Day old Chicks advice please

[debleew1]

Hi I have just got eight, day old barred rock chicks. They are in a crate with a Titan electric brooder hen set 3 height which is supposed to equate to about two week olds, but I moved it from 2 as they are huddled together outside it, they do go under but after half an hour curl up together outside. In between they are cheeping and active, some are eating the chick crumb the others are flicking it round but as its day 1 I'm not to bothered. Questions

The heating is on in the house but will go off later should I just leave the brooder as it is as its really cold here in Northern Ireland at the moment!

When do I turn the office light off , I am worried if I switch it off now they will have a long night without eating should I keep checking on them through the night getting them to eat?

I also have a nipple based drinker how do I get them to use it?

Sorry I have done loads of research pre getting these babies but I just need some reassurance, I got my point of lays last week and thanks to the forum members advice they are well settled, going in and out at will and returning to their coop at dusk and given me two eggs already so thanks .

all advice or constructive criticism gratefully received Deb

 

[PD-Riverman]

Hi I have just got eight, day old barred rock chicks. They are in a crate with a Titan electric brooder hen set 3 height which is supposed to equate to about two week olds, but I moved it from 2 as they are huddled together outside it, they do go under but after half an hour curl up together outside. In between they are cheeping and active, some are eating the chick crumb the others are flicking it round but as its day 1 I'm not to bothered. Questions

The heating is on in the house but will go off later should I just leave the brooder as it is as its really cold here in Northern Ireland at the moment!

When do I turn the office light off , I am worried if I switch it off now they will have a long night without eating should I keep checking on them through the night getting them to eat?

I also have a nipple based drinker how do I get them to use it?

Sorry I have done loads of research pre getting these babies but I just need some reassurance, I got my point of lays last week and thanks to the forum members advice they are well settled, going in and out at will and returning to their coop at dusk and given me two eggs already so thanks .

all advice or constructive criticism gratefully received Deb

I use a electric candle light(like people put in their windows at Christmas) I bought a box of them at a Auction for $1---the ones that carry the little night light bulb. I attach one(where it want fall over) inside on the cooler end where the feed and water is----they can eat or drink anytime they want.

I would suggest a flat thermometer to check the temp under the electric brooder. If they are 1 day old I would want the floor temp to be between 95 and 100. Good Luck

 

[debleew1]

thanks I bought a load of the same led candle lights cheap at Christmas I will dig the out now!

 

[SueT]

Congrats on the new babies!
Try tapping your finger on the water nipples to encourage them to try it themselves. The water should come out when you do that. If it doesn't, check BYC forums on nipple waterers, I haven't tried them myself, but read this in another thread, "make sure you have a small hole in the top of the waterer....if not..poke a small hole at the top so the water can flow when they peck it." Does that make sense? Anyone else want to chime in on this?

 

[debleew1]

Hi I think a few of them are getting the idea there's water there and I have made sure they have all had a bit off my finger end from tapping just to be sure, cant believe how chirpy they are when awake thanks

 

[PD-Riverman]

Hi I think a few of them are getting the idea there's water there and I have made sure they have all had a bit off my finger end from tapping just to be sure, cant believe how chirpy they are when awake thanks

Check that temp-----chicks are usually not to real chirpy unless something it wrong.

 

[azygous]

Your chicks do not need to eat during the night. If they are being heated by an electric light, they will be awake because it's not dark. If it's dark, they will sleep, which is natural.

We get so caught up in our methods of artificially brooding chicks because of the convenience of it, we forget that chickens in their natural world have day and night just as we do, eating during the day and sleeping at night. Do you think a broody hen has running lights she turns on for her babies so they can go grab snacks during the night? I think not.

Chicks allowed to have dark at night do much better all around than chicks kept awake by a bright light. Stress increases along with behavior problems when chicks are forced to undergo 24/7 light exposure. Back before I adopted the heating pad system of brooding, I would hang a dark cloth between the chicks and the heat lamp so they could sleep. They were so much more calm and friendly after I figured that out.

Your chicks need a good nights sleep and so do you. Don't worry. They manage to eat all they need during the day. If they needed to eat all night long, then how come broody hens have so much success in raising healthy chicks?

 

[debid]

The crop is awfully handy for stuffing absolutely full and then they get nutrition all night without actually going to the feeder. When they have natural day/dusk/dark, they'll prepare for bed by loading up as the sun is setting.

 

[debleew1]

Hi thanks to all who have replied for your wisdom and experience thanks to it we have survived the first night and most of the second day. The chicks are all eating well and using the drinker. They sleep under the brooder a fair bit and run out when we go into the room. Early days but I am pleased how quick they are getting the hang of things one is smaller than the other and has needed a bit of a hand but is getting food and water. Still quite chirpy when we come into the roomso not sure what's still wrong? They seem happy to rest under the rooder then have a run about the go back again.

 

[debleew1]

Hi my baby Barred Rock x Rhode Island chicks are now 9days old and thanks to all the advice doing really well. jumping stretching and generally trying to see who can jump onto the highest point in the brooder. The brooder is a deep indoor rabbit cage 4 foot long x 2 foot wide and 2 foot high I have eight 9 day olds in it (to be honest I have corded part off at the moment as its seems more than ample and I thought I would expand their space within it as they grow. I lined it with cardboard and then gave them a inch or so of chick bedding (specially treated wood chips). I remove obvious poos daily and clean it all out ever three days. I check the chicks individually every day and they are happy to come and sit on my hand.

Does all this sound OK, how long will they be able to stay in the brooder roughly?

My outside coop has four POL (I have had these two weeks and two are now laying albeit small eggs) same type as my chicks. It is 4 foot x 4 foot x four foot with 3 18 inch nest boxes additional space on the external wall I can add more coming out of the other side. it has a four foot roost inside which they cuddle together on. It about 3 foot off the ground and very robust (husband made)



Question is how many can I keep in that coop when the chicks are grown and should I build a bigger one or another, the same size as the existing one.

At what point do I introduce the chicks to the grown up (I presume when they are the same size). Outsize space is not an issue whilst the garden is fenced off for their safety it large and they are able to do their own thing.

I always appreciate the replies so please let me know if I am doing it all wrong, I know they have settled quickly and all of them will now eat from our hand and the big ones forage about quite happily as well but I am cautious as I know how quickly things can change especially with the chicks.

thanks Deb