I’ve been brooding chicks on and off for the past 19 years. And it is a wonderful experience! One that I look forward to every year. I’ve been known to sit cross legged for hours watching our sweet little birds gently poke around, nod off to sleep in a hilarious instant and discover their new world in the brooder box. It’s purely precious!
Then the 4th week rolls around they start getting in their wing feathers, scratching, trying to jump out of the box, fill their waterer with bedding and taking dust baths in their food dish. Oh, and speaking of dusting…dusting for humans becomes a daily chore to the surrounding room, as well as vacuuming. It’s about this 4th week that I start anxiously watching the temperatures to see when these babies can go outside.
Ideally, I wish we had a warm garage or some sort of isolated outbuilding that I could put the brooder in. But we don’t have a garage, and I don’t like heat lamps in the barn. Even with a heat source, our spring nights get bitter cold, and I’m not sure if it would be enough for baby chicks to keep warm.
So like many of you reading this with a box of chicks in the spare bathroom or basement or in our case, our sun room, our chicks reside in the house till they feather out and the weather warms up.
Now in all fairness, raising chicks in the house is relatively easy especially when compared to other animals that are commonly raised indoors. There is a small mess factor, but all animals make messes. Dogs shed, cats have liter boxes, aquariums need water changes…and though a dirty brooder box may emit an odor, in my opinion, it doesn’t hold a candle to a dirty hamster cage.
Here are 5 ways that I’ve discovered to make your chick’s indoor stay less messy, less stinky, and easier for us as chicken keepers. (Also check out my post Raising Chicks to learn the basic needs of chick brooding.)
1. Air Purifier
Ok, so this might be an expensive investment for the soul purpose of brooding chicks for a few weeks out of the year, but we already have one that we use in our bedroom at night. I have terrible allergies and as luck would have it, I’m also allergic to pine. I’ve tried alternative bedding options, but as far as the absorbancy, ease to clean and over all effectiveness, I like pine shavings the best. So I choose to suffer through my allergies until the chicks go outside.
It dawned on me one day to move the air purifier into the sun room and see if it helped with the air quality of the chick room. I was really, really surprised at how effective it was. Not only do I see a difference with my sinuses as far as the pine is concerned, but there is significantly less “chick” dust in the room and barely an odor, even when the box needs cleaning. So depending on your budget, it might be worth the investment.
A word about using it in the same rooms as chicks. Make sure that the fan isn’t blowing directly on chicks. A draft can cause a chill in chicks and make them sick. I feel like it would work best with brooder boxes with solid sides to help block any draft that might be created.
2. Air Diffuser and Tea Tree Oil
I got a diffuser for my birthday this year. It’s a very simple contraption that you plug in, fill with water and then drop in a few drops of essential oil. I love to use lavender in our bedroom to help relax and sleep, and citrus oils like lemon and orange to revitalize the house, especially after a nice deep clean.
This spring I tried the diffuser in our sun room with the chicks and added a few drops of tea tree oil. The nice thing about tea tree is that it’s a very purifying and cleansing oil. It also has antibacterial properties. So unlike an artificial room spray, it actually has air cleansing properties and doesn’t just mask odors.
My mom came to visit and she’s somewhat of a critic when it comes to keeping chicks in the house. But she told me that she couldn’t smell the chicks at all and the brooder hadn’t been cleaned in several days.
If you aren’t familiar with tea tree oil, it has a strong herb-y smell that reminds me of pine or mint. It can be mixed with other oils like grapefruit to make your home smell wonderful.
3. Use The Biggest Container You Can Manage
It might sound counter-intuitive, like a bigger box might seem like a bigger mess. But for those of you who have ever set up a fish tank, you know that a larger aquarium stays cleaner than a small one. Same goes for chicks. The more room you can give them, the cleaner your brooder will be and the less often you will have to clean it.
4. Tablecloth Liner
I got this idea from the brooder boxes at one of our local feed stores. Like us, they also use a large galvanized water trough for a brooder. I was at the feed store early in chick season and I happened to see one of the employees cleaning out one of the troughs. Each trough was lined in white plastic and pinched to the edges with simple squeeze clamps. In three quick movements, the clamps were taken off, the edges of the plastic were gathered, and the whole mess was removed and bagged up and could easily have been carried to a compost pile. Amazed…I quickly asked the employee if they sold the plastic liners. Sadly she said no, that they order them from a company. It dawned on me that a plastic table cloth from the Dollar Store would work perfect.
Now you’d have to take into consideration how many times you clean your brooder and how thoroughly you like to clean it each time. I like to freshen things up each day by adding a new layer of chips over the old ones. Sort of a mini deep liter method. Then once a week I scoop everything out and replace completely.
If I use the table cloth method, This would give me 5 complete cleans for $5. For me, that’s not a bad deal.
You have to be careful when removing the table cloth because the ones I found were not made from the best quality of plastic. I’ve had a couple small tears but I was able to contain the mess until I got outside. The ease was definitely worth it in the end.
For a more earth friendly option you could use a re-useable tarp. Just dump the contents on the compost, hose it off and let it dry in the sun. You’re still doing a fair bit of cleaning, but at least the mess can be brought outside. We’ve done this in the past with our ducklings. (For more about brooding duckings read my post 6 Easy Tips For Duck Brooding Success.)
5. Nipple Water System
This tip is one I’m most excited about. One of my least favorite things about brooding chicks is the constant battle of providing fresh, clean water.
Chicks love to scratch, and in confined quarters like a brooder box, they can easily fill up a clean waterer with bedding material. And let’s face it, it’s a pain in the neck to clean in the house. The soggy wood chips have to be scooped out and if you scoop them into the brooder it gets everything soggy. And if you don’t get them all out of the waterer, they clog your drain when you re-fill the water. It’s just yucky!
This year we received these fabulous nipples from Solway Feeders. (Now located in the US!) They’re easy to install into a bucket and the whole system is closed so the water stays super clean which is healthier for chicks and easy for you as their keeper.
For more information about how you can purchase the Side Mounted Horizontal Nipples or other great products from Solway, visit their website.
Also visit the Iron Oak Farm Blog for step by step instructions and a video on how you can use the Solway water nipples to create your own bucket waterer.
220 Comments
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I have been studying about raising chickens (just for personal eggs) for the past couple of years now and I’m excited about getting my first set of chicks this year!! I want to make sure I do everything right and that’s why I love this website! We are going to be building our own coop in the backyard while we keep the chicks in the house. I am super stoked!!
I like raising chicks because I want to know what they are eating from the get go. It would be easier to buy eggs from the store but, what do they really feed them and how do they really treat them? I pamper my chickens. I chop up veggies for them and I walk through the grass with them so that they can catch the jumping grasshoppers and crickets. I just love to watch them do what chickens do outside in the yard. I saw one of my girls beat a frog to death and eat it. Wow! That was an experience. Giving them fresh water and healthy food is important so these waterers would be great as I am very insane about keeping their water clean.
Raising chicks for the first time. Love to watch them! I came in from work today and they had knocked over the water container. Poor things were so thirsty.
Could use these , nipples like everyone else!
I never appreciated birds until I decided to raise chickens for eggs. Even though I knew I’d never be able to eat my own chickens, I didn’t know I learn to love those little ladies the way that I have. Now I don’t eat chicken at all. Now I have far more chickens (including, accidentally, backyard roosters) than I can reasonably deal with. The people in the community who come to get our eggs are amazed at the quality ans size of the eggs we have.
I have considered watering nipples for delivering fresh water, but haven’t gotten around to it.
Thanks, MichaelV@bham.rr.com
Hi! My name is Madison. When I was a freshman in high school two years ago, I got three little baby chicks less than a week old over spring break. At the time my mom was on a business trip and had expressed her distaste in the idea of getting chickens to begin with. Then one day my dad had brought home the chicks that I began caring for. I became very attached to them, but when my mom came home, she told me to get rid of them. I was completely heartbroken but gladly I got to keep them and I named them Donna (after my mom, haha), Gilly, and Mo.
Over time they each became members of the family, like my dog Cinder who adopted them as her own. As soon as I told my friends an neighbors that I had live chickens in my backyard, they were shocked. This experience has given me a chance to teach people about the life of the bird that usually is on their dinner plates, and how they should be properly cared for. Everyone who has been exposed to my chickens, developed a respect and liking towards these birds. My next-door neighbors to this day bring their grandson over to my yard to show him the chickens. My mom over time developed a liking to them as well.
Unfortunately, a week after they turned one, Mo disappeared one night. We believe a fox got her. I was completely heartbroken and shocked that I had such a strong connection to her. I had such a difficult time coping with my loss and Donna and Gilly to this day sleep on their perch with a spot left just for Mo (this always makes me cry). Today, Donna and Gilly are doing fine and are turning 2 next week.
What I truly love about raising chickens is the unique personalities they each have. Donna has always loved to relax and nest in the dirt. She sometimes gets picked on my Gilly (even though she is bigger than her), but is a good cuddler. Mo had always been the model in the group. She loved to pose for pictures and was the only one who liked to be scratched under her neck. Gilly is the monster out of the group. She is always stealing the food from her two (now one) sisters. It’s so funny when I open the coop door; she stands up and reaches her head out of the coop to see outside. Overall, I’ve had the most amazing experience raising these birds. I always cradle them in my arms when I hold them and they sometimes close their eyes which always gets to me (awe!). They don’t care what you look like or how old you are, they just love everyone they are around. These have to be the silliest birds though. They stand in the rain and love to eat dirt. When you separate one, the others always follow. They are my little children, and I now have a true passion and respect now for raising these beautiful birds.
ineedacooky@gmail.com ~ Madison 😀
I love my chickens. They keep me company in the yard when I’m out working, they keep my yard free of bugs and they don’t talk back like the kids do. My chickens are my therapy. They chat with me and look at me like they understand what I’m saying. They make me laugh when I’m feeling down. I can’t imagine life without chickens.
Oh, yeah, jreid1965@gmail.com and my name is Judy
I only have this to say, I tried the other type nipple and my chickens wont use it, is this nipple that much easier for the chickens to figure out ??Watering is such a headache ,messy, messy, messy, Id love to win the new nipples so I could make a comparison.. 🙂
I love raising chickens. I have 16 hens now and will be getting 10 more babies next week. I love how they come running when I’m outside. I have three that comes running and sits down for me to pick them up. Would love to win the nipples for my new babies. leisa.brown.ctr@navy.mil.
Me and my grandsons are having so much fun with them. Started with one and now have 10. When they get to the house the coop is the first place they head to see how the chicks are doing. It also teaches responsibility feeding and watering them.
I love raising baby chicks because if you raise them your self then you get to experience them from the time they start pecking out of their shells,and seeing them grow to be grown chickens.They have their own little personalities too.
This is my first with a brooder and am having problems with keeping the water clean and the drain flowing as mentioned above. I would love a set of watering nipples.
igadavis@mail.com
My favorite reason for raising chicks is seeing the looks on my grandaughter’s faces when they hold them.
Love every little peep!
Mrswalker112011@gmail.com
Jeffrey Sawyer jls191@gmail.com We are starting our adventure into self sustainability. We are starting with two 18ft x 3ft raised bed gardens and 7 chickens.
My name is Stacy Bunner, email sbunner1@gmail.com. This is my first year raising chickens and ducks. I am in love!! I am looking forward to many more years of this!!
I love to raise chickens because it is an opportunity to share family time and teach our children as well as the added benefit of knowing where our meat and eggs come from! Many children today have no clue what it means to grow up on a farm. The family of today is more interested in how quickly something can be done so that they can get on to the next event, objective or job. Raising chickens is an excellent inexpensive way to add quality time together for our family. We get to teach our children the benefits of animal husbandry while at the same time they get lessons in biology ecology, nutrition as well as self sustenance! Plus our children get to see the culture of the chickens develop as the chick’s grow and mature and their individual personalities evolve! They get to learn how chickens social order compares to general society. Raising chickens is a win win win! AHOBBSRN@GMAIL.COM
I have been raising chickens and chics for about a year now. It started a school project with about 6 chickens and now I am a proud owner of about 18 of them. All different breeds. Araucanas, Black Astrolorpes, White Leghorns, Brahmas and my favorite Silkies. I have hatched out one solo silkie this year. I was not very fortunate in having more than that one hatch out. I will try again soon but I just want to see how the process goes with this one I have at the moment. I have enjoyed watching the chics grow in to laying hens. I get approximately 9 to a dozen eggs a day now….. The waterer tip would be a great addition versus the way that I water the chickens now.
I like the idea of using tea tree oil! We’ll have to try this. And the water is indeed a real issue just now. But the little chicks are SO very cute! And, as mentioned, it is so special to watch them grow up into laying hens. That waterer would be a great help to us. Thanks for the tips.
I love seeing them grow up from little helpless fuzz balls into mature, beautiful hens carmen99 [at] asimplehomestead.com
I remember our first batch of chicks! My husband and I got a call from the post office one Sat. morn. We were still in the bed. We could hear the many little “peeping” voices over the phone. It was so much fun. Our babies had arrived and we were going to give them a home. Janet thundley3@comcast.net
I’ve raised chickens for eggs and meat for thirty years and never had a brooded or an air purifier or a nipple waterer. This article makes raising chickens expensive and time consuming. If you order chicks when it is warm- you can just let the hens you already have raise them. We do this all the time and never have sick chicks. Chicks raised by a hen are smarter and more resilient. Roosters are usually good dads and often take interest in chicks. Our chickens are free range and we just use a waterer. No trouble at all. To people just starting out-relax and remember keep it simple.
These seem like a fantastic invention that can help keep the water clear and healthy for the chicks! I would use these to begin keeping chickens for eggs and for fun. Brandon Amacker btamacker@yahoo.com
Love the idea of these nipples! We used to raise for hatcheries, but now just raise for us for fun and fresh eggs. Sarah Tudor rriverwind@gmail.com
Love my Ladies! My Ladies give me such joy just to sit and watch them. They give me the gift of breakfast everyday. They sit and chat with me everyday. They love to see me coming to the coop. I love the visit! Beverly Rosa BevyCrockr@comcast.net
Raising chicks is so awesome. It is relaxing to watch them drink water, tipping their little beaks upwards! The “teenage” look is awkward – just like human teens! Once it’s warmer, they scratch around the yard on our hobby farm, waddle after my husband (because he gives them treats), eat the ticks, keep the snakes from the house area, and provide eggs!! What more can you want?
What could be more fun than hearing that peep-peep-peep of baby chicks? I only add to my flock every other year, and this is that year! I’d love to try this watering system.
q.piper@yahoo.com
Both of my grandmothers were ‘chick mommas’ and I followed suit. Now, my 3 year old granddaughter is following in the same footsteps (YAY!!!) We have so much fun with our chicks and she is loving brooding our babies as much as I always have. This watering system sure would be wonderful to have and not only more sanitary for the chicks but for my granddaughter as well. Thank you so much for all of your interesting and helpful posts. madaloha@hotmail.com
I am planning to start raising my first flock of chickens this June. I have wanted chickens since I was a teenager, and I’m finally back to living in an area where I can have them. I’m eagerly anticipating their arrival, and devowering all the chicken information I can find on the internet, in books, and asking of chicken owners. I am so excited and look forward to watching the chicks grow. My email lauralin44@hotmail.com thank you
We raise chickens for my kids to show in 4-H, their eggs provide great meals and I enjoy watching them. I miss brooding chicks this year, because I’m too tired because of chemo, but next year we will have lots of fuzzy butts!
Harmonyfarms7@gmail.com
Stephanie
Contact rich386@windstream.net
Solway Feeders has programs in place for kids.
I run a child care on my acre and finally, we have chickens. the chicks will provide an amazing teaching experience and we will have better eggs, less bugs which means less chemicals All a win win.
I like the idea of the bucket waterer. I’m going to check out the website you listed, thanks.
My husband with the help of my young grandchildren love raising chickens. It is a fun family project.
Linda Kleven
lrkleven@hotmail.com
I haven’t started yet but I can’t wait to get my chicks in! I look forward to being one step closer to self-sufficiency! Sarah s.pyeatt.davis@gmail.com
Darlene Brehm bdr@madisoncounty.net
I hatch eggs as a project every year in our self contained special ed class. The kids love waiting and finally watching the eggs hatch. I take them home on the second day where I enjoy watching them and talking to them. I don’t know who could enjoy them more, true homegrown entertainment.
If you contact me Solway has programs in place to help.
Good luck!
Rich Sabonjohn Solway Feeders US Rep.
rich386@windstream.net
Raising chicks can be very satisfying in a way. My mother is 80 years old and lost our dad 2 yrs ago and she has been so lost without him. So for an early Mother’s Day we built a small coop and painted it bright colors with an enclosed run and placed 4 female pullets, my sister had hatched, in it and set it in her backyard while she was gone..She was so surprised! Now she has something to look forward to and care for and soon eggs to eat! Chicks can be a lifesaver. Tammy
I love chickens. Mine are free-range. Nothing like farm-fresh eggs! Plus they take care of all the ticks and bugs in my yard. Such a useful animal and I love every single one of mine!
Fluffy, sweet entertainment with the bonus of egg production someday!
I love my chickens! I have a few Plymouth Barred Rocks out in the hen house and am currently brooding 6 chicks…3 Araucana-‘Easter egg’ chicks, and 3 Isa Browns. They immediately calm me from any stress from my day. Chickens prove their worth everyday with the bounty of eggs they offer.
Hi Jennifer – thanks for another informative article. We have just recently added 12 more chicks (pullets) to our 17 hens and four roos. I now have a broody Serama hen who has gone broody and is sitting in a trance-like state just waiting for fertile eggs. We will try to brood some of our Black Copper Marans eggs under her and hope she can pull it off. I think she will make a good mommy just because she is just so intense on sitting and leaves peck marks on our hands if we interfere! Those water nipples would be just the ticket for us as we raise our new babies! Laura Reynolds at reynoldshens@aol.com
Love newly hatched chicks and watching them develop into great providers of eggs for our family!
Beth Hayes
bentwillowbunnies@gmail.com
This year is the first time one of my hens sat on her eggs and hatched 5 little fuzz balls. They are so cute to watch and she is letting me pet her and trust me. Jamie_lulinghousing@yahoo.com
Raising chicks these past 2 years (and off and on over the last 20) is an awesome experience that has brought our whole family together. Who needs tv or video games ? Chicks are the best entertainment ever! pamela2526@yahoo.com
I love raising Chicks because they provide wonderful fresh eggs, have personality and make me feel self sufficient.
teresagroup@yahoo.com
I have never raised chicks – but have been wanting to for the past two years. I was never a big egg eater until I was re-introduced to farm fresh eggs. Now, I enjoy a variety of eggs, duck, guinea hen, and a wide variety of chicken breeds. I don’t think it is really cost effective for one person to have a chicken or two (maybe I am wrong?), but I think the joy and experience would outweigh that concern. phoenixrisen05@yahoo.com
We got into raising chickens so we knew our eggs came from healthy happy chickens but I find myself sitting for hours in the garden watching them peck around, there is something relaxing about having a flock of birds around you.
Tim – godofpowertw@yahoo.com
I like raising chickens so I can get away with telling my wife I just got done talking to some chicks and also I think my wife said something about the eggs being healthier.
This chick raising thing is addictive! Once you get the chicken bug its hard to go back. I love Community Chicken, lots of great information and inspiring ideas. Thanks!
I’m new to raising chicks – this is my first year. Hubby used to raise chickens when he was young, but this is my first time. The coop and run are almost done and I will be getting little chicks in a few weeks. I can’t wait! I’m reading everything I can and talking with everyone I know.
I love raising chicks. They are so cute! Yes, I still think that after all of the decades I have raised them to become my next layers or broilers. THEY ARE SO CUTE! Plus, I know what is going into them.
we love the pet aspect but enjoy the fresh eggs. There is no comparison between supermarket eggs and fresh eggs. willis flanagan willisflanagan@yahoo.com
Who DOESN’T love raising chicks? Wish I could have some every year, but this is the year for a few more-yay!! Want to get a nipple system for the coop, and now’s a great time to do it! llohrenz@cox.net
Started raising chicks for the first time this year, in my late fifties – we are trying to be more self sufficient – for eggs. I didn’t know I would really love these precious little creatures! Would so like the watering nipples so that they don’t have a clogged up waterer half the time!
Started raising chicks for the first time this year, in my late fifties – we are trying to be more self sufficient – for eggs. I didn’t know I would really love these precious little creatures! Would so like the watering nipples so that they don’t have a clogged up waterer half the time! oops! sorry! …and my name is Cleo dollycrzy@gmail.com
I enjoy raising chickens for the pure pleasure of it. Fresh organic eggs are just a bonus. It reminds me of simpler times when everyone wasn’t in such a hurry. My email is thebuttontin@charter.net.
I love the fun of watching the chickens when the dogs go out to gather and to clean, the chickens have the dogs so buffaloed that they sit outside the gate and whine until I come out and cloe the pen up for the night and during the day the dogs run from the chickens and you have to escort them into the house because they wont go past the chickens to get there. PS I love the eggs and the meat that the birds provide.
akenn@ymail.com
love my chickie girls! i try to slip them in on hubby so he never is really sure how many there really are! t hese waterers are real nice & i could sure use some! Tammy Perry2man4@yahoo.com
I LOVE backyard chickens. Monday we lost one of our Cornish hens to a death by one of our Jersey Giant, leaving us with 3 hens. We are picking up 6 more chicks this afternoon from our local farmer. If we end up with any roosters, we’ll be having our freezer added to. I think we’ll cull the 2 Jersey’s before adding lil ones to the flock though.
Alena – aldntn@consolidated.net
I like collecting the eggs and then hatching them in the incubator. I enjoy watching the chicks grow from little fluff balls.
Anne
ezgaitn@yahoo.com
I am looking forward to the weather warming up a little so I can bring home some baby chicks! I would really like to try these waterers as they look so much more efficient than the watering methods I have tried in the past.
Thanks,
John
jwmcconn@excite.com
I have raised a variety of poultry since I was a kid and chickens have always been my favorite, they all have such unique personalities and always a delight to watch. tbrown@stanion.com
I’m a chicken keeper wannabe and have been reading about them and collecting things to eventually put in my coop, when I get it. The best part is a funky chicken picture on a piece of tin so they can be artsy. Also, I have a name for it picked out – Chick Vill-A, a nod to Truitt Cathy because I went to his original Dwarf House in Hapeville, Ga when I was a kid and remember it well. Now all I need is chickens to spur me on! Barbara at healing_hands at windstream.net
I am addicted to chickens. They are so much fun and make the yard so pretty. And I absolutely LOVE their little peep-peep-peeps.
mamie
mwarschun@yahoo.com
I have enjoyed reading your articles, and love raising chicks. Anything to do it better is alright by me!
Suzie Leavitt
sleavitt@mail.com
I have enjoyed watching my chicks grow since last March when I got them. I wish I had more room and could get a new batch every Spring. Keeping their water clean is a challenge. jhessenauer@tydingslaw.com
I love raising baby chicks! They are super cute, and sharing the experience with my kids is so special. Thanks for the chance to win!! pickle1483 (at) aol.com
Hello, and thanks for the water tip for raising chicks, it was brilliant! We love raising chicks because we like to see how fast they grow into laying hens! Each week they look very different from when they started; and the transformation of their colors, attitudes, abilities change so quickly that you can’t help but be amazed. We love our new hens and often too many roosters! They are as much pets as they are farm additions.
We are getting our first chicks in a few weeks. I CANNOT wait to get started!
Raising chicks from eggs is magical. The miracle of life! My kids went berserk watching them hatch. Great family memories.
wolgy1999@gmail.com
Eggs, chicken soup, roosters crowing in the morning, hens scratching in the dirt, birds eating grasshoppers…all good reasons and besides those baby chicks are so cute. Even my postmaster likes having happy peeping in the post office. She says it’s a sure sign of spring.
This is our first time raising chicks… and it’s a blast! They are so much fun, and so smart… and I can’t wait to have them for years to come! I wish I had known about the alternate to traditional waterers earlier! Life would have been easier and cleaner! dutchlion79@gmail.com
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hatching chicks/ducks is just part of welcoming the Spring season in. new lifes/new beginnings. Can’t imagine starting the year without it !!!
I’ve raised chickens for many years. I enjoy watching them grow and seeing them outside in a free range situation. I will soon get some more chicks for this year. That means spring is truly here.
This is going to be our first year raising chickens, and I can’t wait! Now that my husband and I have our first home with land to homestead on, we are ready to start with a small flock of meat birds. I’m looking forward to providing our family and friends with healthy and humanely raised chicken. Come on spring!!!
Our family is new to this but expecting our first chicks next week and we are thrilled! Our neighbors have been keeping chickens for years and my kids have been fascinated, and now that all three of them are old enough to help, we are jumping in! Jamie – jlwalski@gmail.com
Richard Stang (rstang12@gmail.com)
Hi Jennifer: Thank you for this post. I have been wanting to raise chickens for a couple of years and this is the first year my wife is going along with it :). I am purchasing the materials I need for my mobile coop design this week and hope to have it built next week. I am doing everything I can to provide my family with wholesome, healthy foods and raising our own chickens for eggs is an integral part of this plan (not to mention good tick control, and a great resource for my compost pile). More importantly however, I believe that this will provide my children with a deep appreciation for the gifts God has bestowed on us and the desire to become good stewards of these gifts. I am just starting my own blog about our attempts at organic gardening and taking control of our own food security (www.billyfarm.com). It has a long way to go for prime time but I know my chickens will play an integral role.
Thank you
Richard
I love raising chicks in the brooder for the chance to get them used to us, and to watch their exponential growth! Would love this watering system! Thanks, Maria glorymorgan1@hotmail.com
We do not raise chicke yet since my husband is still transforming a section of the barn with a dutch door and a new thermostat for the chicks. I have been gathering info this last year from Mother Earth News Fair, Grit and the Maryland Poultry Expo. I am so excited to get my first babies !
spoofam@att.net
Hello. My name is Elizabeth and this is my first time raising my own chicks. My husband and I built our chicken coop this past weekend and we go out and stare into the empty coop dreaming of the “big day” when our new babies arrive and how fulfilling it will be to raise them. I feel like a new parent-to-be. We have a 2 more weeks to wait. The nipple water system looks like a fantastic idea. Even if I don’t win a pair for my brooder, it was still fun to share my excitement with you. Thanks.
Hi Jennifer, I am incubating my first hatch of Rhode Island Reds and Connecticut Reds. I am so excited and am looking for the first little beak to peep through. I have been searching the net for any help and instruction from experienced hatchers. I found your article very helpful. Thank You. purdylady60@yahoo.com
My grandmother got me into raising chickens when I was young. She has long pasted away but her memories are kept alive by the chicks and chickens that have been in my life since her passing. I have had a lot of different breeds and I have Black Jersey Giants now that I absolutely love. I enjoy hatching out chicks and raising them for friends and family that want to get into having chickens. Thank you for all of your tips.
Lisa J La Rose e-mail is rjsjojo@yahoo.com
Hello, I’m Rachel and I’m addicted to baby chicks and you know rest of the story……..
I adore birds and have been studying for 2 years to raise chickens. I want to incubate and be their human mother so your tips are much appreciated. It’s just so EXCITING to start!
Edith@ComfortShoe.com
I’m getting ready to try raising quail for the first time. It would be nice to have something to make it a other easier. And I would share with my best friend who’s jumping right in with me.
Chickens are the all time best therapy! After a long stressful day, there is nothing better than some quiet time with my girls…
Rattlerjake@yahoo.com (Jake Martin) – Been raising poultry of all kinds for 40 years. My favorite thing about chicks is the smile on a kids face when mom and dad buy some for pets/eggs.
eileen123@hotmail.com …. I like chickens to eat bugs, leave me manure for the garden, love watching them “do their thing”, use litter to compost … eggs,
There is nothing better than having your own fresh eggs and who can resist those fuzzy little chicks!
Jeannette Olton
jlo58@live.com
We are just now ready for our chicks! Still need the water and food system for the brooder. Great ideas here 🙂 Thanks for posting. Way excited to listen to their peeps and watch them grow. shanghaiedmary@yahoo.com
One of my favorite memories is watching the egg hatch. Now this goes back nearly 80 years. We had a large incubater that held at least 100 eggs. My mother changed out the layers every other year. Now this was before we had electricity. She had a kerosene lantern to heat the incubator. She got up all thru the night to check the heat. The morning the eggs started hatching she would stick her head in our bedroom door and all she had to say was “the eggs are hatching.” The incubator was a long box with glass on the top. My sister and I would spend all day watching the eggs crack open and a little chick would come out. I never hear anything about deformed baby chicken now but each hatching there was always 2 or 3 deformed chickens. My sister and I would hide them and try to raise them but they always died. And people today thought we were deprived, no television, no Xbox, no video games.
I agree with the nodding off at random times…so entertaining. Pat, crittrz@gmail.com
What could be cuter in the animal world than little chicks? Our grandkids go crazy over them, and all the chickens. Just too cute! Chicken loving fam!
I love raising them because they are so cute and fluffy. They’re alot of fun and endless entertainment.
This will be our family’s first year raising chicks… besides the fact that they’re adorable and of course we’ll have the best eggs, I’m excited to have my kids learn so much!
Spring, chick time! I’ll be adding fancy banties this year. john_kostiuk@yahoocom
I enjoying raising chicks because I know where they came from and I have control of their feed. Plus it is just plain cool. Who can resist sweet baby chicks!
My best friend & I are getting ready to try raising domestic quail, now that our city has changed the ordinances for poultry & small animals. It should be fun!
My husband and I are now retired and we moved to KY, we live on a farm and the first animals we got were chickens then we ran out of money. We love to hold and love our chickens, we have named all of them and we get very excited with every egg we find, his is the life I just wish we had more money so we could buy more chickens we only have 8 at this point. I think this water tap would cut down on the clean up work.
I like raising chickens because they give me peace of mind…plain and simple :-).
Lisa
poochs@hotmail.com
I have wanted chickens for over 50 years…started scoping out all the chicks at a Tractor Supply and ended up buying one water nipple…it’s OK but the Solway ones look so much better. So, here I have a water nipple and no chickens….then a nice couple started chatting and next thing I knew I had 6 SLW chicks! These guys are 27 days old and the best part has been to watch them run around with a piece of grass to keep it away from one of the other chicks. It has to be the funniest thing I’ve seen. They look like a Rumba or kids toy bouncing off the walls at hyper speed. I know this will just be the start of a long time adventure and more chicks are in the future! Thanks for the opportunity! D.J.Knebel olbupp@aol.com
We are incubating some eggs that should hatch out next week. This would save a lot of work in keeping the water clean.
These would be so perfect for our small farm! Logging the huge waters out every day is a pain. They get so dirty.
I have raised chickens for 5 years. I love how each chicken has their own personality. We use nipples on the end of 5 gallon buckets. I would love to try the side mounted nipples.
I would love to raise chicks because of all the beautiful breeds available. Easter eggers, Olive eggers, Marins… Our ordinance is up for vote next week – wish us luck here in Goshen, IN!
I love keeping chickens. The biggest problem is making sure the water is always clean. The nipples would eliminate that problem once and for all. axtellg@bellsouth.net
27 Years of raising baby chicks and it still warms my heart. I have 20 this year, some chicks and a few turkeys. This year started out on a sad note because I lost my female turkey that I raised from a chick last year. Broke my heart. but I just sat with my new girls an they put a smile back on my heart. I am try some new breeds this year and thats been fun. My last years polish (rock) is setting on 10 eggs and we are both waiting patently. Evey day these chicken lighten my heart for the world out side my coop. Thanks for listening to me. I am at rljcj2000@yahoo,com, Laura
i will be having chicks for easter from the incubator plus have 3 turkeys and 11 hens and 2 roosters as we are seniors this would be a great help with the watering my grand kids are getting ducks for easter and they will be coming to grammas to live a we have an acre and they live in a subburb 15 miles away lbruesch1950@msn.com
We’re raising chickens for the first time, and loving it! The nipples look like a great idea – these babies are pretty messy. I need to check these out.
This will be my first time raising chicks, but I’m so looking forward to it, can’t wait. Tim Trammell, ttrammell2002@hotmail.com
Loved the idea of the tarp or plastic liner in the the brooder box. I love raising chicks, it is so fun to watch them change from little puffballs to chicks with tiny tails to full blown chickens. My nieces are in my 4-H club and they have been raising bantams and they are loving it. I really enjoy how much they get out of raising their own chickens.
Robin
i absolutely LOVE watching the little chicks hatch! When we see a hole in the shell we start whistling….and boy does the egg start to shake and shake and the hole gets bigger and bigger! Enjoy watching the little ones peck and peck and cheep and cheep!!!!
Just locked down 2 dozen eggs today. The idea of using a cheap tablecloth for the brooder box is a great idea. I’ll be trying it when my peeps hatch. rdpeters@a-znet.com
So one of these the other day in use in a friend’s coop. Very cool idea. Wolf Edwards sjmfox@aol.com
I started hatching chicks in the classroom so my students could witness the process. When my own grandchildren came along, we cleaned an outbuilding and started bringing those chicks home. Five years later, they still delight. I hate nasty water bowls and will be checking out those waterers. Thanks so much. kp1979@msn.com
I keep them for pet’s for my kids .We are allergic to eggs so we give those away to the food pantry . I let them live with the fruit trees they eat the grubs know I have no moles or Japanese beetles . We made the coop from wood that the lumber yard was going to through away . We use the waste for our compost for vegetables. The kids are allergic to cats and dogs . I think chick then in to chickens are the best pets in the world . They are your friend and very soft . They come to you when they see you .
I love raising chickens because they are so intelligent. Of course all animals are. My chickens are my babies..they will never get eaten and will live out their life on my farm. I will raise new chicks for eggs when they stop laying. my email is ladysyiara@yahoo.com. Love your newsletter!!!
Some great ideas, thank you. We have our 6 Wyandotte chicks outside no and they really do look pretty.
Love raising chickens, especially with my 5 year old! She has so much fun with them. Doubling our flock this year, up to 14, I know not a big number but it’s a lot for us! Would love a chance to try a different watering method; sounds promising. Thanks! gmfessen@yahoo.com
I love watching the little ones just as you mention in your article. They are so cute, and I can hardly wait to watch them grow up!
I will be raising another batch of chicks this year, although I have my happy “ladies” for eggs. This will be a batch of roosters for the freezer. (sigh) It always makes me a bit sad, but I remind myself that my birds have a much better life than the commercially provided ones. My email is annie1992 at yahoo.com
I’m raising my 4th brood of chicks. They are very different from my other chicks.I learned the hard way of frozen /dirty water in the middle of winter is no picnic! We also found out there are weasels in our part of WV.!! But while raising my first/second brood of chicks they really helped me thru the sudden loss of my grandfather. Best kind of theropy ever.
Thanks for all the information. I am getting ready to buy my first chicks, just finished the coop. All the information I can get is going to be a big help for I have never raised chickens before.
I am just getting back into chickens after 29 years without, I could use the water nipples.
btuck6@msn.com
I love to raise chickens because you get to see such rapid growth right before your eyes. I invite many of the local kids and give them a chick or two to take home when the timing is right. A few of these kids have taken their chicks to the fair and won a ribbon. I have written a small grant for the local agency to help those kids who want to try a new hobby that involves eggs, chicks, and chickens. I also use the information from this site and others to direct and info parents and kids about the chicken community!
Marilyn Lee with email address drmlee007@yahoo.com and through google it is doclee1838@gmail.com
I use baby beds for my brooder and line the bottom with newspaper covered with wood chips. I love watching them. Ron Willett ronwillett@netzero.com
I incubate and raise at least 2 batches of chicks each year and this year will try some Indian runner ducks also. I love to watch them hatch and look forward to spring so I can do it again. Would love to have a less messy watering system. Kris Henschel
krisjhenschel@hotmail.com
I buy a roll of plastic from Walmart and use that instead of the table cloth. Been using the water nipples for two years and love them.
We live in a small unincorporated community and will be able to build our own coop (without roosters – just thinking of the neighbors, of course). Not only will we be eating those wonderfully fresh eggs, but also will be sharing with “The Food Basket” at our church which helps those in need of groceries. On the farm, we used a watering system that did, in fact, get coop bedding scratched into the water and it was a constant cleaning of the chickens water. What a nuisance. So, your nipples to water the birds…it would be such a delight to utilize this wonderful invention. Thank you for considering us.
My Great Grandparents were original homesteaders in the NW mountains of Oregon…my Grandmother was born on the homestead. All my life I’ve seriously thought I should have been a pioneer!
My husband and I now live within 8 miles of my Great Grandparents’ homestead. While we have lived on farms for more than half our 40 years of marriage, I really feel like I’ve come home.
We have Soay sheep, a Percheron mare, rabbits, a donkey, a pair of peacocks and a wonderful flock of brown egg laying chickens. I feel incredibly privileged and grateful to be able to live in this beautiful Nehalem River valley, caring for and enjoying this wonderful land and the animals God has created to sustain us!
My favorite time of the year is spring, when plants start growing again and babies are born…I love the babies!
Thank you for your contribution of knowledge we can learn from and be inspired by…
debikeithley@hotmail.com
We are raising our first chicks this year and loving it! Would definitely be less messy with this watering system! Kim Babins marvink1978@yahoo.com
Every year in my classroom, my students look forward to spring and raising baby chicks! Our most difficult task in daily cleanup is water spilling and replacing it with fresh clean water. With these nipple , we could enjoy them much more!
I love raising chicks at our little ranch! My daughter teaches piano lessons in our home and most of her students are elementary school aged, city kids. It fun to see them light up when they get to hold the chicks; an experience most of them have never had. Then, week by week, they watch them grow and soon, see them in the chicken yard with the big hens.
It was such a joy raising my first 3 chicks and having them as pets in my backyard. I look forward to the next and increasing my little flock now that I have some experience. My brother has chickens in his backyard. He built both our coops out of recycled lumber and materials. I love to sit with them while the go about the backyard and raised beds looking for bugs. Pick them greens from chicken wire protected beds. they love kale. sharonsca49-mail (at) yahoo.com
This would be a great addition to our farm! We’re planning on raising up even more chicks this year.
I have had chickens for the last 15 years and don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t! They keep our 3 acres clean of bugs and ticks, provide eggs year around and when necessary stewing hens soups and broths. I am getting 4 new pullets this year and would love to win and try the nipples for watering. Thank you for the opportunity to win a set!
I love raising chicks because they are so fluffy and their cheeps are adorable. I love the sound of roos in the morning and collecting eggs from all the girls!
Went to Solway’s site. Not in the USA! Shipping is from the UK! Only thing in the USA is a sales representative.
Solway is in the USA some items will be shipped from Scotland until we get the full stock here. If your item is shipped from Scotland you are not charged extra! The web sight is being revamped as we speak sorry if you were confused.
Rich Sabonjohn US Solway Rep.
rich386@windstream.net
We picked up our first batch of chicks just one week ago and I’m so excited! I’ve never had chickens before. I can’t wait for my kids to enjoy collecting eggs. And the Solway waterer is on my list of things to buy for the coop my husband is building, so it would be awesome to win it. =o)
Krista krisbudlongathotmail.com
J A Larson
Like the rest of you I love raising chickens. Our farm is all about healthy, organic, sustainable practices. Our one major problem has always been flies. We raise horses and donkeys and that means manure and flies, flies, flies. Then, with my first flock of chickens, it was like a miracle! Not only did they scratch in the manure and “compost” it without my having to rake, muck and haul, but the flies were gone! My girls munched on my worst farm pest and gave me eggs too! larsonjab@gmail.com
I raise chicks because I like to know exactly how my food source has been treated before I consume it. I hate the thought of poor laying hens being kept in cages smaller than a sheet of notebook paper their whole lives with no chance to be outside, finding bugs, and getting into mischief. I see how much fun our girls have running around the yard and it makes me sad to think how many chickens don’t ever experience that…
not to mention baby chicks have to be just about the cutest creatures ever! 😉
Ginnie
guinevyr117@yahoo.com
I have raised chickens for years now. Initially it was to provide my family with our own eggs and amusing entertainment while in the backyard. My son-in-law passed away unexpectedly in February and we moved our daughter and her three children from Michigan to Arizona to live with us. The two oldest children are Keri, 4 years and Ricky, 3 years. Shortly after arriving home and despite my neighbors valiant attempts to take care of our small farm, one of our Cream Legbar hens died. My grandchildren were with me when I discovered it. I tried to quickly close the coop door so the children would not see it. Unfortunately, I was too late and boy did the questions start flying left and right about their Papa and the chicken in heaven. “Are Papa and the chicken together?” “Is Papa feeding the chicken?” I was terrified I would not be able to answer the questions without psychologically damaging them. I did the best that I could and for the next several weeks I was peppered with similar questions as we completed our farm chores. Last Fall I had ordered chicks for the Spring. Three weeks ago, our day old chicks arrived in the mail and the joy on my grandchildren’s faces was worth the few dollars I had spent. The new chicks generated even more questions that provided me the opportunity to demonstrate that life and death go hand in hand. I know there will still be many more rough days ahead. Raising baby chicks has brought a whole new level of meaning to our newly blended household and is aiding in the healing for our family – most especially the children.
April
april.reynolds@cox.net
I am addicted to hatching chicks I have about 100 right now so the nipples would be a God Send.
Raven37030@yahoo.com
Amy Dreyer greydrakko@gmail.com
That’s a really clever idea with the tablecoth/tarp!
What I loved most about brooding chicks is seeing their personalities develop, and how hardwired behaviors suddenly take over, like when my Light Brahma chick found soft warm dirt and suddenly crshed diwn into a dirtbathing frenzy.
I like the idea of plastic to line the chicken troff, but I do not see that as being earth friendly using all that plastic. Since it really cannot be recycled .
I also wonder if the chicks can peck at it, and ingest it!! Not healthy for Organic chicks , or any Chickens.
Take the time to clean, and forget the plastic Please…
One knows spring has arrived when we get antsy to get new baby chicks. I so enjoy caring for them. So calming and such a joy to watch them grow. Then when grown and we can enjoy the eggs they produce. I am so thankful we live in the country and can enjoy the animals–chickens are my favorite. Friends think it is funny how many of them have names. Thanks for this offering. It would be a great win.
I like to raise chickens for several reasons: it is something I can do together with my two boys, we love fresh organic eggs, and it helps teach the boys responsibility. They must keep the coop clean, care daily for the chicks from hatching to adulthood, and they do research to stay informed of the best ways to raise chickens and care for them.
I forgot email address: robin@tnscreenprint .com
I love your tips and plan to use them very soon 😀 I love raising chicks because it’s something the whole family enjoys together. We like hand raising a few chicks a year, to add to our small backyard flock. Thank you for the chance to win! Henrietta @ {hensnest @ windstream.net}
I have found the microfiber dish drying pads work very well in my hatcher and in the bottom of the brooder on the first couple of days. There is no danger of spraddle leg with these and I don’t have to worry about the chicks eating the bedding. I can flip them over once and use the second side on the second day. By that time they are eating and drinking normally and I change to loose bedding. CHallPurchases@mac.com
I should say that I spray the pads off with a hose and then they get a pre rinse and wash in the washer after use. Then back to the hatcher.
Chicks for entertainment and eggs 🙂
I am just getting started with chickens and the coop is almost ready! I wanted to have chicks by now but fixing up the shed into a coop is taking longer than I had wanted but I’m almost ready and then we’ll have some chick! I would love to have the Solway water nipples!
Brooding is the only way to go. It beats buying chicks from a store, because you go through the whole process and appreciate them so much more.
Hope I win.
If it isn’t me Addictively hatching, it’s one of our “Hens Gone Broody”. We seem to have chicks year round. We need constant replacement for those chickens that brave the woods edge and the bobcat gets, or those that brave the open fields and the hawk gets or those that don’t get in the coop at night and the coon gets. I have considered some sort of nipple waterer and these “Solway Side Mouted Nipples” are just what I’ve been wanting. Not having a bucket hanging over my chicks or a pipe for them to end up roosting on is just what the doctor ordered (for my addiction). I hope the baby quail I hatch like them as much as the baby chickens. johniecrocker@hotmail.com
My husband and I are buying 60 acres for our first house together very soon. We both want to go to a simpler way of life: growing and raising our own food, and really just enjoying life and the world around us. We can’t wait to start raising chickens; no more store bought eggs! And chickens are so adorable; they are our first planned livestock purchase! There is so much we’re going to have to get, though, it would be great to win this giveaway!
Thanks for the ideas . . .love the tablecloth idea. I think I will implement that in my next brooding bunch.
Lucas McFarland – ollybgolly@hotmail.com
I love Eggs!
The whole process of eggs to chicks to adult birds just fascinates me. The circle of life! ponyryd2@juno.com
I would love to raise chickens! I haven’t started yet, still gathering supplies and I need to build a coop. My parents were chicken farmers over 60 years ago, my daughter was in FFA in high school, and worked with chickens. I have experience when I was young, hatching quail and pheasants. I need chickens! Due to a zoning change, I can finally have 6 laying hens, and hope to get started soon.
I have just fell in love with my chickens and it just breaks my heart to see one of my babies not feeling good or whatever. We have had such a horrible experience with our flock. Its been up and down and we lost a few. Now we have learned alot and we have had chickens now for almost 2 years. Guess Im still a newby…lol. Since our flock has gotten so small we are either going to get new babies from where we got our first one or hatch our own. Dont really know yet. Just know it will be warm when they are ready to join the flock. I am so going to try these for our next set. And to get something to make it easier would be amazing. They have to stay in our living room with us due to no extra room in our small home. Its ok. They were awesome to watch and my little girl loved to just stare at them and hold them when they got big enough. They would sit on our shoulders and just pose for the camera. Loved it but hatted to mess. Our house seemed like it would never get clean. We also are about to put laminate flooring down, which we bought last year and still hasnt been put down, so maybe the clean up will not be as bad. I want to win this time..hehe Bless yall! Angela
Say…. I really like that tablecloth idea for keeping things clean. Why didn’t I think of that already? And sign me up for the giveaway!! Thanks.
I can tell you one thing. I just have to have my chickens. This is all I know , since I have been a little girl, raised on a farm. I love to have them around to chat with, and they chat back and it feels good to have them around, its not like a farm if you don’t have them. Chickens are a special breed and are so sweet. Just love those girls.
I enjoy raising chicks for the shear fact of having delicious free range eggs that I know are truly free range. My whole family loves to watch them grow from fuzzy little bundles to full grown chickens that give us nurishment. I have happy chickens that spend their time feeding my family and neighbors healthy eggs. When their laying days are over they go into retirement and live out the rest of their days comfortably at our farmette.
They are fluffy, sweet, cute, amusing, and just plain fun! Oh, and the eggs are simply the best! pigwhistlepottery@gmail.com Nancy
MotherHenof10 April8 at 12:51 I love hatching chicks, but my hens do a great job of hatching and mothering. I’ve had several hens disappear for weeks then come wander up followed by a patch of fluffy ones. My chickens coexist in my barn with my Nubian Milkgoats. The does offer protection and the chickens keep the barn bug free. ( It’s also worth a couple of laughs when the hens take a ride on their goat barnmates’ back.)
I love raising chickens. The eggs are way better than the store.
Brent Strange – strange.brent@gmail.com I love raising chicks because they are cute and because I know the eggs and meat we sell are good for us and our customers. I know that we give our chicks the best care possible and that they have a happy life either as a laying hen or broiler on pasture.
I have not got to raise baby chicks yet but hopefully can in the near future. But love my ladies. I love having my chickens for the fresh eggs. I know what goes in so know what is coming out. They are my little ladies with sassy little attitudes. My email is mikenteresa45@yahoo.com Name is Teresa Baker. Thank you for offering such a great giveaway. Good luck everyone
I am going to get a table cloth immediately. That will make a huge difference. I have only had the chicks in there for two days so far this year…and the mess is already building up a little bit.
But they are so cute! It is fun to watch them. Much better than TV. And I’m looking forward to when they are all grown and start laying eggs.
I would love to try those nipples. Not just for the chicks either.
Elle at elleberra at gmail dot com
At 49 years old, I’m finally living my dream on a small farm outside of my small hometown. I’m on my third year of raising chickens from chicks, however this is my first try at doing it from an incubator instead of buying them from a farm store. As I learn new things all the time, I would really love to try the nipple system. Seems as though it would keep their water much cleaner and therefore be more healthy for the chicks.
This is the first time my wife and I have tried raising chickens. We have our granddaughter living with us and she is eggcited to see the babies hatch. We are candling them now at 12 days and would be thrilled to check out this watering system.
blackjackrider2003@yahoo.com
Sarah Eller sarahannecloud9 at yahoo.com
Why I love raising chicks. First there is the need. My son has extreme nutritional needs so we must raise and grow all of our own food. Meanwhile they get a happy life. We even eat the ones intended for the table. Why I love it though, lol. I need to nurture. My boys are growing up. 🙁 No more folding cloth diapers, making baby food, nursing, and kissing every Booboo. The chicks, poults, and ducklings give me something to mother, AND they give so much in return. They give us love, entertainment, food, weed/pest control, and the list goes on. For a short time, I get to be mommy to them. Then we grow together and we’re friends and I’m a shepherd of sorts and I love being protector, doctor, caregiver.
BTW, I wish there had been an article on incubating and brooding turkeys!!!! I have it down pat, but it’s a long road to learn all the tips and tricks. I’m sure it would be super helpful to MANY people!!!
Have a blessed day, the chicken Moma, lol. 🙂
I’ve inherited my parents’ house along with my mother’s chicken coop. My neighbor is putting eggs in the incubator this week and we’re going to split the peeps when they hatch. I’m gonna need some supplies and these nipples would surely help a lot! And thanks for all your tips! – karlaadams@aol.com
Our chickens are more like pets to us, when I go out during warm weather, I am followed constantly, you got it, the chickens. I am looking forward to trying the nipple system as you mentioned, it will make work much less demanding…
Thanks for the great tips! I love hatching and raising chicks, because chickens make the best pets! Fun to be with and to watch – AND you get delicious eggs…
artbyrica@gmail.com
Thank you for the tips, i have eggs in the incubator i am hatching with my grandkids teaching them about chickens as i had been taught as a child. The nipple system is new to me and would be wonderful to have, something new to add to the past.
Dianne Bosque, detabosque@gmail.com. I love raising and keeping chickens for many reasons. They are very entertaining, they give me eggs and when my heart can stand it they give me meat to eat. They do a great job of cleaning up my garden area during the winter and the composted droppings are wonderful for the garden in the spring.
Well for one, chicks are so cute… It’s a learning experience for my son and I. I never raised any farm animal before and we started last year and fell in love…. Hillary Groves: Hillarygroves@gmail.com
My newest reason for why I love raising baby chicks is seeing my husband’s tender look and touch as he handles them. So precious!
I love raising baby chicks. I like to have a new group of hens so that my egg production keeps up with my demand. It seems everyone wants fresh eggs these days. I would love to try the nipple waterer. jbennett@umw.edu
I’m starting my first batch of chicks! (I watched my sister-in-law get started with RIR a few years ago) We have a brooder in the garden shed with 8 week old chicks. Yes, they sure are growing fast and the nipple waterers look like a great idea to keep them clean and dry. I have learned a lot with the newsletter and company how-to guides. Laura W. drwilhelm@yahoo.com.
how can we buy the side nipples? I went to the websites and they are all listed as English Pounds….I am always unsure if they will be prohibitive for shpping…
Have been raising chicks since my husband and I bought our home. I have never done nipples for water and think that this giveaway could easily change that 🙂
Great article. I have 10 d’uccle bantams and they are so spoiled. I love to make them gourmet meals. They love to do yard work with me to. We help each other. corvellicat@gmail.com
I find it fascinating that these little creatures have everything in them to become full grown chickens… they are so small but they scratch and peck and groom just like a big chicken. they are so fun to watch!
Karenw_5272@yahoo.com
Welp, I’m not sure if I like raising chickens!! I have my first 6 babies, so here goes!! But if you tell me a poultry nipple waterer is something that they like, then let’s do it!! (Theres something I never ever thought I’d hear myself say). My name is Lisa and I think this is a good idea bc, so far, I know close to nothing about this, and those chickens look pretty happy!!) Let’s try it! ParrotLM@aol.com….coincidentally, the email is not bc I’m a bird-freak…I just happen to love Jimmy Buffett, too!
We moved to a 1775 farm house from NYC in 2010 and decided to make use of the old but spacious coop. We’ve learned a lot since that first spring and now crusade for backyard flocks. The world is nice place when people care for animals. They develop their “caring muscle”!
I like raising chickens because they not only entertain me, but with my income, I’ve always had a lot of animals of the small breed type and a few horses but chickens are different. They supply me with eggs for meals and extra for selling to put gas in my tank or buy supplies for them. I’m hoping to increase my flock from 27 chickens and 9 ducks to closer to 100 chickens. The people who buy eggs from me love my hens eggs. They tell me they’ve tried other backyard chicken eggs that they come across on the roads and advertisements but they prefer mine. Don’t know why, don’t ask the chickens, they can’t tell me.. My name is Tina, tinaguerr@yahoo.com.
We always had chickens when I was little (taking care of them was my job). This is a great chance for my children to learn to take care of animals (they aren’t old enough for 4-H yet). This is their second year raising pullets. They love eating the eggs (or anything they grow or gather outdoors). We recently purchased bantam chicks for the first time for insect control. They are hoping that we can hatch our own eggs in the future. jjtmiller5@yahoo.com
I grew up with chickens so when I moved to Oklahoma on 3 acres, my first animals to get were chicks! We’ve raised them every year, getting more each time. We have 9 this year and boy is it hard to keep their water clean but they are so worth it. I just love raising chickens. The nipple waterer sounds fantastic!!
I’ve got one week to go on the eggs in the incubator. Very exciting every year! My favorite method is to give a broody hen a ready made family but nobody is going broody this time so it looks like this batch will be staying inside.
Jennifer Burk jdbster@gmail.com
I love raising chicks because I think it is a great way to educate my kids. We are a homeschool family so we have a great time when we have babies to raise. I love your ideas about making it less stinky and messy indoors. Thanks for the opportunity.
I would like extra nipples. My whole family and all our chicks would like extra nipples. Please send them forthwith!
Thanks,
I am so excited to be getting some chicks really soon, I love your blog!!
I just started with a batch of bantams..its been a long time since I raised chickens so Im learning all over again. Your sight has some great information. Thank you
fannin@marshall.edu
i LOVE RAISING BABY CHICKS–I have 7 eggs in the incubator now! they should hatch April 23. I would love to try the nipple waterers. The eggs I’m hatching are Delaware – can hardly wait til the chicks get here. millierose651@aol.com –pattyk
Denise sherlocklabs at msn dot com
I truly enjoy my chickens…I adore the personalities that shine through on some of them. I love hatching the chicks….to watching the adults hunt around out doors. I love the sound of a rooster’s crow while I work in my kitchen….and of course, the fresh eggs that my girls provide!
Last spring I convinced a couple of teachers to hatch eggs in their classroom. It was a great experience for the entire school. We only got 2 dozen eggs and 21 chicks made it home with me. This year the teachers decided if I proved the feed watering, and brooders like last year they would do 4 dozen eggs. Wow I will be taking home a lot more chicks!. I raise them up and sell their eggs or donate to our local food pantry.
Robert Kern rkerndisd@aol.com
There are more lessons for your kid than meet the eye. Good luck from Solway. We have programs in place that might help.
rich386@windstream.net
Rich Sabonjohn Solway Feeders US Rep.
We love having chickens! Initially we got them for eggs but soon discovered chicken TV. We could sit for hours and watch them – they are so funny and all have different personalities. We also enjoy our backyard more with less ticks it because of them, love having their compost for our garden and love having fresh farm eggs to use as gifts for neighbors and for Sunday breakfast. We do have a big problem with keeping their water clean, so we could use the giveaway! Thanks 🙂
Brenda Nelms faeriemoon10@yahoo.com I love hatching out and raising chicks because they are so much fun to watch grow up and they just do wonders for my garden.
I like to raise chicks because they are so fun and enjoyable to watch them hatch, and get growing and running about with each other.
I have enjoyed raising chickens now for one year, and incubated one batch. It was amazing and fun for me and my children watch them peck their ways out of their shells. I kept mine in the house to, and was amazed at all the dust that got accumulated in the room they resided in. I also can relate to the constant battle with the waters, but also the food bowls. They covered them up, crapped in them, knocked them over, did everything but eat in them! Fun, but I am very grateful to the hen that has decided to go broody that I have. She’s been sitting on two whole eggs for 4 days now. Can’t wait to see my little girl grow up to be a mamma so I can enjoy the chicks without all the work and worry that goes with it. Not to mention, nothings like raising chicks the good ole natural way.
Hi.
Chris Chapman, dragonlily(at)wolfstar.ca
I love raising chickens. My ladies give wonderful eggs and I find watching them, both the grown chickens in their yard and the littles in the brooder, very relaxing and amusing 🙂
I’ve not raised chickens for many years now, but finally I’m back in a place that I can. We need to rehab the outbuilding and make it safe for hens, but soon will be the time for chicks. I saw some at the farm store the other day. Too cute! Had to resist buying them then, until I have a brooder set up at home. Those water nipples look like a really good solution. I’d be interested to check them out. Chickens around the yard are such a delight, and the eggs a special bonus. My name is Carolyn Standlee-Hanson, and I live in St. Charles, MN. E-Mail is: ladyhawker65@yahoo.com Yep, I have to make sure to keep my hens separate from my other birds. They don’t get along so good.
I like my kids knowing where food comes from, so having layers is a good lesson. Because we raised the flock from chicks the hens are friendly and sociable. linda_warner (at) juno.com
Good luck from Solway Feeders don’t forget your email address.
Rich Sabonjohn Your Solway Feeders US Rep.
Any questions I can help you with just email me
rich386@windstream.net
It’s an addiction. I have to have babies every so often 🙂 CLMizzell1@yahoo.com Candy Mizzell
Helen Probasco helen_pro@hotmail.com
So excited!! We are small town folk and we’re getting ready to set up our first coop this spring! Our son’s family has had chickens for a few years and we just found out our town has NO ordinance other than no roosters! Love the tips and help that I read daily on Community Chickens, Thank You!
I enjoy raising baby chicks. They are so cute. And grow into lovely hens. Well some roosters also. Could use the cleaner waterers.
I haven’t started raising yet coop due this week) so I can start soon!! From what I’ve read, nipples are the way to go -AND I definitely will use most of these tips!! Thanks…
I’ve got 27 peeps in my very spacious brooder this year. I love sitting in there while they run all over my feet, peeping and chirping, it’s very relaxing. 🙂
Therese Vista
VistaBorders@aol.com
I love raising chicks! I enjoy ordering a variety of breeds and watching them grow up. The peeping noise is my favorite part.
Ann Pawloski annpawloski@gmail.com