Feeding baby chicks

[bigbadwolf38]

My hen is hatching chicks. When should I introduce the food and water? There is one so far going on 24hrs old. This is the first time I've had babies this young. I usually get them from Tractor Supply.

 

[foreverlearning]

Put in in the mothers reach now and she will teach them everything. You should already have the mother on chick feed as she doesn't need the calcium in the layer feed right now.

 

[bigbadwolf38]

Thanks! I will do that. Will it hurt to move her? She is in a nest that is off the ground, and chick #2 has arrived. She has about 7 more to go, so I was going to put her in a smaller pen to be alone with her babies.

 

[foreverlearning]

That is a little tricky to do. Is there any way you can move the entire nest with her at once? My nest boxes are open sided plastic totes slightly larger then a regular nest box so I just pick the entire thing up slowly to move a broody. You can also slide a box under and over her to get it all at once. If you can't move everything at once I would wait until dark to move her, the eggs, and the chicks so she doesn't stop sitting on the rest of the eggs. Then if moving in the dark I would take the eggs, chicks, and nest before her. If you move her first she will fight to get back to the old nest. Once moved it may take her a few minutes to get settled again and she will check her nest to make sure everything is good.

 

[bigbadwolf38]

I would have to do it in the dark, which is easy. She's a great girl, let's me mess with her and her babies. I hold them and cuddle them with her right there. I'll move her tonight and post in the morning. I think that will work. Thanks for the advice!

 

[dvdbuchholz]

we have two chicks that are about 7 weeks old I've already had to retrieve one that jumped out of the brooding box and flew about 12 feet. anyways the question is I know traditionally farmers used to thin out their carrots and radishes and just throw them to the birds. we have a bunch of radishes that need to be thinned can I give them to the chicks being almost ready to outside.

 

[foreverlearning]

we have two chicks that are about 7 weeks old I've already had to retrieve one that jumped out of the brooding box and flew about 12 feet. anyways the question is I know traditionally farmers used to thin out their carrots and radishes and just throw them to the birds. we have a bunch of radishes that need to be thinned can I give them to the chicks being almost ready to outside.

Yes, but make sure they have access to grit to digest it.

 

[dvdbuchholz]

thanks.

 

[bigbadwolf38]

Okay...the move was successful!

I went to the store today and came home to her out of the box with the 3 new babies on the ground.
So, I gave her some more hay and moved the eggs under her. She is such a sweet bird!
She still has 12 eggs to go...whew! and another hen on another 11...
I'm gonna be flooded with babies soon!

I'll try to get some pics when there are more! Thanks for the help!!!