Good Afternoon! Can you believe how warm it is out there!! It's 45* here!!
I have some baby chicks coming next week and it's been a while since I've had babies so I just want to make sure I have everything in order before they get here....can you let me know if I'm missing anything?
~ hard plastic swimming pool for brooder
~ heat lamp
~ feeder/waterer/food
I'm going to line the bottom of the pool with a layer of pine shavings and them paper towel for the couple days - week. Then I was going to remove the paper towel. I wanted to switch out the pine for kitty litter at some point. I use litter under my roosting pole in the coop and it makes for a super quick clean up in the morning. Is this okay for the little ones or do they need the pine shavings for warmth?
Also, I had read some were in a thread (of course, can't find it now!) that I should add raw apple cider vinegar to their water. I can't remember when or for how long...I want to say it was for the first couple of days? Is that right?
I remember from my last batch of babies that they were fully feathered and out in the coop by 6-7 weeks, but it was just them, no introducing. When can I add these new ones since I will be introducing them into my gang.
I have some baby chicks coming next week and it's been a while since I've had babies so I just want to make sure I have everything in order before they get here....can you let me know if I'm missing anything?
~ hard plastic swimming pool for brooder
~ heat lamp
~ feeder/waterer/food
I'm going to line the bottom of the pool with a layer of pine shavings and them paper towel for the couple days - week. Then I was going to remove the paper towel. I wanted to switch out the pine for kitty litter at some point. I use litter under my roosting pole in the coop and it makes for a super quick clean up in the morning. Is this okay for the little ones or do they need the pine shavings for warmth?
Also, I had read some were in a thread (of course, can't find it now!) that I should add raw apple cider vinegar to their water. I can't remember when or for how long...I want to say it was for the first couple of days? Is that right?
I remember from my last batch of babies that they were fully feathered and out in the coop by 6-7 weeks, but it was just them, no introducing. When can I add these new ones since I will be introducing them into my gang.