Chicks for the first Time

[Jeanna Marie]

Jeanna, i read a couple of threads regarding young chicks needing animal protein and  the fact that the chick starter and crumbles as well as some of the scratch no longer contain animal protein.  so i read some other threads on how to give the chicks what they need and i read a lot of people give meal worms.  there was some controversy regarding how old to feed grit so i looked that up and it appears it is ok to give them grit at two weeks and that some people give meal worms at two days. so i purchased grit and meal worms today. i also read to feed grit first as it has to be in the belly before you feed any treats so they can digest it easier. so i fed some grit and waited about a half an hour and then put my hand in with a meal worm, wasn't sure if they would even take it but i had been feeding starter from hand so i knew they would come to me but i never expected them to love them so much. they were pretty good in the beginning waiting behind eachother while i fed them one at a time but once they figured out what they were getting they were not as patient they were snatching them out of my hand so fast that i ended just tossing in three or four on the floor. anyway they were a big hit. just wanted to share in case you were looking for something to give your chicks as they are about the same age as mine.:cd

Thanks so much for the great tips.... so far I have added scrambled egg to thier diet. I want to add meal worms but I'm not sure where to get them here.

 

[Jeanna Marie]

I brought home 3 baby chicks today from the feed store and as much as I adore them, the more I read the more worried I am. The lady at the store kept assuring me that all I needed to worry abt was making sure that they had water. I live in Tampa, Florida where it is warm and the woman at the store told me that I did not need a heat light. I am keeping them in a large cardboard box on our sunroom/porch. If the temps are 84/72 is it true that I do not need a heat light? I don't want them to be too cold! They are all laying together right now but I figured it was because they are sleeping?

If they are laying side by side they are fine. If they start laying on top of each other in a pile they are too cold. You should be ok without a lamp but you might put a towelor stuffed animal in with them so they have something to snuggle up to.

 

[BRAFZ1]

Jeanna u get ur chicks today

 

[betsy813]

Thanks so much! They were laying besides each other so that made me feel better but I did put a towel in with them and thought to put them in the garage where it is warmer at night. In the garage I have them in a large laundry basket and put another towel tautly across the top on one end hoping that traps more heat. I put a regular lamp on the counter above them thinking that would be better than nothing, I hope it doesn't just keep them up all night. But I did start to perspire in the garage so I know it is pretty warm, even if they aren't as comfortable as they would be under a professional heating lamp, I am thinking they are good enough at least for survival. Wouldn't it be like motel 6 instead of The Plaza, but shelter nevertheless? I hope so...

 

[Jeanna Marie]

Thanks so much! They were laying besides each other so that made me feel better but I did put a towel in with them and thought to put them in the garage where it is warmer at night. In the garage I have them in a large laundry basket and put another towel tautly across the top on one end hoping that traps more heat. I put a regular lamp on the counter above them thinking that would be better than nothing, I hope it doesn't just keep them up all night. But I did start to perspire in the garage so I know it is pretty warm, even if they aren't as comfortable as they would be under a professional heating lamp, I am thinking they are good enough at least for survival. Wouldn't it be like motel 6 instead of The Plaza, but shelter nevertheless? I hope so...

They should be fine in the house or in the garage. Just make sure the bottom of that basket is lined with something they can grip with their feet like pine shavings. And make sure they can move around and have food and water. You can position a regular lamp with a 75 or 100 watt bulb near the basket for added warmth.

 

[one old chick]

Thanks so much! They were laying besides each other so that made me feel better but I did put a towel in with them and thought to put them in the garage where it is warmer at night. In the garage I have them in a large laundry basket and put another towel tautly across the top on one end hoping that traps more heat. I put a regular lamp on the counter above them thinking that would be better than nothing, I hope it doesn't just keep them up all night. But I did start to perspire in the garage so I know it is pretty warm, even if they aren't as comfortable as they would be under a professional heating lamp, I am thinking they are good enough at least for survival. Wouldn't it be like motel 6 instead of The Plaza, but shelter nevertheless? I hope so...
i live in new hampshire and i find that my chicks move away from the light most of the daytime hours but need it more in the evening even though they are in the house. if your sunroom windows are opened at night i would think about closing them or putting them where the draft can't get to them. at least until the feathers start to come in. also, the towel is ok but keep an eye they don't try to eat it as i read that chicks will eat material and that would not be good. sometimes the people that sell these little guys out of stores don't really know what best for them in the long term, as they only handle them for a day or two then they sold. it's different when you get them home and realize you want to do the best for them so they will grow to be beautiful healtjy birds. you are fortunate that you live in a warm climate your sunroom is ideal (Plaza). keep the water fressh and clean and the food available use a larger shaving not the small so they don't eat it. Don't stress too much and use this site as a support system, you'll be fine

 

[one old chick]

If they are laying side by side they are fine. If they start laying on top of each other in a pile they are too cold. You should be ok without a lamp but you might put a towelor stuffed animal in with them so they have something to snuggle up to.

I got them at a fee store. they had a couple of size bags and they were in the wid bird section but i read the package and nothing is added just plain old meal worms. i bought a small because i wasn't sure how they would go over and figured if they didn't like them i could throw them out to the wild birds LOL. i guess i will be going back and getting the large bag now. i haven't tried the egg yet but now that i am giving them the grit i think i will. do you feed the white too or just the cooked yoke? if we move them to the barn next week i am thinking of getting some live crickets from the pet store and throwing one in to them. i don't want to do that until they are in a bigger area because I know they will be knocking things over to get the cricket LOL

 

[Jeanna Marie]

I got them at a fee store. they had a couple of size bags and they were in the wid bird section but i read the package and nothing is added just plain old meal worms. i bought a small because i wasn't sure how they would go over and figured if they didn't like them i could throw them out to the wild birds LOL.  i guess i will be going back and getting the large bag now.  i haven't tried the egg yet but now that i am giving them the grit i think i will. do you feed the white too or just the cooked yoke?  if we move them to the barn next week i am thinking of getting some live crickets from the pet store and throwing one in to them. i don't want to do that until they are in a bigger area because I know they will be knocking things over to get the cricket LOL

I just scramble the whole egg....they love it. I will look for mealworms the next time I am at the feedstore. Thankfully we live in a farming community so we can get most things pretty close to home.

The crickets are a great idea! Mine chase little gnats..flies and moths that come to their lamp. But yes more room before letting a cricket loose...lol

 

[one old chick]

I just scramble the whole egg....they love it. I will look for mealworms the next time I am at the feedstore. Thankfully we live in a farming community so we can get most things pretty close to home.

The crickets are a great idea! Mine chase little gnats..flies and moths that come to their lamp. But yes more room before letting a cricket loose...lol

i am going to give the egg a try. i have read on several posts that they love egg. i am assuming it is hard boiled? do you put it into a dish or do you just feed it by hand. i might have to fore go the hand feeding they almost took my fingers off for the worms LOL

 

[Jeanna Marie]

i am going to give the egg a try. i have read on several posts that they love egg.  i am assuming it is hard boiled?   do you put it into a dish or do you just feed it by hand.  i might have to fore go the hand feeding they almost took my fingers off for the worms LOL

I hard boil or scramble the egg. I usually start off letting them eat from my hand and then put the dish in the brooder. I want my chicks to be friendly.