brooder – Owlcatraz Farm

Warning: Fluffy Feathers

March 17, 2016March 17, 2016 owlcatrazfarm

The big batch of chicks arrived yesterday after several days of constantly checking the USPS tracking log! All of them arrived alert and oriented and they have been drinking and eating. Upon arrival to Owlcatraz, each chick had her (hoping they’re all ladies) beak dipped in water to encourage intake.) We added just a little sugar to their water to give them a boost after their journey from Iowa (Murray McMurray Hatchery) to Pennsylvania. These chicks have already had a busy first couple of days, take a look at this video giving a tour of the hatchery where they were born.

There are 27 chicks total in this order; with breeds ranging from brahma to polish chicks to Jersey giants and more! Our friend, BigFootFarmer, took home a couple of chicks to add to his flock too. The family is thrilled to be able to watch these gals grow! Hopefully our matriachs (Isabelle, Pearl, Nugget and Truck) will welcome them into the flock in the coming months.

Check out the stoic stare on this Polish chick!

The temperature in the brooder will stay between 90-95 degrees for the first week and drop 5 degrees each week afterwards. The larger bantams we have (brought home a week ago) are in a different brooder for the time being. The chicks are eating a commercial chick starter and we will sprinkle some chick grit on their food after the first week or so.

Chickens

Brooder Expansion

March 14, 2016 owlcatrazfarm

Does this sound familiar to my fellow chicken ~~hoarders~~ keepers, “We need a bigger brooder (or run, coop, farm, etc)”?

Over the weekend, the kids and I took it upon ourselves to take over a wood bin, made of pallets in the garage. Since we won’t be storing wood in it during the spring and summer months, it will make a perfect brooder for the chicks when they are a few weeks old.

We purchased some hardboard tempered panels from Home Depot, lucky for me, the measurements were close to the inside of the wood bin, making the need for cutting minimal.

The hardboard has a smooth side and a rough side, we used the rough side for the inside of the brooder to give chicks a better chance at developing their sea legs. Aka, avoiding spraddle leg. When we first welcomed the chicks home, we gave them a solid base of bedding, wood shavings. Underneath the shavings, we’ve occasionally put newspaper down as this makes changing out the old bedding easier. (Just roll up and toss.)

So far, our first batch acclimated nicely to their brooder box and have been doing well in the bigger brooder since being switched over. Another batch of chicks will be arriving tomorrow or Wednesday and we wanted to start them in the smaller brooder.

Yes, that is a “jungle gym” for the chicks. They seem to enjoy hopping up and down on it so far, gives them practice for roosting. (Pardon the fuzzy, red images.) Who can resist these adorable bantams?

Our next batch is a special order from Murray MCMurray Hatchery and will include some polish chicks, brahmas, and Jersey giants – with a few extras thrown in. Since part of our order was a mix, we won’t know until the chicks are a few weeks old what we have. Stay tuned for more chick pics!

Chickens

Day 4. The First Batch.

March 10, 2016 owlcatrazfarm

Captain’s Log…Day 4.

That awesome photo you see with the two chicks? Credit of Ms. Samantha who isn’t afraid to get down on their level and go 1:1 with these peep soldiers. She caught their serious expressions rather well on camera!

The “Tricky Six” are still chirping in their brooder. Our human family is amazed at how fast they grow! There is already at least one personality showing through as one little (probably a guy) is a bit feistier than the others. By feisty, let’s be honest, he’s acting like a little asshole sometimes. (Earmuffs kids.) If we’re able to catch his “flying hops” as we call them on video, we will share; he can make it about a quarter of a way across the brooder before crashing. Impressive given his short stature.

For the most part, all peeps seem to have adjusted well to their new surroundings and they are under the watchful eye of General Lee the basset hound. Of course the kids adore them as well, so the most repeated phrase of late has been “wash your hands” to keep both kids and animals healthy.

Another batch of peeps arrive next week which means this weekend we will be expanding the brooder. Pictures and project plans to come!