# Baby chicks in the House!



## Slacker

Our first chicks arrived on 9/29 just before noon! Thank you My Pet Chicken and Meyer Hatchery! I have not met them yet cause I just got home from work. They are in the brooder box sleeping under the brooder heater. Wife says all 15 are doing fine and have been very active all day and eating like pigs! They were shipped on 9/28 at 1:52 p.m. and arrived at the post office at just before noon on 9/29 (my birthday). Can't wait to meet them in the morning!


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## robin416

I can not think of a better birthday gift. Especially with the shipping issues where chicks are concerned this Fall. 

Pics are really, really welcomed. The light up everyone's day. Especially the birthday boy. 

BTW, happy birthday.


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## Poultry Judge

Happy Birthday! Pics please, let's see how Meyer's did, they are in my neck of the woods.


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## danathome

Happy birthday! So I'm not the only one who get birds and bird stuff for birthdays; and every other holiday! Which I really like.


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## Slacker

danathome said:


> Happy birthday! So I'm not the only one who get birds and bird stuff for birthdays; and every other holiday! Which I really like.


I actually do not celebrate birthdays or other "holidays" days that have Pagan origins or connections. My chicks just happen to arrive on the day I was born 68 years ago. That being said...9/29/1952 according to the Gregorian Calendar was a good day to be me! Thanks for the "Happy Birthday" it was another good day to be me.


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## Slacker

Poultry Judge said:


> Happy Birthday! Pics please, let's see how Meyer's did, they are in my neck of the woods.


So far I am very pleased with my order from My Pet Chickens through Meyer Hatchery. Meyer Hatchery is in Polk Ohio, I happen to live in Polk County TN and I spoke to a young man in the mall where I work today and told him about my chicks coming from Meyers Hatchery in Polk Ohio he said that he knew exactly where that was and that he had been there in the past and had family that worked for Meyers. According to Wikipedia, Polk Ohio had an estimated population of 330 in 2019. I wonder how many of that 330 work for Meyers Hatchery. Just say'n. LOL


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## robin416

Well, that's two from TN and I lived in Lewis Co for 8 years.


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## Poultry Judge

I'm glad you got your chicks safe and sound!


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## Slacker




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## robin416

Slacker said:


> View attachment 35706


I love this pic. It's like there's a faceoff on who's the bigger bird.


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## Poultry Judge

Great pictures, thanks! Looks like you have a good setup there. I'm glad you are happy with your birds and they arrived safely.


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## Slacker

Chicks are almost 2 weeks old now. Took some more photos today. They all appear to be doing well very active.


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## robin416

It's hard to believe it's been two weeks already. And they're putting on their first set of feathers.


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## Overmountain1

I love baby chicks! So so cute.  I love the 5th pic in the post with several- the single looking like 'who me? What?'


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## Slacker

This one is different than the other dark ones which I think are Barred Rocks. She doesn't the white spot on her head and has a lighter belly and no white stripes on her wings. Thinking she is an Australorp.


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## Poultry Judge

Thanks for the pictures, they are growing! Perhaps an Australorp, I am going with Wild Raptors perched in a tree, in their native habitat, waiting to hunt something!


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## Slacker

Poultry Judge said:


> Thanks for the pictures, they are growing! Perhaps an Australorp, I am going with Wild Raptors perched in a tree, in their native habitat, waiting to hunt something!


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## Overmountain1

Ha! And Yeah, I'd agree with a Lorpie. Ours were identical to that anyway! Good work!


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## Poultry Judge

Slacker said:


>


Ha Ha, Love that picture!


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## HSJ07

Poultry Judge said:


> Happy Birthday! Pics please, let's see how Meyer's did, they are in my neck of the woods.


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## HSJ07

Meyers is in Ohio and they shipped mine to me in North Carolina. Very pleased with mine and the service with Meyers.


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## Poultry Judge

HSJ07 said:


> Meyers is in Ohio and they shipped mine to me in North Carolina. Very pleased with mine and the service with Meyers.


Meyer's is a family owned business and they are friendly to deal with.


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## HSJ07




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## HSJ07

A


HSJ07 said:


> View attachment 36322


All 7 of mine now sit on me every day


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## robin416

Love that pic.


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## Poultry Judge

HSJ07 said:


> View attachment 36322


Attack of the Raptors!


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## Slacker

Gonna put the chicks out in the coop tomorrow. They are almost 5 weeks old and are outgrowing the 4x8 pen in the sun room. Looks like we ended up 14 girls and one roo! Lucky boy!! One of my grandsons chose the BO chick as "his" chicken when we first got them soooooo...I guess I'm going to have to deal with a roo! I have been paying special attention to him to get on his good side. So far he seems to like me. Been working on the coop and the runs for a couple of weeks and will post some pics soon. Going to have the 6 grandchildren carry the chicks/raptors to the coop one by one tomorrow. Should be a good day!!


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## robin416

Please tell me they're going to have supplemental heat.

And don't come back here without pics of the parade and the peeps in their new digs.


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## Poultry Judge

Lucky with your ratio, should work out great!


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## Slacker

robin416 said:


> Please tell me they're going to have supplemental heat.
> 
> And don't come back here without pics of the parade and the peeps in their new digs.


Didn't get any photos of the "parade" it started without my being notified. LOL. Took some photos inside and around the coop. Still a work in progress. They don't have access to the runs as of yet I'm almost done with the tunnels and need to add the wire mesh and some more dirt to the runs.


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## robin416

That little buff, "Hi, there. Whatcha doing?" 

I wish more could see what a real prefab coop is. Those people that build them know chickens and what their needs are. 

I need to ask, how is that hardware cloth attached?


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## Slacker

robin416 said:


> That little buff, "Hi, there. Whatcha doing?"
> 
> I wish more could see what a real prefab coop is. Those people that build them know chickens and what their needs are.
> 
> I need to ask, how is that hardware cloth attached?


I attached the hardware cloth on the inside of the coop with screws and washers and "J" clips. I cut the mesh an inch larger than each opening and made a flange and screwed it in with 1" truss screws and washers. The mesh is attached to the 1x2 14 gauge wire that was already around the bottom of the coop. I bought a 48"x100' roll of 1/2x1/2 16 gauge black pvc coated wire to put around the lower half of the runs.


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## robin416

So you're saying there is a double run of hardware cloth on the bottom? What got my attention was if there are any long runs and no attachment in the center. Call me paranoid but after a raccoon attack I see long runs with no attachment as a chance of one pulling that wire far enough to allow access to the coop. 

It sounds like you're just as predator paranoid as I am.


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## Slacker

robin416 said:


> So you're saying there is a double run of hardware cloth on the bottom? What got my attention was if there are any long runs and no attachment in the center. Call me paranoid but after a raccoon attack I see long runs with no attachment as a chance of one pulling that wire far enough to allow access to the coop.
> 
> It sounds like you're just as predator paranoid as I am.


Yes the coop was made with 1"x2" 14 gauge wire that was attached from the outside. I tried to pull it off and it would not budge I would need tools to remove it. I added the mesh to the inside so it can't be pulled out. I have also started to add screws and washers to the outside wire just in case the predators have crowbars and hammers. I have gone outside the last 2 nights on patrol with a 12 gauge Mossberg Shockwave several times. I also set up a field camera to get an idea of when the predators are lurking. My neighbors on both sides have dogs that are "barkers" so I'm always paranoid when they don't shut up.


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## Poultry Judge

Congratulations, what a wonderful setup!


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## Poultry Judge

I have a couple cameras and keep thinking about setting them up for the birds.


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## Slacker

Poultry Judge said:


> Congratulations, what a wonderful setup![/QUOTE
> Thank you!


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## Poultry Judge

I know it's a ton of hard work, but a well thought out setup like yours is going to pay dividends far into the future!


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## robin416

OK, we need you as a representative on what to do right when setting up a new coop. Your paranoia matches mine. Which is pretty scary.


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## HSJ07

Poultry Judge said:


> Congratulations, what a wonderful setup!


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## HSJ07

I have a question. My 8 week old chicks don't spend much time in their run. They prefer to stay in their chicken house most of the time. About an hour or 2 they will stay outside. They then go back in for a few hours. They will stay out more if I sit out there with them.
Is there anything wrong with this? They love their house.


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## robin416

Nope, they're just fine. Remember, chickens have very good instincts when it comes to their own needs.


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## Overmountain1

They're just telling you what an awesome house they have! They love it, that's about it. It's funny, none of ours really stayed in either coop much til we got the white ones. They're so shy they're always up there- so , just goes to show it's preference and instinct both!  Course we ALL know about chickens 'preferences.' As in, they tend to have quite a lot! Lol

No really- awesome setup, love it.


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## Poultry Judge

My bird personalities run the gamut, but the coop is generally in and out all day long. Nobody actually perches.


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