My 25 Silkies arrived today from Ideal, and I just wanted to share my setup with others (and show off the chicks). The brooder is an old reptile cage that I had to thoroughly clean since reptiles carry Salmonella. I laid it on its side and put straw in the bottom, then paper towels on top. I put molasses and ACV in the water and showed each chick how to drink before placing it in the brooder. The heat lamp is about 12inches from the chicks, and I think it's a little hot down there so I'll have to raise it. I ground up some of their feed in a food processor to make it a little finer, since they're bantams and were having a hard time with the large pieces. Added some grit in with their feed. Everyone is eating and drinking and so far healthy, though I'm waiting for the weaklings to show themselves. Here are some photos... 26 sent, 1 DOA, 25 alive: They think it's really funny to climb into their feeder: Everyone getting a drink (we've had some decide baths would be fun, too): There are 15 partridge, 7 white, and 3 buff: This is the general setup, just a screen cage with plexiglass and cardboard draft guards: Good luck with any of your own chicks It really isn't too hard to brood, it's when they get too big for their brooder that you've got trouble!
Aw, love those little chipmunks! They look really cozy in their brooder, too With a little luck, I'll have some new Silkie babies hatch from my incubator next Wednesday! Enjoy your fuzzies! Nikki
Oh, so cute! What color Silkies are those? And 25 little chicks are really going to outgrow that cozy set up lickity-split. I'm really getting the hatching-itch... but I forbidden to hatch any this year, or so my parents proclaim. I wonder if I could get away with putting my Brinsea Mini in my dorm room? "No, that peeping isn't coming from my room..."
Dunno, the hatchery sent a mix... I think mostly partridge, along with some reds, whites, and buffs. Maybe a splash as well. I'm having a hard time with the colors! And yeah, I'm going to get more boxes and create "hamster tunnels" of brooder space for them until the weather gets nicer and they can go out in the coop. Also desperately trying to sell some, guess we'll see
I ended up trading 17 of my baby chicks for dog food at my local feed store. If you can't sell them, maybe you can try that. I had gotten them all vaccinated for Mareks' and the feed store wanted a copy of the receipt stating such. But it was a good trade for me.
Sold 15 of the little ones, now have 10 left for myself! Mostly they look kind of ridiculous... As you can tell, they're not in the basement anymore, we've moved them and their 30 friends into our transition shed.
