Completely new chick owner

[Christinbe]

I am only 13, but I love chicks. Chickens, not so much. My mom wants them to lay eggs, so I need to know what kind to get. We have a little hot tub insert in our backyard, and it has a sorta dirt floor. My grandpa knows about chicks, so he is going to help us build a little chicken coop thing. We are going to make is inside, and then a little bit outside. And there will be a little door thing for them to go through. I want to get some pink, blue, and green ones from a local Mercantile, but I don't know if they lay eggs. I don't want to breed just yet, only eggs and chicks. I don't know if I should get all female, or some male, and what are straight-run chicks? What supplies will I need and what feed and supplies? I really don't want them to die. Oh, and I live in sorta western Nebraska, so our tempertures change like crazy!

 

[chickenlover210]

Silkie Bantams or Rhode Island Reds
Thats what I prefer (and am getting) but there are other types too

 

[hcammack]

I have a mixed flock of all hens that seems to work well.

Henry

 

[Christinbe]

Well, I don't really want a lot. Only 5-10. And what basic supplies do I need? And do I need something else besides chicken wire stuff when they are chicks? Don't I need a warmer or something?

 

[chickenlover210]

YOu need a 100 watt light bulb over a box that no one (I mean Animal) Can Get into. With Paper towell on the groung=d for the first few days make another post just for that it would help alot op people

 

[Christinbe]

I don't think that my chicks will be very little. I will see how old they are. Well I will post again when I get them!

-Christinbe.

Edit: And I just found out that I will only be getting three actually. =[

 

[Kitty&Eva]

Hi!
That's great that you can get 3 chicks. 3 might seem like a few, but it's a good idea to start with just a few, so you're not overwhlemed. Taking care of chicks is really fun, but it's work too. Plus, they grow up into chickens really fast! I bet you'll like chickens too by the time they grow up. You'll see they all have little personality quirks.
It would be hard to answer all your questions on the forum. You might want to go to the library and get a book out about raising chickens (it'll have a chapter about raising chicks for sure.) One good website to go to would be the "learning center" link on the top of this page. I think I looked there when I got my first chicks. I have 2 buff orpingtons and 2 ameracaunas. They're great. They are all female. I actually got one male (by mistake, they were supposed to be all female), but had to give him away because we have a really small yard, and his crowing would have started to bother the neighbors.
One other important supply you'll need is a waterer especially for chicks. When they're so little, they can fall into water bowls that are too big, and get too cold or drown.
Hope this helps!

 

[countryboy]

hi and welcome. the light for heat needs to also be secured so it can not be knocked over and cause a fire. stay in touch with this site, you will learn a great deal from all the members and they are some of the greatest and most diverse people there are. good luck and have fun.

 

[Corey NC]

Check this page out - https://www.backyardchickens.com/raising-chickens-basics.php

 

[chcknrs]

This is a really good hobby for you. I haven't had chickens since I was a kid, so this site helps a LOT! I have my chicks in the house to start, in a plastic storage bin. For the water, I overturned a small dip bowl into a soup bowl, so they couldn't get wet. For the feed, I cut 2 inch holes in a cottage cheese container, put the lid on, but they knocked it over, so I put it in a small ceramic flat dish. I also give them plain yogurt in a little bowl, but remove after about an hour. I have pine shavings that I clean out every 2-3 days, and I have to change the water at least 2 times a day. I have five chicks, 3 weeks old now. You could join 4H or FFA and have your chickens for a project!