? about new chicks coming friday

[birdbrain2]

i have my chicks from ideal coming friday and i have a few questions

when i first get them do I just put them in brooder or do i need to hand water each one.

i have feed and water plus some electrolytes should i mix all three together to make a mash or should i just give water/elect. separate from dry feed? for the first day.

 

[TXmom]

As I took each chick out of the shipping box, I dipped their beak in the water. They learn quickly how to drink by themselves. If you're getting a lot of chicks, you can teach a few, then the rest will learn by watching.

I didn't mix the water and feed together, but I did put the feed in my Magic Bullet (like a blender) and ground up the crumbles even smaller so it was easier to eat. Some of the crumbles are too big for the tiny babies to eat.

 

[gritsar]

I have two of the long rectangular chick feeders that have removable lids. The lids have the holes in them for the chicks to stick their heads in for feed. I took the lids off for the first week.
As I removed each chick from the shipping box I dipped their beaks in the water and then set the chick right down in the center of the feeder. They figured it out right away.

 

[birdbrain2]

thanks for the replies, i will use the magic bullet too!!

 

[Poohbear]

All that Txmom said sounds good. I feed Purina chick starter from day one so I don't have to grind crumbles but I do give each one a quick dip of fresh water when they are new. They love crumbled up boiled egg whites (just the whites) as a treat. I drop some crumbled egg whites on the feed and lightly tap the feeder. That is how a mother hen teaches her chicks to eat. Tap with one finger on the thing you want them to eat and purr using your tongue to make a trilling sound at them. That means "this is good to eat so hurry over here and eat"! Listen to chickens enough and you'll understand their language. Each sound has a meaning. I even have one breed of hens that "Sing" when they are going to lay an egg. First time I heard one do that I thought it was BEAUTIFUL! Yes, I AM a little nuts I suppose. After all, when everyone else is inside with the heat, I'm out in the cold tending to my flock. Everyone else is inside with air conditioning, I am out in the heat covering and tending fowl.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Poohbear, I am lousy at chicken imitations, but great at tapping on things with my finger. Either to get them to try new foods or to show them that an object is safe to explore. I'm darn good at scuffing the toe of my shoe in the dirt, like I'm scratching an area up, too. I love taking the young ones out for walks in the yard and teaching them all about the good things to eat and the good places to scratch around.

I always take the time to dip the beaks of all the chicks in water and food. I also scatter a bit of the food on the paper towels. They seem predisposed to pecking at specks, at that age, so it seems to encourage them to get eating.

I mainly use sugar and electrolytes in the water if the chicks look like they had a hard trip and are weak. People use either one, both or none, if the chicks arrive in good condition. I also put marbles in the water, so the chicks don't drown. They have a tendency to fall asleep at a moments notice and just fall forward. They sleep a lot at first and very soundly.

As long as they are eating and drinking fine, just keep an eye on them, in case any of them get a case of pasty butt. Then they need to have their little tushies cleaned. They are so darn cute at that age! I don't know anyone that doesn't spend hours watching them!

 

[TXmom]

Poohbear....why did you say only whites? I thought it was the yolk that was better? I started with crumbled hard-boiled egg yolk and they went crazy for it! Now I crumble the yolk AND the whites and they still go crazy. I love it when they play "Keep Away"...they grab a piece of white and start running as fast as they can, and turning in circles. Then 4 or 5 other chicks chase and try to grab the yummy egg...it's hilarious!

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I start my chicks out on medicated Starter /Grower crumbles from day one. It has all the nutrients the chicks require. Also plenty of water. They will eat, sleep and poop.
There are pictures of my brooder on my BYC Page. I don't know if you have a brooder but here is a thread with lots of them.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6233

 

[Poohbear]

TXmom, I have in the past had some small day old chicks get choked on the boiled egg yolk so I just quit feeding them to new hatch biddies. Instead I just crumble boiled egg whites. After a week or two I will use the yolk also. Nothing wrong with the yolk as well as the white. Just an old habit I started after that bad experience with yolks.

 

[cmom]

OOPS a dujplicate