Feeding question from a first timer!

[shaelynn]

We brought our day old baby chicks home yesterday (so they're now 2 days old). They're drinking well and pooping but not eating a ton. They'll follow my hand and kind of peck at the food if I'm there but otherwise don't seem that interested. Should I crush up the chick starter or add some water or am I over thinking it? They are active and alert, the brooder temp is 96 at the hottest appt and they seem to like hanging around close but not directly under the heat lamp. They look great I just don't want to run into issues! Thanks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

If they are only two days old I don't think you have a problem. Before they hatch they absorb the yolk. They can live off of that yolk for three days, that's why they can be shipped. Just because they don't have to eat or drink the first few days doesn't mean they won't eat or drink. It doesn't mean that eating will hurt them, it won't. But they don't necessarily eat much when they do eat. They are just not that hungry.

Another thing is that they are small. Their crop isn't that big so it can't hold a lot. As they grow their appetite will increase dramatically.

I've noticed when a broody hen hatches her chicks and first brings them off the nest they spend a lot of their time under her instead of running around. When I move chicks from the incubator to the brooder they tend to spend a lot of their first few days huddled close to the heat instead of out running around. I think it takes them few days to get used to not being inside a shell under a hen as far as regulating heat. But they make that adjustment in a few days.

It sounds like you are using a heat lamp for heat, I do too. My brooder is outside in the main coop so I can get some pretty big temperature swings. I've found that chicks straight out of the incubator or from the post office are very good at regulating the heat if they have an option from warm enough to cool enough. It sounds like that is what is going on with yours. They are not directly under the hottest part but close enough to be comfortable.

If they are uncomfortable they will give a plaintive peep. It's not that happy chirpy peep but a really plaintive type of peep that tears at your heart. If you ever hear it you will immediately recognize something is wrong. It might mean they are cold, thirsty, or hungry. I've only heard that a few times. Once a chick never learned to drink from watching the others or from me first dipping its beak in water so about the 4th or 5th day it started that plaintive peeping. It took that long for it to really need to drink after it used up the yolk. I dipped its beak in the water (not sure how I figured out to do that) and it just stood there drinking for a long time. A few times I've had a chick get separated from a broody hen and trapped where it could not get back to her. It started calling her with that plaintive peep. My point is that if you are not hearing this plaintive peep you are probably doing fine.

 

[woodmort]

Good advice.

 

[MissChick@dee]

If they are only two days old I don't think you have a problem. Before they hatch they absorb the yolk. They can live off of that yolk for three days, that's why they can be shipped. Just because they don't have to eat or drink the first few days doesn't mean they won't eat or drink. It doesn't mean that eating will hurt them, it won't. But they don't necessarily eat much when they do eat. They are just not that hungry.

Another thing is that they are small. Their crop isn't that big so it can't hold a lot. As they grow their appetite will increase dramatically.

I've noticed when a broody hen hatches her chicks and first brings them off the nest they spend a lot of their time under her instead of running around. When I move chicks from the incubator to the brooder they tend to spend a lot of their first few days huddled close to the heat instead of out running around. I think it takes them few days to get used to not being inside a shell under a hen as far as regulating heat. But they make that adjustment in a few days.

It sounds like you are using a heat lamp for heat, I do too. My brooder is outside in the main coop so I can get some pretty big temperature swings. I've found that chicks straight out of the incubator or from the post office are very good at regulating the heat if they have an option from warm enough to cool enough. It sounds like that is what is going on with yours. They are not directly under the hottest part but close enough to be comfortable.

If they are uncomfortable they will give a plaintive peep. It's not that happy chirpy peep but a really plaintive type of peep that tears at your heart. If you ever hear it you will immediately recognize something is wrong. It might mean they are cold, thirsty, or hungry. I've only heard that a few times. Once a chick never learned to drink from watching the others or from me first dipping its beak in water so about the 4th or 5th day it started that plaintive peeping. It took that long for it to really need to drink after it used up the yolk. I dipped its beak in the water (not sure how I figured out to do that) and it just stood there drinking for a long time. A few times I've had a chick get separated from a broody hen and trapped where it could not get back to her. It started calling her with that plaintive peep. My point is that if you are not hearing this plaintive peep you are probably doing fine.

Good advice. Drinking was more of a concern for me. The first couple of days I had to dip the tips of their beaks. A couple were slow at first. I would check them one by one until I knew all were drinking. Once they’ve got the hang of it ... they can teach others. Good for you being observant and proactive. Enjoy your new chicks

 

[CityslickerHomestead]

I was in your same spot a few weeks ago when I got my first ever batch of baby chicks. If they know where the food is, they will eat when they are hungry. Just like the others said, they still have the nutrients from their yolk to sustain them. If they seem lethargic and too sleepy, then I’d be worried. I had 5 chicks to compare each other too and one was always “sleepy” but it turned out her eyes were goopy and she couldn’t open them so she never ate or drank. I almost lost her but I realized she wasn’t “sleeping” and just cleaned her eyes out with a cotton swab and water multiple times a day. She perked right back up and ate like crazy.

 

[shaelynn]

Thank you guys so much! I feel a lot better now

 

[chickens really]

Give them a cool area where feed and water is and a sleeping area..Over heated chicks don't thrive.

 

[GC-Raptor]

The Chick Start and Grow feed I bought had big Crumbles.
I ran it through a blender on low speed for a few seconds the first week.
I put feed up to the 5 ounce mark. Higher than that it didn't blend evenly. GC

 

[chkva]

I run my chick crumble through the blender because they seem to like it that way better than the crumbles.

When I feed them I take my index finger and peck at the food with it. They follow my lead and start pecking at the food.