how to take care of baby bantams inside the house

[sierra259]

Hi I'm new here so I don't know if I'm doing this right.
I bought two baby bantams but I don't know exactly how to take care of them. I have them in a shoe box with plenty of food and water and a 100 watt light above them am I giving them everything they need?? Do they need a bigger box?? And they sleey funny they don't lay down. they sleep with their heads down. Why do they do that and what breed of bantams do they look like? any help and suggestions are appreciated thank you

 

[Afterburner]

You are doing fine. I would put a rock or something into your waterer so the chicks can't fall in and drown. Also, I would use pine shavings for the bedding instead of the towels. The Pine Shavings will stay dryer longer and absorb odors. Cleanup will be a little easier. While your box is probably OK for the time being, I would look for a larger box as the birds grow. An apple box can usually be sourced free from the supermarket and works quite well. Finally, most of use move the chicks to the main/outdoor coop when the babies get to be six weeks old, about the age they are fully feathered. I am not sure how big bantam get since I normally raise large fowl, but you might want to ask Lowe's or Home Depot for an empty Lawnmower/appliance box if your chicks get too big for an apple box.

Keep you babies with full feeders and waters and play with them a lot. In about a month after hatch date, you will probably be able to remove the heat lamp. About a week before I am ready to remove the heat lamp, I move my chicks next to the sliding glass door in the dining room that gets bathed with lots of natural light. This allows them to adjust to cycles of daylight and nightfall. This way, they won't alarmed when you remove the heat lamp and babies see their first night of total darkness.

Don't be afraid to ask questions and welcome to rewarding hobby of Chickens.

 

[RonC]

You will need something with a lid very soon. The more room they have the happier you and them will be. You only need to heat one small area in the brooder. They will seek it out if they get chilled. Make double sure the light is secure and can't fall. You will need to switch to pine shavings or sand in the brooder also. At that age they make little droppings and are not to bad to clean up after. It gets worse! and

 

[LTygress]

Just to expand on the bigger space for them... rubbermaid bins work great for baby chicks. But as said before, be prepared for a lid of some sort. Bantams are usually EXCELLENT at flying, and they will be up on the sides of the container in no time if it's not covered!

 

[Hannahs Hollow]

My hen just hatched her first egg. She is in the unheated storage room in a dog crate. The closest my husband would come to allowing them in the house. I do have a heat lamp above her as its 0 -5 degrees in there. Now its a nice 10. Will the babies be fine with this? I don't really want to separate mom and chick so I can't put the lamp any closer. She'll keep them warm enough right?

 

[gander007]

Looks good so far but you will find in a week a bigger box
will be needed as they grow very fast and will stat to jump
out of your box ......
put some marbled or rocks in the waterier fir the first week
or so to stop any droning as it takes very little water to do
this and do not for get to get some Probiotic in their water
this you can get at any feed store and if you haven't already
get them some chick starter feed & medicated chick feed
now some chicks do not enjoy the medicated chick feed
so I mix the two together ,,,, also if you hard boil an egg
or two and mash it up real good and give this to them I am
sure it will all be gone fast ...........

Good luck and Merry Christmas

gander007

 

[gander007]

My hen just hatched her first egg. She is in the unheated storage room in a dog crate. The closest my husband would come to allowing them in the house. I do have a heat lamp above her as its 0 -5 degrees in there. Now its a nice 10. Will the babies be fine with this? I don't really want to separate mom and chick so I can't put the lamp any closer. She'll keep them warm enough right?

Your hen hatched her egg's at 102 F under her she is fine just keep her out of the drafty areas

gander007