnuggets out of them if it doesn't work!
j/k, you'll be fine, how many did you get?
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