# A couple of stupid questions...



## Koux33 (Mar 9, 2017)

Hi all,
We're planning on starting our first flock in a few Weeks. I want to use a Rubbermaid tub for our chick brooder, with wire mesh covering the top. I have an adjustable dog grooming arm I'm going to attach the heat lamp to, to make it easier to move up and down as needed. With that plan in mind, I have a few questions. Please forgive me if they're silly questions, I'm new at this chicken thing.

Will the heat lamp melt my plastic bin? 

If you keep roosters with the flock, do you have to candle every single egg before eating to make sure it isn't fertilized? I don't want to crack an egg open for breakfast to find a dead baby inside. 

Is it possible to have too many nest boxes?

Will chickens scale a 5-6' fence?

We have coyotes in our neighborhood occasionally. Will it be safe to let them free range during the day and coop at night, or should I just keep them cooped at all times?

Thanks guys!


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Hi! Never a stupid question. We have all had the same questions at some point.

Your brooder sounds fine. Your bulb should not melt the tub. You would not want it that hot. You can put a thermometer at the bottom and make sure the temperature does not go over 90. I usually put my heat lamp at one end and then the chicks can tell me if they are too hot or cold. If they are cold they will pile under the heat lamp. If they are too warm they will sleep away from the lamp. What you want is them to kindof not pile at one end or the other . Another way to tell if they're cold is if they seem to all stand sleeping to get closer to heat. I think the best is if they are spread out sleeping near the warmest area of the lamp. 

Roosters fertilize eggs. You can't really tell if they are fertile if you don't know what to look for. If your eggs are collected daily and brought in the house, they will not grow a chick. To have a chick grow the egg would have to be kept at 100 degrees for 3 weeks. At 6 days at 100 degrees you would see some veining if you candle. If I find an egg that I don't know how long it's been there, I throw it out. Meat spots in eggs are just part of the ovarian tube lining that got stuck in the egg. You can just toss the spot and use the egg. It's not a chick forming. 

No matter how many nest boxes you have, most chickens will wait and use one or two but not the others. Usually 2 for 10 chickens is enough. It can take them about an hour to lay.

Chickens can scale a 5-6 foot fence. But once they do it and find out that they're alone they want to come back in. Not many try. Birds like to stay with a flock. If someone does it, you can clip their wings to prevent it. I've had to do this a few times.

With predators, coyotes, raccoons, dogs, hawks, etc, chickens need major protection at night. During the day they should be out. I have big covered pens for everyone, especially my little ones. My others free range in the back yard during the day and my yard is fenced with 4-5 foot fence. 

If you're afraid of getting them back in the coop, the coop should have a pen attached to it. Leave them in there for a week and let them out about an hour before it gets dark with supervision. You'll see if they head home by themselves. And know where their home is at night.

Chickens look like a good meal to every predator, and they will try to get one if they can. I have hawks but they are small. I also attract crows to keep the hawks away. I just leave an egg on top of a pen when they're around and they take it.

Make sure they are tightly locked up at night. During the day, you'll have to see if you have a problem, and if you do, they can have a large pen and be let out if you can supervise.

Any questions are welcome. What kind of chicks are you getting? 
At a feed store or online, get a bottle of Corid for Coccidiosis because many chicks can pick it up and it kills quick. It's in the soil. And you need it right away if they get sick.

Welcome!


----------



## Koux33 (Mar 9, 2017)

Thanks, that was very helpful. I have a "wishlist" of breeds I would like. I'm going to a local meeting of chicken enthusiasts in a few weeks, hoping to find something there. I've narrowed it down to Welsummer, Australorp, Orpington, Maran, or Rhode Island Red. Cochin, Ameraucana, and Barred Rock are the backups. We want a kid-friendly dual purpose breed, so that's what we came up with. We want several different breeds to experiment with what we like, I just figured we'd see what's local and go from there. I would rather avoid buying online for our first batch.


----------



## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Your choices in what breeds you want are good ones. Try to purchase all your chicks at once. Introducing new birds into an existing flock disrupts the pecking order and can cause fights resulting in possible injuries. Kid friendliest IMO would be Buff Orpington's. They can easily become lap chickens especially when tempted with treats such as dried meal worms or scratch feed. However all birds love the two treats and should be given sparingly. Chicks should be fed chick starter up to about 20 weeks old, then switched to layer feed. 
Barred Rocks are my favorites. Black Stars are my second favorites. 
The more time you spend with them, you'll see that each chicken has their own personality. 
If you get a rooster, it's generally recommended one rooster per 10 hens. 
When you build a coop and/or pen; make it like Ft Knox.


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I like your chicken choices too.


----------



## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Welcome to the forum!!!We like stupid questions,it gives us something to talk about.I remember my 1st flock,I knew almost nothing and there was no internet then.Sounds like you have a good idea what you have to do.We're here to answer any questions.Cochins are my favorite breed.They are great big balls of walking feathers and are a very docile breed.The roosters are big babies,the hens are prolific setters and they come in a multitude of colors.There are so many different breeds,I'm sure you'll find a breed or 2 that meets you're needs.


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Why don't I live near a local meeting of chicken enthusiasts? Darn


----------



## lilwildrabbit (Mar 16, 2017)

Now I'm new to this site but another great meat and egg bird is the beilefelder the roosters grow to the size of small turkeys jumbo eggs and prolific layers not bad on feed one of the best all around bird


----------



## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I've never heard of the beilefelder breed.I like the bigger breeds.Got any pictures of them?


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

lilwildrabbit said:


> Now I'm new to this site but another great meat and egg bird is the beilefelder the roosters grow to the size of small turkeys jumbo eggs and prolific layers not bad on feed one of the best all around bird


I'd like to know more about them too!


----------



## lilwildrabbit (Mar 16, 2017)

I have a few of them I actually have 3 new chicks hatched this year my Roos are gone now killed by dogs in January but I had two in the freezer and they dressed out to about 12 lbs not bad fro a phony turkey lol meat is tender I dressed them out at about 6 months


----------



## 2luckychickens (Apr 1, 2017)

*Hello*

I think you have good questions! It is hard to keep chickens safe. It seems like every critter out there loves chickens! But a really good guard dog is hard to beat. That is if it won't eat chickens also. I have a Pyrennes. When she was young she loved to chase all the wrong things. Now she is pretty good at keeping away the possums and *****. Best of luck.


----------

