Do you do anything diffrant? Brooder, feed and water??? Anything else?

[Fancie]

Ok so my first shipment of birds will be shipping out tomorow. and arrive most likely friday.

The brooder is set at about 100 degrees, the water and food (non-medicated starter btw) will be filled...

Is there anything else you do to assure the highest ammount of chicks survive the brooder stage???

 

[BeccaOH]

I never had my brooder above 95 and gave them plenty of space to get away from the heat. Mine seemed to overheat easily, peeping loudly and staying out of the range of the light. So watch that. They'll huddle together to let you know they are too cold.

Some use vitamins/electrolytes in the water for the first couple of days to help the chicks recover from the trip. I didn't because I picked mine up.

Oh, and I melted a plastic waterer by keeping it too close to the heat lamp that first day. Had a flood in my brooder.

I found using a puppy pee pad under them for the first week worked great. I used it the second week too, but added the pine shavings on top. I stopped using it when they started scratching and tearing up the cotton pad.

Enjoy them!

 

[birdlovin gal]

I'm using crittercare for the bedding on top of an old clean sheet. Had the peeps for 4 days now and it's working great! No smell or dampness, and it's all natural.