Susan I am about 30 mins north of Charlotte NC. I haven't went yet to get them, but will be tomorrow. I'm getting them at tractor supply, they are have chick days right now. So about how old will they be? I assume not very old.
My husband usually just puts them in a box here in the house with no lamp. But we are currently separated so I can't really ask him. :( But this will be my 2nd attempt on my own with chicks. First time I got them it was rather warm here day and nights. The back porch is covered but I'd go out there during rain and cover the cage so they didn't get wet or cold.
Thank you for the advice.
Melanie
Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons; but they are helpless against our prayers. --J. Sidlow Baxter
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
----- Original Message -----
From: Susan Fleming
To: CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 5:05 PM
Subject: Re: [CHICKENS-101] New chicks
How old will the chicks be when you get them? They will need heat until they have all their feathers which is usually about 6 weeks-2 months. I am in NE Georgia and keep mine in the house until then. When I hatch chicks I put them in a self made brooder which is really a plastic storage box with a lid that has a hole cut in the middle. I hook up my hanging lamp and put it directly on the lid to begin with. Then I move the lamp up an inch or so each week so that the heat goes down 5 degrees each week. I keep a thermometer taped to the inside of the box. If it is too hot the chicks move away from the heat lamp and if they are too cold they will huddle under the lamp. Keep a good eye on them. If they are healthy they will move around and talk to you when you check on them. They can get really attached and chatty. Really fun to have chicks around. You can use what ever you want to for bedding. At first I use old towels that I take out and wash every couple of days. They have fresh water and chick feed every day. As they grow I put them in other cages/containers so they have space to move around. Sometimes I have as many as 6-8 boxes or/and cages going at the same time, depending on breeds.
Our weather is cool at night and warms up to about 65 during the afternoon right now. It has been raining for a few days. I really would like to see some sunshine. I ususally put them on the back porch for serveral hours each day if the sun is shining, and move them back inside at night. Right now I only have 2 black Silkie chicks in the brooder that are about 2 weeks old.
Where abouts in NC are you?
A good site is the Atlanta Backyard Poultry Meetup Group and you can join even if you don't live in GA. We have a local poultry group in our area that meets once a month just to talk poultry, learn new stuff and socialize. We have a local Chickens on Parade event each spring and fall and have between 300-500 people come by for food, fun, swapping poultry, a display of different breeds, chicks, tips on raising, a feed rep, a coop/show cage builder, fresh local honey and bread for sale, and educational booths. We really have a lot of fun and there is a lot of chicken/poultry swapped around among members. I you are close enough - our next event is May 5th.
Susan in Conyers
CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
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