There are some six week old Rocks on craigslist. I have been fighting with myself all day about getting them . I could put them in my chicken tractor till they are big enough to deal with the rest of the flock. But hubby might shoot me.
Out little babies just came in from post office,now we have them in a nice warm box with food and water. Thye were hungry and thirsty. They are very lively and seem to be feeling ok.
Thanks Mary they are so cute, peaceful watching them, they are only 5 days old. We bought lots of paper towels and starter for them.
The second day for peeps, and I think they were up most of the night, and doing some sleep catch-up at noon today. Put less food in the feeder, because they want to sling it out all over the box floor, and then peck it off the floor. As you can see in this new box they're still slinging it. Changed their box this morning around 9 o'clock, after I had my coffee, and they woke up. Got to hold each one as I transferred them to a new box, and they were all calm about being held. This time moved the water to the other side of the box, so won't heat it up.
I change their box each morning, and these little peeps act really happy, so far so good, no problems.
I have bought peeps in July at about 4 weeks old so I don't need to keep them under heat. But when they will be cold, I have brought them into the house. One time I kept them in my shower with a glass door to keep the cat from getting them. I put cardboard or newspaper down and folded it up every day. But it still SMELLED bad. I am not sure why my husband never divorced me.
He probably knows a good thing, when he sees it. We did this quite a few times, and we always start out in-house until they get big enough for a brooder pin, then they're outside with heat light unless the sun is really hot enough for them. I have 3 boxes and line them with bounty towels switching them each morning, they are not any bigger than the egg yet.
@Dwight Ward, we just got these Thursday, we ordered them from Ideal Poultry. Picked them up at Post Office.
These peeps are fun to look at and when you reach into the box they run till you leave your hand in a minute then they run up to the finger and let you rub under their beak and then chest. They are really growing too, seems in height more than anything.
Working on the brooder pen this morning, man it's almost a complete redo after sitting so long. It's getting there now.
Jake is re-enforcing this brooder with extra protection against snakes, last peeps we had it a snake managed to get in and get 2 peeps, they can squeeze through the smallest of places. This one will be snake proof but still don't want a snake to scare them so it will be a dead snake or a city slicker snake. Likely a dead one if comes back a second time. We don't like to kill them, but we have and will if we have to have. Far as the coons well Foxy will gladly take care of that problem.