Chick supplies...Please advise

[mendogurl]

Eight Chicks arrive next week.
Here's what I have so far:

Chick feeder, metal.
Chick waterer
Heat lamp
50 Lbs of organic chic starter

An Extra Large dog carrier for housing.

What else do I need?

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

!! That pretty much covers it except for a couple items:

thermometer to check the temperature
paper towels for them to walk on

For my brooder, I just use a big plastic bin. You'll need paper towels (I put them over newspaper) so they can get good footing. Nothing slippery for at least the first few weeks.

Good luck and enjoy your chickies!!!

 

[briana1975]

Bedding, and a box? With the organic chick feed I take it you wouldn't get antibiotics to have on hand just in case.

 

[bockbock2008]

It sounds like you got the basics. You might want to have some poly-vi-sol infant vitamin drops on hand just in case you would need it. Hopefully not but if there are any problems with any of them vitamins help alot of different issues.

Did you get bedding? Wood shavings, pellets or anything?

 

[mendogurl]

Quote:
I would get antibiotics. Just in case of what?

Can I get them online?

 

[MSHEN]

Put a layer of pine shavings in the bottom, then cover with paper towels. They have a knobbly texture that chick can get a toehold in. when you clean it, just gather up and dispose. I do this for the first 5-7 days, then remove paper towels. The chics now also know the difference between shavings and their food. You may want to get some small cage bird grit to offer. My chic starter says I don't need to supplement. but I know allot of folks do anyway. Sprinkle a little food on the floor when you first get them in the brooder to get them used to what it is. I give my new babies a little sugar water, dipping their beaks in it before putting into the brooder, gives them a littlepick me up after shipping. Don't make the mistake I did and let them have it all day, which caused major pasty butt. Hope this helps!! Enjoy your new babies!

 

[mendogurl]

Quote:
Not yet. I know I need them.
But I have read a lot of different things, paper towels, puupy pads, shavings...
Not sure what is best.

I don't need any grit yet, right?

I am also really worried about the chicks getting into the water and drowning, or getting wet.
Maybe I am doing too MUCH reading, LOL. But I have seen a lot of home made chicken watering ideas, so it makes me nervous about the one I have.

 

[mendogurl]

Quote:
Ok, thanks. I am printing these up.

 

[JudyH]

Quote:
I moved mine into one of these when they turned a week old -- at first I had them in a big box that worked really well ... until they wanted to start flying and perching on the top edge of the box LOL So that's why I moved them into the big dog crate. Well, a couple decided to squeeze through the spaces and get out of the crate LOL I put them back in a couple of times and in just 2 or 3 days they had grown so much that they didn't fit through the spaces anymore.

It didn't bother me that mine had gotten out because I had them in a room all to themselves that our house cat has been kept out of.

But the dog crate is working out perfectly! If I raised chicks again, I will use it again after they are about a week old. I just like the box better for the tiny chicks because it was easier to keep really warm and draft free for them.

 

[damselfish]

Pine shavings work very well, after the first few days with the paper towels over them. Just wanted to say, go buy the shavings at a place that sells horse bedding, not at a pet store, where it's expensive.

I think we pay maybe 5-7 dollars for a several cubic foot bag of compressed shavings.

That way you can use a lot and your brooder will smell better.

Have fun.