Congratulations on your Easter Eggers coming this Friday! That's exciting. It's sounds like you are ready to roll with the brooder, and hopefully a coop is quick to be done or already done. They grow fast. Watching pasty butt is a good thing. You pretty much are going to need to be around for the next 4-6 weeks depooping water, food, cute little fluffy butts and the brooder all together every few days. I started Braggs Apple cider vinegar in my chicks water at the 1 week point (capful in a gallon of water) and I didn't have any pasty butt problems. It has a natural probiotic and helps the chicks' overall digestion of their food and they seem to feather out faster, apparently. You can start to introduce clipped grass after a couple weeks. Put polished rocks (decoration section of walmart or target) or marbles in their water for the first week so they don't drown in the waterer. They'll drink from in between the rocks. Wash your hands before and after handling them. If you have company to see them--have them do the same...my guests didn't mind and often appreciated that "good idea." I always said it in a cute way something about protecting them and my chicks. Watch the temps in the brooder, but know that the chicks can take it a little cooler than you think and Easter Eggers actually feather out a bit faster than other chicks too, from what I saw. They are very dusty at such a small cute age already and you might do well to keep them in the garage. We did and they thrived well even with the garage door opening once or twice a day in 40-50 weather or cooler. As long as the lamp is focused on the brooder and no drafts they'll be fine. Offer them limbs to learn roosting. If you want them socialized spend lots of time with them.
Prepare to fall in love... You won't regret getting them. I had one moment that first weekend we had them," what have you done?" I said to myself and... After that I never looked back or regretted it. Best thing I've ever done for our family.
