Official stats thus far:
34 chickens, started with 38 (I miscounted the streaky little beggars last week)
3 weeks old
approximate average current weight 1.5 lb though a few are approaching 2 lb
100 lb of food consumed (we'll need to buy more, the little pigs)
money spent: $56 for chicks & shipping, $65 for feed, $20 for feeder, $50 for hardware cloth, $15 for wood shavings + $6 for electrolyte + $6 for warming bulbs = $218
The husband almost finished the chicken tractor this weekend, adding wheels to the back and covering half with old roofing material from the grandparent's defunct porch. The goal was for light-weight and movable, but since we used mostly reclaimed and recycled materials, light it is not (but cheap it is). Thankfully, the tractor is movable if you really put your back into hauling it around the yard, and since we will only be moving it 12 feet at a time we've pronounced it good enough. In addition, this thing is sturdy and (knock on wood) predator proof. The last step will be to cover the second half with hardware cloth and add rain-gutter waterers which will be done in the next few days. We were hoping to put the mob outside this week but thanks to our variable North-"wet" weather, it might be more like this weekend or later before the littler cluckers begin their outdoor life. I think they will be glad to have more palatial digs as the garage nursery area is getting a little squishy (and stinky).
With their increased size and adult feathers we've raised the hover brooder on risers and unplugged one of the warming lamps. We've also added a bigger feeder since they need more space to gather around the trough and placed all the waterers on risers in an effort to decrease the mess in the drinking water.
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