First experience, new chicks, not good..

[MerryNH]

Brooder is 2’x2’. Water/food on one Side, heat on the other side. How long was your shipping time?

They shipped late Wednesday and arrived Friday just after 12 noon. (hatch date showed 2/3 at 4pm)

I sure hope your remaining duo do well <3

 

[Trenttrent]

“Home Fresh” chick starter feed.
Please see pictures of brooder.

 

[Anon112]

“Home Fresh” chick starter feed.
Please see pictures of brooder.

My only comment is to consider putting some (clean!) stones in the water to reduce risk of drowning. (Not as big a risk after the first few days, but still!).

I'd also keep an eye on how well they are walking on the paper to see if they need something with more traction.

They sure are cute! Have you named them yet?

 

[Trenttrent]

“Home Fresh” chick starter feed.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

We use puppy pee pads, they don't get slick when wet. Change every evening. If chicks are sticky at their vent, what I do is take them to the bathroom sink and turn warm water on. Then with gloved hand I wet my fingers and wet the sticky feathers, over and over until the bottom is clean. Some use a wet paper towel instead. If the chick ends up wrt, dry it off with a soft clean towel then, with hair dryer set on low, gently wave the air over it until it is dry and fluffy. They generally like that a lot!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Brooder is 2’x2’. Water/food on one Side, heat on the other side.

Brooder is too small so I don't see how it's possible for them to escape heat if needed.

I agree that if you haven't been checking for pasty butt that is something that's quickly fatal to chicks, so best to check twice a day to ensure they stay clear.

Unfortunately it is winter so over a 70 hr journey they could've hit some pretty rough conditions, with cold being a big issue. Can't do much about it now but I wouldn't recommend ordering through mail in winter or summer due to temperature extremes.

 

[debid]

With two 100w heating elements in a 2' square, there is no cool zone. Shut one off immediately, make sure the other is as close to a corner as possible.

Most of the space should be cool, you just want a warm area large enough for the group to sleep in.

In small brooders, a brooder heating plate makes it much easier to provide adequate heat without risking overheating. And, it's efficient, the one I use outside in freezing cold weather only draws 50W. That's enough to warm the chicks and keep the nearby water from getting any ice even when it is in the teens.

And yes, pasted vents is a possibility, too, you need to clean them off if you find they have crusted feces stuck on their backside as that kills chicks. There is a small umbilical scab under the vent that you must be careful not to damage so please be attentive and gentle with this activity if you find it is necessary.

 

[Trenttrent]

Everyone, Thank you!
I have specific questions about pasty butt-
My 2 remaining chicks had very small (end of tooth pick size) amounts of poop visible.
Should it ALWAYS appear totally clean?
Can I tolerate ANY visible poop?
Anyway, I gently cleaned and dried the small amounts, and it was stuck.

 

[debid]

Everyone, Thank you!
I have specific questions about pasty butt-
My 2 remaining chicks had very small (end of tooth pick size) amounts of poop visible.
Should it ALWAYS appear totally clean?
Can I tolerate ANY visible poop?
Anyway, I gently cleaned and dried the small amounts, and it was stuck.

The risk is that it builds up enough to cover the vent and dry like that. If it's just a tiny bit off to the side, skip cleaning, it's stressful for them and should be done only if necessary. But, having that speck makes it more likely they will have a little more stick to that so keep checking at least once a day to be sure it isn't building up