How long to wait? When to step in… if needed

[BelovedBirds]

Yes I do. I can use those?

yes, the puppy pads will work just fine until you get shavings

 

[AmeraucanaHank]

Congrats @picklestheduck!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes I do. I can use those?

That's what I would use for a brooder inside.

 

[picklestheduck]

That's what I would use for a brooder inside.

Ok awesome thanks everyone! I have the puppy pad in there and everything. When I know for sure the brooder is at a stable temp, when I put them in, do I offer food and water immediately? Or wait?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Ok awesome thanks everyone! I have the puppy pad in there and everything. When I know for sure the brooder is at a stable temp, when I put them in, do I offer food and water immediately? Or wait?

Yes, offer chick starter and water immediately. Once they're fluffy and active, gently dip their beaks into the water. They'll swallow, and that's all it takes. I sprinkle some food on the floor of the brooder, and 'peck' or scratch at it with my finger. They catch on quickly. However, they may not do much today but explore and sleep, as they can live off of the yolk for a couple of days.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I sprinkle some food on the floor of the brooder...

... and that's why I don't use wood chips or anything for a week or two. I use paper towels for flooring. They need to be able to walk flat-footed on a surface with a little texture (not slick like newspaper) for several days or a week.

 

[picklestheduck]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but the brooder is supposed to be at 95 degrees Fahrenheit at first right?

 

[picklestheduck]

the little whitish chick has five toes and feathered feet!!!

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but the brooder is supposed to be at 95 degrees Fahrenheit at first right?

I use a heat lamp, and keep the area directly under the bulb at about 98-100-deg-F for the first few days, but keep it to one side so that the opposite end of the brooder is a cooler space. Then just watch. If they bunch under the light, they're too cold. If they line the far edges of the brooder and peep loudly, they're too hot. If they settle in an area just outside the ring of heat, or scatter throughout the brooder, they're just right. Adjust your heat accordingly, generally reducing the temperature by about 5-deg per week. At about 2-3 weeks, depending on ambient temperature, you can remove the heat altogether.

(Sorry for the late reply - I actually didn't want to do chicken stuff or anything internet, until the Queen's funeral was over. )

 

[picklestheduck]

Ok thank you! I just checked on them and I don’t know that I trust the thermometer, since it says 102 and they are curled up underneath it