I need chicken care tips!

**nodmicks** · 04-27-2011, 03:49 PM

Dh and I got 6 chicks. I was told they are all girls but the consensus seem to be be we may have a rooster. Supposedly the golden comet males are white. Well 1 is turning white and the others tan/red. The other 2 are supposedly all female and Rhode island red.

I had some organic chick starter to start them last week. I need to pick up more by Friday as we are getting low.

Sadly they are in a dog crate wrapped in chicken wire because it is cold. Oh, yes this crate is in my bathroom with a heater becuase it is freezing! I cant put them in another area of the house as my 1 dog and cats will not leave them alone.

So when can they start getting scraps like bread etc? Will they destroy the garden? How long until they lay eggs? Anything I need to know? I've had ducks but never chickens

**jas** · 04-27-2011, 04:04 PM

Don't know even one thing about chickens, but it sounds like the start of a new adventure for sure.

Happy Chicken raising!!

**nodmicks** · 04-27-2011, 04:07 PM

Thanks Jas!

**Pemberleyan** · 04-27-2011, 04:10 PM

I highly recommend Raising BackYard Chickens, Build a Chicken Coop, Pictures of Breeds. There are all sorts of forums there, including emergencies.

**madhen** · 04-27-2011, 04:11 PM

I feed my chicks real food from day one. You will have to chop it up small enough for them to swallow it, though.

They will eat young vegetable plants and will scratch around in the garden, if allowed access, mostly because they like the soft, damp soil. Also, gardens attract bugs, and bugs attract chickens.

Don't expect any eggs for a good 4-5 months. The first couple of eggs will likely be very small, and then will get bigger as the chicken develops.

**nodmicks** · 04-27-2011, 06:05 PM

Thanks Madhen! So they can eat bread, etc right now? Cool!

Thanks Pemberleyan I'll check it out!

**madhen** · 04-27-2011, 06:52 PM

Yes, just make sure it is in small pieces, because their eyes are bigger than their throats, and they'll choke themselves trying to stuff a big piece of food down. (I quarter fresh corn kernels for the newborns.) Right now, I'd offer it only as a treat, so they eat their real chicken food, and get all the right balance of nutrients, but in a couple of weeks, you can increase the amount of fresh food. I feed my chicks plain old chicken food, not chick starter, as well.