Brand new baby chick, when do I give food and water?

[NewchickieLTJ]

Take the toys out as above. I've never tried a mirror. I do know that they will prefer wet food. Maybe as it seems easier to eat. Take the foot and wet it till it is like soft mush. Use a jar lid if you don't have a very small dish. Put the food in there and poke at it with the pointed end of a pencil. If the chick is interested they will approach, watch and peck at the end of the pencil and bits of food on it. Do that a few times and they will eat out of the dish on their own. It's how they learn to eat. By watching what mom picks at. They will find the water and drink when they are thirsty. For food, get to a feed store and look for "Chick Starter" or "Chick Starter Mash". If you get the dishes made for chicks to drink out of they will not drown. Small dish with a refillable water container. Small chick feeders are the same. Cuts down on waste with soiled food. A chick friend would help as the store chicks are already eating and yours will learn from that one. ... I have Ameracaunas. .. They lay blue eggs.

I took everything out that first night. I got an “ameracauna” from the feed store, which I’m sure is actually an Easter Egger lol. My kids are excited about the blue/green eggs though!

 

[jgarner1327]

I'm worried, you might need to give her water by dropper one drop at a time along the edge of the beak, so she doesn't get dehydrated under that heat. Crush the food so she can eat it. You can mix water with it in a tiny lid and change it out frequently 2-3 times a day for instance so it doesn't get spoiled.

 

[jgarner1327]

How's the baby chick doing?

 

[trumpeting_angel]

You could put a feather duster upside down for her to huddle under like her mother. My last incubated batch loved it.

I heard the feather duster method from an old Vermont farmer! I didn’t know it was still in practice!