OK, HERE WE GO..
FIRST OF ALL TRY NOT TO INHERET BABY CHICKS IN THE WINTER IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. I SAY THIS BECAUSE MY LOVELY HEN DECIDED TO SIT AND I NOW HAVE 4 NEW BABIES. BUT THEY ARE ALMOST TWO MO,S OLD NOW AND I HAVE THE BEST MOTHER EVER.....I HAVN'T HAD TO DO A THING ACCEPT PROVIDE WATER AND FOOD.
SINCE YOU DON'T HAVE A HEN, YOU WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH EVERYTHING THEY WILL NEED TO SURVIVE. HERE WE GO,
1- DO NOT PUT THEM OUTDOORS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE OR THEY WILL NOT SURVIVE.........
2- THEY WILL NEED A LARGE CARDBOARD BOX FOR A SHELTER.
PUT NEWS PAPER INSIDE THE BOX..LOTS OF PAPER...
3- YOU WILL HAVE TO BUY " MEDICATED CHICK-STARTER" FOR THEM TO EAT FOR THE FIRST 12 WEEKS. THEN SWITCH OVER TO 16% GROWER FEEDER FOOD.
4-GET A SMALL WATER CONTAINER THAT YOU FILL UP THEN TURN UPSIDE DOWN THAT ONLY LETS OUT A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER AT A TIME...YOU DONT WANT TO PUT WATER IN A BOWL THAT THEY CAN GET INTO. THEY CAN DROWN VERY EASILY IF THEY IMMERSE THEMSELVES. KEEP THEM OUT OF THE WATER.
5- A SHALLOW DISH WOULD WORK TOO AS LONG AS IT ISN'T MORE THAN 1/2 INCH DEEP.
6- HEAT LAMP THAT YOU CAN HANG ABOVE THEM 24 HRS. A DAY...DO NOT TURN OFF THE LIGHT AT NIGHT FOR THEY WILL NEED THE HEAT SOURCE TO KEEP THEIR BODY TEMP. UP. IF THEY GET TOO COLD, THEY COULD DIE.
7- THE HEAT LAMP SHOULD ONLY BE ABOUT 38 INCHES ABOVE THEM AND THEN RAISE THE LAMP EVERY WEEK TO ABOUT 12 INCHES. MAKE SURE IT'S NOT TOO CLOSE TO THEM SO YOU DON'T GET THEM TOO HOT.
WATER AND FOOD MUST BE CCHECKED SEVERAL TIMES A DAY SO THEY DONT GO WITHOUT...BABY CHICKS EAT AND DRINK CONSTANTLY FOR ABOUT 3-4 MONTHS.
WHEN YOU DO MOVE THEM OUTSIDE, I WOULD HAVE A VERY WARM ENCLOSURE FOR THEM TO SLEEP IN WITH STRAW FOR BEDDING.
i HAVE ABOUT 6 INCH DEEP STRAW BEDDING INSIDE MY COOP IN THE WINTER, IT PROVIDES WARM INSULATION FOR THEM.
THERY WILL NOT BE READY TO GO OUTSIDE FOR ATLEAST 12-16 WEEKS.
YOU ARE IN FOR A LONG, MESSY NOISY THREE MONTHS. BUT IT'S WORTH IT AS YOU WILL BE ABLE TO BOND WITH THEM AND IT'S A VERY BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE TO GO THROUGH.
YOU WILL HAVE SO MUCH FUN WATCHING THEM GROW AND THEY GROW VERY FAST......
AT ABOUT 6 WEEKS, YOU CAN START USING WOOD SHAVINGS FOR BEDDING IN THE BOX. THEY WILL PECK AT EVERYTHING SO DON'T USE SHAVINGS WHEN THEY ARE SMALL. THEY WILL EAT THE WOOD AND CAN BECOME VERY ILL..
SORRY THIS IS SO LONG AND I HAVN'T COVERED HARDLEY ANYTHING ACCEPT GETTING PAST THE FIRST 3-MONTHS....
PLEASE GO ON LINE TO GOOGLE AND TYPE IN "RAISING CHICKS" AND THERE YOU WILL FIND TONS OF VERY GOOD INFO....IT WILL BE YOUR BIBLE FOR YEARS TO COME....GOOD LUCK MY FRIEND...AND ENJOY YOUR NEW ADVENTURE...I'AM.
