This week, my family will be getting our first ever baby chicks (red star, barred rock, and brown leghorn), and despite all the research and reading I've done, I just wanted to check with you old pros here on the forums to make sure I haven't missed anything in preparations, plus I have a few questions.
We have the (cat proof) brooder all set up, I just need to add the pine shavings and their food and water, but I wanted to wait to do that till the morning they should arrive. I have the heat lamp on now to make sure it's at the right level to keep the chicks at the right temp right off the bat. We bought DE for the coop outside for when our girls are old enough to move out, but do we need to sprinkle any on the shavings in the brooder - I would think no, but just checking. We've got starter - developer feed ready, and bought some parakeet grit for them as well for when we start giving them treats (I have a 4 year old who loves to give her pets treats, I know it's inevitable that within a week or two she'll be wanting to give the chicks treats too!). I sectioned off a smaller part of the brooder to keep them contained closer to the heat lamp (which doesn't reach quite to the middle of the brooder) for the first week or two till they are big enough to not need as much of the heat and too big for the smaller section.
Since I'm still new to the forums I can't post pictures so I know it's a bit unclear, but I hope that doesn't hinder. Mostly I just wanted to make sure I'd gotten it all ready and hadn't missed anything. Thanks everyone!
We have the (cat proof) brooder all set up, I just need to add the pine shavings and their food and water, but I wanted to wait to do that till the morning they should arrive. I have the heat lamp on now to make sure it's at the right level to keep the chicks at the right temp right off the bat. We bought DE for the coop outside for when our girls are old enough to move out, but do we need to sprinkle any on the shavings in the brooder - I would think no, but just checking. We've got starter - developer feed ready, and bought some parakeet grit for them as well for when we start giving them treats (I have a 4 year old who loves to give her pets treats, I know it's inevitable that within a week or two she'll be wanting to give the chicks treats too!). I sectioned off a smaller part of the brooder to keep them contained closer to the heat lamp (which doesn't reach quite to the middle of the brooder) for the first week or two till they are big enough to not need as much of the heat and too big for the smaller section.
Since I'm still new to the forums I can't post pictures so I know it's a bit unclear, but I hope that doesn't hinder. Mostly I just wanted to make sure I'd gotten it all ready and hadn't missed anything. Thanks everyone!
