HEN HAPPENINGS: HOW TO MAKE A BROODER for your garden chickens

The garden chicks are doing well. They've outgrown their first cardboard box and now they are on the back porch. At night they still go in the inner box so as to keep them warm and safe. During the day, I take out the box. The chicks LOVE the extra room. They flap and chirp wildly and play chick games* when given the space. I've also found some superb straw along the bayou. The chicks love this straw. Everyone is happy.
                                          * one picks up a leaf and the others chase it....looks like chick rugby

The only benefit from the drought is the high quality straw and hay.

The brooder at night. The top is covered to prevent cats, raccoons, and stray dogs from viewing the chicks.

Inside the box everyone is enjoying the fresh straw. The night light attracts bugs, and so far they've caught and eaten beetles, moths, and leafhoppers. The 'enriched' straw will go in the compost and eventually in the flower beds.

We pick the chicks up and pet them everyday so that they will stay tame. Hoot (the brown one that looks like an owl) and Gwen (over on the far left) are now perching on my open hand and don't immediately jump off. You should always talk to your chicks to get them used to your voice.

I'll post another in the series in a week or two.

Thanks for stopping by. David/ :-)

FIRST WEEK WITH CHICKS HERE AT THE GARDEN: HEN HAPPENINGS #1

I've been hoping to find a local source for chicks and I found one. Quality Feed and Seed on North Main in Houston Texas http://www.qualityfeedco.com/ has an excellent variety of straight run (both sexes mixed) and pullets (hens). Since I just want eggs and since these are going to be garden pets, I bought just pullets.
If you are going to raise chickens, get a book on the topic and read it cover to cover to see what you're getting in to.  Don't buy cute chicks on a whim. HERE ARE THE BASICS:
Chicks need warmth (80 to 90 degree temps in one part of the container), room enough to get away from the heat, constant water, chick starter crumbs, proper flooring and bedding material, and lots of care the first week.
All has gone well except for one scare; the water container went dry and nothing flowed out of the bottle for half a day. So I've put a tiny container with pebbles and water in the corner as a backup in case this happens while I'm at work.  Our cat also got into the room once, but I've got a metal grate on the top. Plus, he's very old and well fed.
Easter chicks are famous for NOT being cared for. Mine have been in the planning stages for 5 months now so yes, they're going to be fun  Easter chicks for the kids, but they're mostly here for many years to come as garden chickens. I must admit, they ARE very cute! Happy Easter everybody!

Our first night. That's some winter rye grass from the garden I'm using for bedding.

You can also use layers of newspaper, paper towels, and pine shavings. DO NOT use cedar shavings because the aromatic fumes are hard on their lungs. Also, they will peck at anything, so these grasses were not chopped up but about a foot long. I watched carefully to see if any choking was going on. So far, so good.

It was almost 90 degrees F outside and warm enough to take the babies on their first field trip.

I still had to hold them and warm them up after a bit. We stayed out for about 10 minutes, then got back inside under the warm lights.

Handtaming starts immediately. I sit in the pen with the flock and gently hold each one until it feels secure. Usually they fall asleep in my hand. It's the best part of raising pet chickens.

My wife said I accidentally brought home a PENGUIN! It's really a black Australorp (Australian breed) and it is the spunkiest of the bunch. A beetle accidentally got into the pen and BAM...it was gone.

We've name her Gwen (short or Penguin) She's extremely soft.

This one looks almost like a baby owl. It has barred wings and brown and tan coloration.

It's a week old and the leader of the tribe. We've nicknamed it Hoot! He's a rascal, but very sweet.

I'll post some more HEN HAPPENINGS in about a week.

Thanks for stopping by.

David/ :-)