First Chickens

[Rockbottom Farm]

Well I just got my first chickens today. I got some White Leghorns and Barrod Rock. They are 2 1/2 months old so they are feathered but still to young to lay so I found out. My question is at what age or when should I put grit and oyster shell in for them? I was not sure if they are to young yet exspecially since they are not laying yet. I got all pullets except for 1 Rooster which my 5yr old daughter named BOB. Any info you think I might need is really appreciated.

[BUDDYSGIRL]

Congrats on your new babies. I also have chickens raised from day old. I don't think they are to young to put out shell and stuff to eat. I love them when they are cute little feather balls!! I don't think they start laying til at least 6 to 8 months old. I'm not sure. Mine were new chicks at Easter last year and they started laying during the winter this year. Now I get 21 to 28 eggs a day. I have 2 roosters and one is going away tomorrow. He is a bit mean to the boarder folks... BOB is a good name for a rooster!! Post pics when you get a chance!!

[Rockbottom Farm]

I wasn't sure about the oyster shell and grit so I figured I'd ask, I guess I will go ahead and set it out for them and if they want it they can help themselves. Ya my daughter chose the name BOB because she can spell it and write it down so we have BOB the Rooster. I never thought of taking pics of them today I will have to do that tomorrow. Thanks for the input.

[tlrohr]

Originally Posted by Rockbottom Farm

I wasn't sure about the oyster shell and grit so I figured I'd ask, I guess I will go ahead and set it out for them and if they want it they can help themselves. Ya my daughter chose the name BOB because she can spell it and write it down so we have BOB the Rooster. I never thought of taking pics of them today I will have to do that tomorrow. Thanks for the input.

I put my oyster shell and grit in a separate container near the food and water. They are old enough to eat it --- but allow it to be their choice. As for laying --- they should start laying around 4 to 5 months --- at least that is the age mine started --- most at 4 months. I am not sure how many chicks you have --- but I found it is best to have 1 rooster for every 10 to 12 hens. I lost quite a bit of my hens --- now my roosters are defeathering my hens --- pretty bad --- I can not wait for my babies to grow up so my hens can multiply and the others can have a chance to grow back their feathers.

The only bad thing about having a rooster is the eggs --- leave the egg out there a day and some will have blood spots in them when cracked. If you do not want fertile eggs --- get rid of the rooster. When I am getting ready to sell my eggs --- I collect them 3 to 4xs a day --- if I am going to incubate --- I only collect in the evening. I now have 2 sitting hens and the weather is warm --- so I may just let them sit and not worry about incubating this year. Once my coop is complete --- my sitting hens will have a separate area for them and the chicks --- at least until winter. When complete I will post pictures --- I am working on mypheasant pen right now --- so I had to stop working on my chicken coop --- sucks, because my coop is awesome --- as told to me by a number of people. I still do not think it is as neat as the one someone posted on the old board --- but I designed mine myself. I have pull out shelves under my roost --- makes it easy for cleaning --- a skylight to let the sun in --- a separate food and water area and my nesting area with a separate pen for the hens to raise up the chicks --- pretty neat and works great.

[Mistersmomma]

I just got some chicks, they are a week old right now, barred rocks, dominiquers and Light Brahmas. My mom raises chickens and those are the first questions I asked her, when do they start laying and do I need to put oyster shell out for them. She told me most start to lay at about 6 months of age, and she doesn't put out oyster shell for the younger pullets, she gives them oyster shell after the first year of laying. or if the egg shells starts to look thin and brittle. But she keeps it out in a seperate feeder for the older chickens. I just love this time of year, babies every where.

[Rockbottom Farm]

I actually think I am getting a little chicken crazy. I just love them and I am going this weekend to pick up two EE pullets, the lady told me they are Easter Egg chicks that lay green and bluish colored eggs and I also am getting more Barred Rocks as well. I have hubby making me another coop as well a bigger one.

[Mistersmomma]

I think I went a little crazy with the chick to, I went out to the cackle hatchery last weekend and bought 15 pullet, Dominques, and light brahmas. and I don't have the house yet, its in the works, I have the chicks inside to keep them warm. My fiance asked me why am I getting chickens when we don't have a chicken house, now this man has been telling me for over a year now he is going to build one. I figure if I got the chickens, he would have to get on it pretty quick. So he askes me what I want for my birthday, I said my chicken house. But that's not the funny part, he went out and bought 6 more pullets, Needless to say we are going to get the lumber this weekend for the chicken house and we are going to start on it this weekend. He is putting it on skids so it can be easily moved. I cant wait, I love chickens. they are so cute when they are little, and I love to hear them out in the yard when they are happy they just sing.

[BUDDYSGIRL]

Originally Posted by Rockbottom Farm

I actually think I am getting a little chicken crazy. I just love them and I am going this weekend to pick up two EE pullets, the lady told me they are Easter Egg chicks that lay green and bluish colored eggs and I also am getting more Barred Rocks as well. I have hubby making me another coop as well a bigger one.

Thats the kind of chickens I have. I love seeing the colors in the nests! The older the chicks get the darker shade the eggs get.
My coop is a simple one and moveable also.

[tlrohr]

mistersmomma - funny you mention the cackle hatchery - that is where I get all of my chicks. I am going next week to pick up my peafowl. I purchased 2 - 18 month old India Blues (1 peacock and 1 peahen) and an 18 month old White peahen. Can't wait to get them here --- they will be cooped with my Golden Pheasants until I get their coop and house built --- plenty of time with the Spring just coming in -- must say, I really like dealing the cackle hatchery --- never had a problem (that I did not cause) with any chicks I purchased from them --- love the shipping also. I will not be buying from them much any more --- I am hatching my own chicks now --- with help from friends --- I have the incubating down pat. I love watching them hatch out --- or waking up with them chirping in the incubator.

Rockbottom --- your hooked. They are called Americana's --- they were my 1st chicks in 2006 -- I thought they were neat considering everyone else I knew had Rhode Island Reds. They are so cute --- their faces remind me of little owls. The only problem I had -- come 2007 everyone was looking for brown eggs. I still have some hens that I bought in 2006 -- they lat pink eggs though --- but they hatch out the most adorable babies --- will post a picture of 1 tomorrow.

mistersmomma -- get i sheet of clear plastic --- the kind the use for carports --- when you add the roof on your coop --- use it in the center and you will have a skylight. I used 2 sheets --- but my coop is 10x14 -- plus I have 3 screened windows and 1 inch wire along the bottom so nothing can dig in. Mine is not on skids --- I used landscape timbers for the weight and each wall is separate --- to big and heavy to move as a whole.

[hillbillyin]

I really love barred rocks and leghorns! I asked my farmer/bus-driver friend what kind of chicks he had to sell me, and when I mentioned leghorns, he said "oh, those crazy things, I wouldn't have them." They are pretty flighty, we had a rooster named Foghorn, who would go nuts if he got loose, and we'd be chasing him around for hours---he'd go from the fence, to the tree limb, to the roof of the car in seconds! Mistersmomma, that's funny that you went and got the chickens to hurry your guy on the chicken-coop---I've done the same with my hubby, like when I brought two mini-horses home with nowhere to keep them! It always works out, though. I can't wait to get my chicks----our coop isn't built yet, either.