Beginner's questions

[wxdude99]

Hi. I'm getting my first order of chicks on Tuesday. I was hoping you all could help me with a couple of questions.

What wattage should i get for my heat lamp? I'll be keeping them in my garage and I live in Alabama so it isn't that cold. It gets down to around 75 inside my garage in the mornings.

When i feed them do i just fill up the feeder and let them go at it? Or should I feed them a certain amount each day.

Also, what do I do with the grit? Do I just put it in the feeder?

Thanks

 

[debilorrah]

We are in CA so it doesn't get that cold here either. We used a 40 watt bulb and they were fine with that. As for grit, I believe there is enough in the chick start food, and we do just fill it and let them go at it. We also put a container with dirt and leaves in it for them to dust bathe in. Once we started them on treats, they always take it the bowl and roll it around in there before they ate it so that gives them grit too. Hope this helps!

 

[Chirpy]

Welcome to BYC!!

Fill their feeder with Chick Starter or Starter/Grower and keep it available 24/7 for them.

They do not need grit until they are eating treats/other food and I think most people don't believe it's good to give young chicks treats, etc. until they are older (a month or two at least). I didn't give mine treats until they were 10 weeks old or older. Whenever you do decide to give them treats they need grit offered in a separate bowl.

For a heat lamp, you may be able to get by with just a light bulb. You may need the actual heat lamp. Start with whichever you want and watch the chicks. If they huddle under the heat source they are too cold and need more heat. If they are all away from the heat source, toward the outside edges, they are too warm - raise the heat source to make it cooler. Ideally you should have some chicks under the lamp and some away from it and they should be happily cheeping and walking around.

 

[verity]

I live in NC -- today it is 79 degrees with a low of 63 degrees but the nights are beginning to get cooler --

Question: If I get some 3 to 4 week old chicks, keep them in the house with a heat source, etc. how old will they need to be before they move outside to the coop?

We have raised pet chickens from babies before but it has been in the springtime --

Advice, please!

 

[Chirpy]

verity - once they've totally feathered out you may be able to put them outside. You will want to watch to see that they aren't all huddled together as that would likely mean that they are cold. (It can mean they are afraid of the new place also, so just watch and see how they do.)

Also you'll get more answers and help if you start your own thread.

 

[gritsar]

Verity, I PMed you.

 

[verity]

Oh my gosh -- I 'hi-jacked' and I think I just 'spammed' ---

sorry, everyone --- my 'bad' !!!!!

 

[cmom]

Quote:

Here is a great referance book, Gail Damerow's 'Storey's Guide to Chickens' is an excellent guide, as well as this web site.

I agree with this post. I use a 60 watt bulb. The first week you should keep the temp around 95 degrees and lower it 5 degrees each week, until they really start to get their feathers. Here is a picture of my brooder with my new girls.

This is a picture of my big girls when they were about 5 weeks old. I did have a heat lamp in the coop. These were hatched Oct 4th.

 

[junior*chicken*lover*16*]

i'm in high school and i just recieved an egg from one of my mom's friends. i got it fresh out of the "shooter" as she called it, it was warm in my hand. so i went into town and bought the only bator that the store had.

it's a still air and it's the only egg in there. i need to know how to do this. i've been online for almost 5 hours so i think i got the bases. but a little imput will be very welcome.

 

[ginbart]

junior*chicken*lover*16* :

i'm in high school and i just recieved an egg from one of my mom's friends. i got it fresh out of the "shooter" as she called it, it was warm in my hand. so i went into town and bought the only bator that the store had.

it's a still air and it's the only egg in there. i need to know how to do this. i've been online for almost 5 hours so i think i got the bases. but a little imput will be very welcome.

You'll get more answers and help if you start your own thread.

But look at the top of this page and go to the learning center. That may help. Do you know how to start your own thread?​