We use straw bales, woodchips, and that peletized bedding is good for when it’s rainy
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If you never have raised baby chick’s…word of advise be aware of poopy butt …Good luck …8 can turn into 15 …6 can turn into 20 lol …quick…trust me …with a tote like that you should deff have some sort of ventilation on the sides or airflow if not already …make sure they have a clean living space …also it wont hurt to pick up some vitamin packs you mix in with the water…don’t be afraid to raise up the waterdish to at least chest height . Cleaning out shavings from the water can get to be a pita
Don’t always belive tractor supply …
Buy feed from local mills !
And enjoy your adventures!
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I keep trying chickens every few years but they aren’t “legal” here and my shithead neighbors keep ratting me out to the town …i miss those eggs!
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Oh we’ve been battling the poopy butt with one of my sussex since we got her! But it is getting better hopefully it subsides in the next few days
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Totally! These guys literally head bang, it’s so awesome.
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That’s awesome! Chicks with style lol. I was going to show my lady the pic but she really wants some chickens, so I better not haha. If she has her way we will end up with 100 baby chicks and me paying for all the cages and feed etc. Haha
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I need a breeder in Ontario!!!
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I miss keeping hens but to hell with roosters, IMO. Only one cock needed! 
Hawaii Island is covered in feral everything & there’s mixed flocks of them at every drive thru, and randomly everywhere. Most are kinda scrawny & have Filipino fighting chicken mixed in. Crappy layers.
Occaisonally you see a front yard with dozens of plywood A-frames or turned over barrels with dozens of “fancy” roosters crowing non-stop. I usually give them THE bird & yell something fitting at them when I drive by.
March 6, 2023
800 attend Big Island cockfight; four men charged with firearms, drug offenses
Rural Hawaii is like the deep south or anywhere else similar in terms of animal care(not super evolved, to be polite 
). Plus the 1/3 Asian factor. 
etc 
Without fencing or a coop, I’m holding off for now but really miss the friendliness.
Definitely the best bird overall, IMO. 
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Meat bird r an experience that’s for sure .
I ended up building a chicken tractor…6-8 weeks 6-8 pound birds!
Couple pics I finally got to upload…
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Thank you for posting this, I’ve been wanting to start a chicken coop for a while now and after reading this thread, I’mma do it.
Now I just need the space… 
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Holy shit, that’s a big cock.
You’ve got a beautiful smile mi amigo.
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Wow really!? …usually I get compliments on my eyes lmao 
…Sadly he’s gonna be dinner or rehomed
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These Spanish look like they are in a black metal band! I want a few and I want to name them after demons and or the members of deathclock
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With a forward from Joel Salatin I think it’s worth a read!
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I reread your comment and realized I only addressed the poopy butt haha with all that Perdue bullshit going on and the fact that tractor supply is a major retailer of them I will be going to local shops in the future. The reason I used them to get started was because they had chicks and I guess also because I was able to cost it out online at home before going into the store. My wife shops way too much and I needed to have a plan in place before she spent 4k hahaha
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Damn bro you went all out
I use a 60 watt buld to brood t
hem
That’s nice.
Change your chips every day
They will out grow that in 2 weeks
I.use pine chips, your not going to have a ton to compost.
I have French Marans
Isa browns
Oppinintons
Silver laced wyodonettes
Not to mention ducks geese turkeys .
Stage 1
Brood them
Stage 2
You will.need a bigger pen in a few weeks.
Get a few cheap clip on lights with the aluminum reflectors
60.watt old style bulbs
And hang just above ground soothe can get warm when they want to.
Pm I help.ya out in a few weeks
Mine free range
I have hens that do the hatching now.
They will poo in waters
Keep that clean
Soon just bowel works but for now that’s good you have waters
Keeps.chicks from.getting in bowel.
Chicken shits hot, don’t usenit till next year
I.have a pick of my speckled somewhere
Fooking beautiful birds
My rooster was an ass though
Not all are mean, they supposed
To.be friendly but mine was mean.
Nice birds though
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I’ve got a heat lamp for them as back up but in a week or so Ill be moving g out that brooder for the heat lamp so they have more room to grow. I have thier coop in my garage right now getting g fixed up so when they get bigger I may just put them in the coop until the run is finished. And they can start thier transition out side. The coop is like 4’x3.75’x6’ so it’s plenty big enough for the chicks at the awkward teenager phase. As for water I’ve got a bigger version of the one in the brooder. I think it’s 3.5gal. I want to build one of those automatic waterer systems with the float valve and rain barrel.
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got a few birds
Starting to lay. I noticed @OHGrow21666 you said you were going to deep litter method. Been at this for 13 years now so not a pro but got a little experience. The deep litter method is more a pain in the ass than it worth imo. The constant dampness leaves the chicken susceptible to respiratory disease. I’ve had that. Also the bugs that live in the manure/compost is another battle. They will constantly trying to nest in the chickens feathers. It stresses them in my case anyway. And last you have to maintain lots of air movement to get rid of all that moisture. Maybe I have too many birds not sure but I’ve shitcanned the idea. Good luck my friend.
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Bro we started at tractor supply as well !
Lady almost killed our ducks gave us a recommended feed for ducks with very low niacin. …failed to inform us growing ducklings need alot of niacin to promote strong legs and necks tu a fis in water salmon diced up …peas …pumpkin …we almost lost him till we did our own research …don’t get me wrong good in a pinch …but once you expand your horizon you will see !
Sorry that was about ducks but you get the point lol
The chicken feed is 15 dollars for a 50 pound bag from keystone mills
From tractor supply it’s 27 for a 40 pound bag
We almost have been going 12/12 on egg collection some days nine
Also do you know there are 3 stages of feed for a laying hen …each one holds more calcium/ protein depending on the age of your layers layer 120 -high protein low calcium same as layer 235 little less ratio of p/c …layer 345 more calcium to harden up them egg shells …
Just like meat chickens have three stages of feed …starter …grower …finisher
All the same price per bag !
We r trying to find some choice breeds…she wants to get other eggs then just brown
@Jinglepot
Have any fertile eggs from that golden pheasant
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