# Im now into chickens!!!!



## RANDAL (Feb 15, 2013)

Wednesday the local ORSHELNS store got chicks in. But I wasn't ready yet and they didn't have the breeds I wanted. So I checked availability from the big 3 hatcheries here in IOWA, 3-6 weeks out. Even checked Estes in Missouri where Orshelns gets there chicks, they were 3 weeks out. .So Thursday wife goes to another town with Orshelns and I have her look what they have in. Basically same as the one I was at the day before. So she brings home what I broke down id be interested in. 10 straight run Barred Rocks, they were ALL pullets at first store I was at, 5 Rhode Island Red pullets,and 10 Cornish cross. Im got them in a 2x6 stock tank with a nicely made cover on it. Also 2 heat lamps,2 quart feeders, 2 gallon waters (1 has meds in it and is marked), and 2 inched deep of wood chips. They seem very content and have plenty of room so far. Im thinking about a couple chicken tractors fro both the pullets and the broilers. Ive got them on 22% protein feed from Nutrena but will be switching to Purina chick starter when this bag is empty. They ate about 2 quart of feed in 24 hours. They waste some too. Not drinking a lot of water, it might have gotten to warm since yesterday afternoon, even had frozen bottle of water in it. Maybe they don't drink as much as they eat and POOP. Randal in crappy weather IOWA


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## lhalfcent (Jan 7, 2013)

Nice! have fun!


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

Ya, that's one thing chickens do extremely well - POOP!!!!  Great for the garden though.


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

Sounds like you got a plan.


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## realsis (Jan 13, 2013)

hi have fun with your new chicks! they are such a blessing and a joy!


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## RANDAL (Feb 15, 2013)

As I wrote in my intro, I have cows that are calving now and have farrowed lots of litters of pigs in the past. Ive had to remove pigs by hand from inside their mother a few times too. The farm hasn't had any chickens or domestic fowl on it since at least early1971. I don't even remember helping gather eggs at either of my grandparents farms. So this will be another type of livestock to learn, might put the 15 year old in charge of the chickens but then maybe not, hes quite lazy. Well its a crappy day out, 15-25 mph wind out of the north with sleet and snow on top of mud, on top of frozen ground.


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